Indonesian Political, Business & Finance News

Archive: 26 December 2002

81 articles found

Once shady Jl. Barito

Once shady Jl. Barito becoming barren From KompasThe South Jakarta administration is building an office for the city parks agency in a green area of Jl. Barito II, Kramat Pela subdistrict, formerly known as Barito park. An artesian well is also under construction as part of the building.

Terrorism exists and may worsen next year: Analysts

Terrorism exists and may worsen next year: AnalystsDebbie A. Lubis, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta The country will have to deal with numerous social, political and economic problems in 2003 if the government, politicians and security authorities fail to provide legal certainty and law enforcement in...

Manpower agency passive as jobseekers are abused

Manpower agency passive as jobseekers are abusedMulta Fidrus, The Jakarta Post, Tangerang Sofiah, 35, from Tanjung Sari village in Kentung Gemar district of Sukabumi, West Java, had a big dream: to earn a large salary working as a housemaid in the Middle East.

Mayor releases doves in Monas

Mayor releases doves in Monas JAKARTA: Following Governor Sutiyoso's plan to release deer in the National Monument (Monas) park, Central Jakarta Mayor Hosea Petra Lumbun freed on Tuesday 1,500 birds, mostly turtle doves and thrushes.

BI lowers its benchmark interest rate again

BI lowers its benchmark interest rate againThe Jakarta Post, Jakarta Bank Indonesia lowered its benchmark interest rate again, creating concern that the move could help push inflation higher.The interest rate on one-month Bank Indonesia SBI promissory notes slightly declined to 12.

Dealing with children and TBC

Dealing with children and TBC Dear Dr. Donya,We have had some bad news. It emerged based on the initiative of my wife, who had brought my daughter's stool to a laboratory. It turned out that my daughter had amoebae.

Year 2002: Using foreign policy to address domestic problems

Year 2002: Using foreign policy to address domestic problemsFabiola Desy Unidjaja The Jakarta Post JakartaActivities at the foreign ministry this year demonstrated that foreign policy can be advantageous to domestic interests.

Sutiyoso reelected Jakarta governor despite suspect status

Sutiyoso reelected Jakarta governor despite suspect statusRaymond Toruan, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Maj. Gen. (ret.) Sutiyoso has an impressive track record.He was Jakarta Military Commander in 1996 when the Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI) headquarters on Jl.

Economic integration in Southeast Asia: Making AFTA work

Economic integration in Southeast Asia: Making AFTA workPuspa Delima Amri Centre fore Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) JakartaThe year 2002 marked an important era for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) members, as they embarked on the long evolving plan to realize the...

Police win praise, but still lacking professionalism

Police win praise, but still lacking professionalismDamar Harsanto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta City police won praise from the public for successfully enforcing the ban against firecrackers in Jakarta during the fasting month of Ramadhan and Idul Fitri, allowing city residents to enjoy a peaceful,...

Body count in Aceh rises as JSC urges restraint

Body count in Aceh rises as JSC urges restraintNani Farida and Berni K. Moestafa, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta The body count since a peace accord between the government and rebels in Aceh has risen again with another gunshot victim found on Wednesday, as the committee in charge of overseeing the...

Anticorruption commission: A ray of hope

Anticorruption commission: A ray of hopeA'an Suryana, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta The anticorruption commission is by no means a new animal in the country, which has suffered from graft for decades.The country's first-ever anticorruption body was constituted in 1971, three years after Gen.

Waterless toilet

Waterless toilet at TIM 21From Suara Karya As one of the regular visitors to Taman Ismail Marzuki (TIM), I feel reluctant to use the women's toilets in the building. Although the toilets are relatively clean and seem to be well- maintained, they have no water nor toilet paper.

Elected politicians make 2nd rate legislators

Elected politicians make 2nd rate legislatorsKurniawan Hari, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta I swear to God: That I will fulfill my duties as a member of the House of Representatives (DPR), excellently and impartially.

Megawati passes 2002 with good fortune

Megawati passes 2002 with good fortuneFabiola Desy Unidjaja, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Despite many flaws and disappointments, President Megawati Soekarnoputri had a few major achievements in 2002 that will be recorded in history books.

Embattled Akbar pays high cost of survival

Embattled Akbar pays high cost of survivalKurniawan Hari, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta A group of about 68 legislators has set in motion a process to oust Speaker Akbar Tandjung from his cozy leadership position.

Activists say 2002 a year of defeat for women

Activists say 2002 a year of defeat for womenDebbie A. Lubis, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta The gloomy reality for Indonesian women in 2002 should be addressed by women themselves through their active participation in social, political, economical and cultural aspects of life, a noted activist has said.

Christmas in Jakarta passes off peacefully

Christmas in Jakarta passes off peacefullyDamar Harsanto and Leo Wahyudi S., The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Under tight security, thousands of congregations across Jakarta celebrated Christmas on Tuesday and Wednesday with solemn church ceremonies.

Govt to stop feeding, housing refugees next month

Govt to stop feeding, housing refugees next monthThe Jakarta Post, Jakarta The government will next month stop providing food and housing assistance for thousands of displaced people who fled religious, ethnic and separatist conflicts throughout the country, a senior welfare minister said here on...

Polaris to sue Bank Artha Graha over executives' detention

Polaris to sue Bank Artha Graha over executives' detentionAgence France-Presse, Madras, India An executive of a top Indian software firm who was held by Jakarta police with a colleague for nearly two weeks said Wednesday he planned legal action against the Indonesian bank whose complaint had led to...

1. Busway - 4x12

1. Busway - 4x12 Busway project funds drastically increased2. Labor - 2x 25 Manpower agency passive as jobseekers are abused3. SPEAKUP: 28 pt, 1 x 31'I feel much safer this year'

Tax court handles surging number of tax disputes

Tax court handles surging number of tax disputesRendi A. Witular The Jakarta Post JakartaSeven months after it received its first tax dispute case, the newly-established Tax Tribunal has now handled 1,058 cases worth around Rp 2 trillion (US$227 million).

Tax court handles surging number of tax disputes

Tax court handles surging number of tax disputesRendi A. Witular, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Seven months after it received its first tax dispute case, the Tax Tribunal has now handled 1,058 cases valued at a total of around Rp 2 trillion (US$227 million).

[i]Reuters

Reuters Reuters/Bagus OthmasMALAYSIAN SUSPECTS, POLICE CHIEF: Undated police photos of Malaysians Azahari Husin (photo above, left) and Noor Din Mohd Top, members of the Southeast Asian terrorist group Jamaah Islamiyah and suspects in the Bali bomb blasts.

Megawati govt hesitant to fight corruption

Megawati govt hesitant to fight corruptionA'an Suryana, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Four years have passed since the reform movement swept through the nation in 1998, but corruption, the main disease the reformists pledged to eradicate, remains a cause for concern.

Bank Buana to be listed on NYSE in 2003

Bank Buana to be listed on NYSE in 2003 Bank Buana Indonesia has obtained approval from the U.S. Securities and Stock Exchange Commission to sell its shares on the New York Stock Exchange in the first quarter of 2003, in what will be the first listing of American Depositary Receipts by a local bank.

Strong civil society needed in Jakarta

Strong civil society needed in JakartaBambang Nurbianto and T. Sima Gunawan, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Jakarta is where all reforms begin as the city is home to critical observers, critical students and critical activists of non-governmental organizations.

Another muddling through scenario

Another muddling through scenarioMuhammad Chatib Basri How do we mark the economic performance in 2002 and what is the prospect for 2003? The average real GDP growth (y-o-y) up to the third quarter of 2002 was recorded at 3.4 percent.

Year-end special section

Year-end special section The bomb attacks on the world famous island of Bali on Oct. 12 undoubtedly marked the peak of the turmoil that has prevailed in Indonesia for the last 12 months. The mass carnage, perpetrated by terrorists, compounded the long-standing problems facing the nation,...

KL Police question Bali bomb suspects

KL Police question Bali bomb suspectsI Wayan Juniartha and Tiarma Siboro, The Jakarta Post, Denpasar/Jakarta Malaysian Police chief Insp. Gen. Tan Sri Norian Mai met several key suspects in the Bali bombings to determine if links exist between them and Muslim militants arrested in Malaysia, as well...

JP/2/refugee

JP/2/refugeeJP/3/Aceh Body count rises as JSC urges restraint JP/4/DPKP2 x 25 Jamsostek spends Rp 149.9b on improving workers' welfare 1 x 40JP/2/refugee Govt to stop feeding, housing refugees next month JP/4/tabrak1 x 40 Six killed in three-car collision in Cirebon

10 more soldiers sentenced up to 30 months for Binjai attack

10 more soldiers sentenced up to 30 months for Binjai attackApriadi Gunawan, The Jakarta Post, Medan, North Sumatra Another group of 10 soldiers in North Sumatra have been jailed for between 12 months and two-and-a-half years for their involvement in a two-day attack on two police stations here...

RI reluctantly launches money laundering agency

RI reluctantly launches money laundering agencyDadan Wijaksana, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta The government on Tuesday launched its long-awaited anti-money laundering agency as part of efforts to get the country off the developed nations' blacklist of countries that are uncooperative in curbing the...

2002 a 'year of grace' for Aceh?

2002 a 'year of grace' for Aceh?Kornelius Purba The Jakarta Post JakartaThe year 2002 has been marked by the historically significant signing on Dec. 9 of the cessation of hostilities agreement, facilitated by the Geneva-based Henry Dunant Centre (HDC), to end the 26-year-old Aceh conflict that has...

TNI makes strategic retreat from formal politics

TNI makes strategic retreat from formal politicsTiarma Siboro, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta The Indonesian Military (TNI) sprang a major surprise in August when it announced that it would relinquish all its seats both in the House of Representatives (DPR) and the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR)...

2002 a 'year of grace' for Aceh as peace accord signed

2002 a 'year of grace' for Aceh as peace accord signedKornelius Purba, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta The year 2002 has been marked by the historically significant signing on Dec. 9 of the cessation of hostilities agreement, facilitated by the Geneva-based Henry Dunant Centre (HDC), to end the...

* Headlines:Malaysian Police meet Bali bomb suspects2

* Headlines:Malaysian Police meet Bali bomb suspects2 * National:JSC calls for restraint in Aceh3 * City:Busway project funds drastically increased 4 * Sports: Gunners face three-pronged attack 5 * Opinion:U.S.

Don't ever let crime pay

Don't ever let crime pay The government's decision to drop criminal charges against big conglomerates who robbed the nation of trillions of rupiah, on the grounds that they have settled their debts to the state, albeit partially, is a major blow to justice and to democracy.

Cahaya Hati donates library

Cahaya Hati donates library TANGERANG: The Cahaya Hati Bangsa Foundation has donated a library containing 700 books to fishermen and their families in West Mauk village, Mauk district, Tangerang regency, the library's manager Yaya Sunarya said on Wednesday.

'I feel much safer this year'

'I feel much safer this year' Churchgoers who observed Christmas Eve felt more relieved that the police, in cooperation with social and religious groups as well as political organizations, safeguarded churches across the city.

Bali bombing takes political and economic toll on SEAsia

Bali bombing takes political and economic toll on SEAsia Lawrence Bartlett Agence France-Presse Kuala LumpurThe political and economic fallout from the Bali bombing hangs like a radioactive cloud over Southeast Asia, poisoning the region long after the sound of the explosion has died away.

Six killed in a chain collision in Cirebon

Six killed in a chain collision in CirebonNana Rukmana, The Jakarta Post, Cirebon At least six people were killed and three others severely injured when a cargo truck hit an intercity bus and an Opel Blazer van in the village of Bendungan, Astanajapura district, some 15 kilometers from Cirebon,...

Prospect for law enforcement in 2003

Prospect for law enforcement in 2003Satya Arinanto Lecturer and Deputy Dean School of Law University of Indonesia Jakarta arinanto@cbn.net.idThe discourse on law enforcement usually starts from the issue of the legal system. According to Lawrence M.

Terrorism shakes Southeast Asia, but strengthens ASEAN

Terrorism shakes Southeast Asia, but strengthens ASEANVeeramalla Anjaiah The Jakarta Post JakartaThis year's terror attacks in the Philippines, Thailand and Indonesia, including the deadly Oct. 12 Bali blasts and the arrests of alleged members of a regional terror network in Singapore and Malaysia,...

Puspa Delima Amri

Puspa Delima Amri CSISMany people believe that Nov. 10, 2001, the day China was officially admitted to the World Trade Organization (WTO), will go down in history as one of the most important events of the decade.

City development continues at the cost of the environment

City development continues at the cost of the environmentT. Sima Gunawan The Jakarta Post Jakarta Shopping malls have become a necessity for a metropolis like Jakarta. It is a place where people can shop conveniently in fully air-conditioned stores, enjoy various kinds of food, watch the latest...

Crush GAM if

Crush GAM if they betrayThe public was shocked to learn from the army chief of staff Gen. Ryamizard Ryacudu that the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) had shot Acehnese and members of the Indonesian military. According to the Indonesian military, since the signing of the Cessation of Hostilities Agreement...

Power politics 2003

Power politics 2003 Chusnul Mar'iyahThe years that followed the epochal students, civil society and political victory in 1998 were a lonely time for realists in Indonesia. The 1999 election, for instance, had a bad impact on Indonesian politics.

Malnourished students get help

Malnourished students get help BOGOR: The Rectorate of the Bogor Institute of Agriculture (IPB) is planning to distribute 9,000 bags of wheat flour to its malnourished students in January.The plan was revealed on Monday following a recent medical checkup of newly enrolled students, which found that...

Reinventing globalization

Reinventing globalizationYanuar Nugroho Director The Business Watch IndonesiaIf there is one word that has been the most frequently mentioned by people around the world over the past three to five years, it has been globalization.

Money talks in city corridors of power

Money talks in city corridors of powerAhmad Junaidi, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Almost all political activities in the city, such as the approval of the city budget and the governor's accountability speech, as well as the recent gubernatorial election this year, were tainted by allegations of money...

Essential services in 2003: Who owns (and thus, trades) our life?

Essential services in 2003: Who owns (and thus, trades) our life?Yanuar Nugroho Director The Business Watch IndonesiaLife is a game of power. The powerful rulers have their power not because others want it, but because the former use the latter for their own benefit.

1. Terr -- 48pts Bodoni L/c 7col. 1line -

1. Terr -- 48pts Bodoni L/c 7col. 1line -Terrorism shakes SE Asia, but strengthens ASEAN2. DJA -- 36pts Bodoni L/c 7col. 1line -40Using foreign policy to deal with domestic problems3. Bali -- 32pts Bodoni L/c 4col. 1line-Bali bombing takes heavy toll on SE Asia------------- 4. Caps A-4x, B-3x

Bali bombsite monument

Bali bombsite monumentFrom Bali PostI read with interest the article by Dr. Sumadi Kertonegoro about his idea of erecting a monument, Kala Cakra (the Wheel of Time), at Legian, Kuta, the site of the Bali bomb blasts, published in Bali Post on Nov. 24, 2002.

U.S. marketing strategy for war in Iraq

U.S. marketing strategy for war in IraqIqbal Widastomo, Research Associate, London School of Economics These are dangerous times. The fear of becoming the next victim of a terrorist attack is forcing people to change their plans and this is devastating for parts of the world.

Renomination of Lt. Gen.(ret) Sutiyoso, Approved Sutiyoso's,

Renomination of Lt. Gen.(ret) Sutiyoso, Approved Sutiyoso's, a suspect in the bloody takeover of renomination, sacked Megawati-led PDI's headquarters in 1996, dissident Tarmidi as Jakarta governor Suharjo Corruption involving House of Representative Allowed legal Speaker Akbar Tandjung process...

Prominent corruption cases involving state officials

Prominent corruption cases involving state officials 1. Bank Indonesia State Liquidity Loan (BLBI) case Bank Indonesia Governor Sjachriel Sabirin was convicted of violating prudential banking principles by the Central Jakarta District Court that sentenced him to two years in jail.

Year-end hopes and doubts

Year-end hopes and doubts As the old year moves towards a close, Indonesia can look toward the new with a measure of hope and optimism, although it continues to face a mountain of hurdles and challenges that is daunting, to say the least.

Busway project funds drastically increased

Busway project funds drastically increasedBambang Nurbianto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta After putting off the controversial busway project for over a year because of inadequate planning, the city administration now is seeking a mammoth 80 percent increase of the budget from Rp 50.8 billion to Rp 90.

Foreign direct investment drops 15 percent

Foreign direct investment drops 15 percentDow Jones, Jakarta Foreign direct investment (FDI) approvals in Indonesia dropped nearly 15 percent to US$7.16 billion in the first 11 months of 2002 from $8.42 billion in the year-ago period, the Investment Coordinating Board (BKPM) said.

SE Asia seen as haven for JI

SE Asia seen as haven for JIDeutsche Presse-Agentur, Singapore Southeast Asia is still a haven for al-Qaeda operatives as radical groups in the region keep receiving external funding and support from charities and illicit channels, a United Nations report said on Wednesday.

RI Human rights record as shabby as ever in 2002

RI Human rights record as shabby as ever in 2002Moch. N. Kurniawan, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta No improvement was made this year with the country's poor human rights record, which was marked by almost no progress of legal action against suspected perpetrators of crimes against humanity and, most...

Foreign Ministry explains

Foreign Ministry explainsFrom KompasIn response to the letter sent by Robert P. titled Foreign Ministry trapped in coordination meeting, I consider it necessary to explain that information coordination meetings are one of the ministry's routine activities related to the working territories of the...

Fitri Wulandari

Fitri Wulandari The Jakarta Post JakartaSamsung has seen rosy days in Indonesia, despite the economic woes that have plagued many electronics producers here in recent years.While many players in the electronics industry struggled to cope with a variety of problems, including weakening demand,...

Fiscal sustainability: How sustainable will it be?

Fiscal sustainability: How sustainable will it be?Muhammad Chatib Basri Looking at the prospects of the world economy in 2003 is like looking at a silhouette. You can see the big picture, but you cannot tell the details.

Living with another lean year

Living with another lean yearIndonesia is going to add another pale year into its post- Soeharto era. Its already tarnished image as a state was damaged again severely following the Bali Bombing, which demonstrated undeniably how vulnerable Indonesia has become to acts of terrorism.

JP/4/SCENE

JP/4/SCENEChristian inmates get remission JAKARTA: The government granted a sentence remission of between two weeks and two months to Christian inmates on Dec. 25, a senior official has said. Adi Suyatno, director general of correctional institutions at the Ministry of Justice and Human Rights said...

Jamsostek spends Rp 149.9b on improving workers' welfare

Jamsostek spends Rp 149.9b on improving workers' welfareApriadi Gunawan, The Jakarta Post, Medan, North Sumatra State-owned insurance company PT Jamsostek spent more than Rp 149.9 billion (US$16.6 million) in 2002 to provide financial aid and develop social infrastructure in industrial zones to...

East Timor human rights trials: All just a game

East Timor human rights trials: All just a gameMoch. N. Kurniawan, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Indonesia's landmark human rights trials of alleged gross human rights violators in the former province of East Timor will always raise public concern for their failure to break the cycle of impunity.

JP/3/capt26

JP/3/capt26AP/Murizal HamzahFRESH ARRIVALS: Military officers from Thailand walk on the tarmac upon their arrival at Sultan Iskandar Muda Airport in Banda Aceh, Aceh province. Eighteen Thai officers arrived in the troubled province on Tuesday to join the monitoring team of the Joint Security...

The Oct. 12 Bali bombings made 2002 a year of terror for

The Oct. 12 Bali bombings made 2002 a year of terror for Indonesia. The bombings marked the culmination of a series of terrorist outrages in a country plagued by bloodshed, corruption and near-anarchy since the fall of president Soeharto in 1998.

Christmas passes peacefully despite fear of terror attacks

Christmas passes peacefully despite fear of terror attacksThe Jakarta Post, Jakarta Despite the threat of terrorism, hundreds of thousands of Indonesians across the country packed full churches under tight security in what was regarded as a peaceful Christmas celebration on Wednesday.

City starts ID card sweep

City starts ID card sweep A joint team from the city administration raided on Monday 1,343 people in the city as part of its planned ID card sweep targeting new migrants, who arrived after the Idul Fitri celebrations.

Loss of the islands: Respecting the decision

Loss of the islands: Respecting the decisionBantarto Bandoro, Editor, 'The Indonesian Quarterly', Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), Jakarta, bandoro@csis.or.id The news on the verdict on the Dec.

Rahardi handed light sentence for graft

Rahardi handed light sentence for graftTertiani ZB Simanjuntak, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta The country's embattled court system was dealt another severe blow on Tuesday as former State Logistics Agency (Bulog) chief Rahardi Ramelan, accused of abuse of power in the disbursement of Rp 62.

Reported street crimes per day

Reported street crimes per day Crimes 2000 2001 2002 ------------------------------------------------------------ Vehicle thefts 7 units 17 units 16.7 unitsBurglaries 7.8 cases 14 cases 13.6 casesRobberies 4 cases 5.6 cases 7 casesFatal assaults 1.7 case 3.3 cases 3 casesExtortion 1 case 1.4 case 1.

JP/3/more

JP/3/moreTelkom helps bomb victims DENPASAR, Bali: State-owned telecommunications company PT Telkom provided on Wednesday educational assistance worth Rp 220 million (US$22,000) for children of the victims of the Oct. 12 bombings, which killed more than 190 people.

As was the case in 2001, this year we are happy to provide our

As was the case in 2001, this year we are happy to provide our loyal readers with a wide variety of yearend articles covering the main issues that have been dominating the life of the country for the past 12 months.

Don't ever let crime pay

Don't ever let crime pay The government's decision to drop criminal charges against big conglomerates who robbed the nation of trillions of rupiah, on the grounds that they have settled their debts to the state, albeit partially, is a major blow to justice and to democracy.

Corruption of the Republic

Corruption of the RepublicB. Herry-Priyono Driyarkara School of Philosophy Jakarta The herd of that social vice called corruption rumbles on unabated. The year 2002 has seen a rapid escalation of this contagion, even though the chorus of criticism grows louder.

Defendants of East Timor mayhem

Defendants of East Timor mayhem 1. Abilio Jose Osorio Soares, former East Timor governor, failed to prevent his subordinates from committing a number of tortures and murders in East Timor in 1999. Sentenced to three years in jail, but walks free pending the verdict by the higher court.2. Insp. Gen.