Asia to battle for $200b energy investment Tanya Pang, Reuters, Tokyo Asia will need some $200 billion in the next 10-15 years to build enough gas and power infrastructure to underpin fast growing regional economies, the head of an Asia Pacific research group said on Monday. But competition for investment will be tough with other regions and industries, and governments will have to be proactive in deregulation and liberalization to attract capital resources.

Biofuel may combat air pollution Nao Nakanishi, Reuters, Singapore Fuel ethanol distilled from crops such as corn and rapeseed could be the solution for countries seeking an outlet for huge agricultural surpluses. Biofuels can help raise farmer income, cut large bills for oil imports, improve energy security and combat air pollution and groundwater contamination, said experts recently gathered in Singapore for an international conference.

Rupiah's sharp rise may hurt RI's exports Adianto P. Simamora, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Indonesian exporters fear that the sharp appreciation of the rupiah against the U.S. dollar will make their products more expensive in the export market compared to products from competitor countries whose currencies have not appreciated as fast as the rupiah. "If the rupiah strengthens to beyond Rp 9,000, we'll be in difficulties," Anton J.

W. Timor Military consoles pro-RI Timorese refugees The Jakarta Post, Jakarta East Nusa Tenggara Military district chief Col. Moeswarno Moesanip consoled some 30,000 prointegration East Timorese refugees who were politically estranged in West Timor following East Timor's independence on Monday, saying all sides, including the military must accept the reality.

Rupiah Rates May.20 JP/13/Conver Rupiah Rates May.20 Bank notes rates TT rates Selling Buying Selling Buying Rp Rp Rp Rp U.S.

Parade for Thomas Cup heroes Novan Iman Santosa, The Jakarta Post, Guangzhou, China Indonesia's champion shuttlers, who have just defended the men's team Thomas Cup badminton title here, will have a tight schedule on Wednesday in Jakarta, including a luncheon with President Megawati Soekarnoputri followed by a parade.

From Guangzhou with pride To the delight of many here at home, the men's team 2002 Thomas Cup badminton competition in Guangzhou, China, finished with Indonesia making history once again, bringing home the trophy for the fifth consecutive time and a total of 13 times in all. Facing archrival Malaysia in the final, the team started waveringly but senior shuttler Hendrawan helped the country in the do-or-die decisive match to retain the coveted trophy.

Local zoos have no place for animals Rita A. Widiadana, The Jakarta Post, Denpasar Going to the zoo must be a good time for children and parents, since thousands of people regularly visit zoological parks in the country every weekend and holiday. With cheap ticket prices, sometimes less than Rp 1,000 (10 US cents), zoos have become one of the most affordable holiday destinations for families.

Unfinished business haunts Indonesia-East Timor ties Aboeprijadi Santoso and Yemris Fointuna, The Jakarta Post, Dili/Kupang Despite reconciliatory gestures from their leaders, the future of ties between Indonesia and its new neighbor East Timor hangs in the balance due to a legacy of wide-ranging unfinished business.

Warm welcome for world's newest nation Agencies, Hong Kong, China China claimed first place in the race to forge diplomatic ties with East Timor on Monday as the world's 192nd nation was given a warm welcome by its regional neighbors. In the agreement establishing relations, East Timor promised not to have any official contacts with Taiwan, the island China claims as part of its territory, Xinhua said.

KL push to define terrorism gets cool reaction Agencies, Kuala Lumpur Southeast Asian security ministers reacted coolly on Monday to Malaysia's latest call for a formal definition of terrorism. Singaporean Home Affairs Minister Wong Kan Seng said such a definition should be left to the United Nations, rather than ministers of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) who were meeting in Kuala Lumpur to discuss regional counterterrorism measures.

Haze covers Pontianak PONTIANAK, West Kalimantan: The West Kalimantan provincial capital of Pontianak has been covered by haze recently due to a temperature increase caused by a change in the seasons. The Meteorology and Geophysics Agency at Supadio Airport said that Pontianak was entering the dry season this month, with a daily air temperature of between 32 and 33 Celsius degrees on average. At night the haze thickens.

1. Niaga (2x26) IBRA and IMF differ on Bank Niaga divestment plan 2. Export (3x14) Rupiah's sharp rise may hurt RI's exports 3. BCA (4x10) BCA profit soars 88% in first quarter 4. Custom (1x32) 'Confiscated planes not missing'

As tiny East Timor celebrates its independence today, its giant neighbor Indonesia confronts a new reality. Two influential United States lawmakers -- Republican Senator Lincoln Chafee and Democratic Senator Russell Feingold -- have moved a resolution calling for "robust" American aid for the nascent half-island state. They urge President George W. Bush to bring to justice the senior Indonesian officials who promoted the 1999 anti- independence violence in East Timor.

IMF, customs office agree on a reform program Rendi A. Witular and Dadan Wijaksana, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta The International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the Directorate General of Customs and Excise have agreed on a restructuring program aimed at boosting the performance of the latter, long seen as one of the most corrupt institutions in the country.

Rapists must be severely punished From Media Indonesia It is really heart-rending for me to read and watch newspaper and TV reports about the rape and torture of a teenage girl, Lestari (16), by four youths in Klaten, Central Java. Their treatment of the victim was so barbaric and inhuman. They cruelly inflicted pain on her, stole her bicycle and one of them sadistically raped her. Then the helpless maid was left in a deserted sugarcane plantation.

Testing time for East Timor: ASEAN's political perspective Kavi Chongkittavorn, The Nation, Asia News Network, Bangkok As the world's youngest nation, East Timor's independence will be welcomed by the global community, although ASEAN is ambivalent whether to include the country as its eleventh member.

Drug abusers must be handled with care Drug abuse is widespread among students, and schools have become a popular trading place for drugs. Students are a major target of traffickers as they are easily "challenged" to try new things. A number of student scouts interviewed by The Jakarta Post asserted that drug addicts must be handled with care by their family and friends. Noval Andrean, 16, a first year student at state high school SMU 112 in Daan Mogot, West Jakarta.

AGO plan to try absent tycoons sparks criticism from expert The Jakarta Post, Jakarta The Attorney General's Office plan to try several businessmen in absentia will set a bad precedent for Indonesia's judicial system, a legal expert said.

Message from Gusmao to the world and Indonesia Xanana Gusmao, President, East Timor, Dili If 92 countries are gathered today here, it is because the settlement of the question of East Timor was the responsibility of the international community. Therefore, your presence here is the most eloquent testimony of the universal values enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations, and is equally an unequivocal affirmation of the fundamental rights of the peoples.

Laksmi transforms emotion into artistic sufferings and love Carla Bianpoen, Contributor, Jakarta In the minds of many people of old traditions, the roles for which women were destined were silent ones, with tasks mostly relegated to obscurity in a society that focused exclusively on the deeds of men. Distinct preference given to men has proven to be denigrating to women.

A contribution to Meranti Pandak villagers "I'm very grateful for the loan from Caltex to renovate my house. Frankly, without such assistance, it would have been impossible for me to rebuild my house," villager Sobirin said. Aisyah, a mother of four, shared similar joy: "Thank God I received the loan to renovate the house left by my late husband. Now I can live more peacefully," she said.

General public can help encouraging better zoos The London-based World Society for the Protection of Animals, WSPA, a non-profit organization promoting animal welfare around the world, recently investigated the condition of animals in several zoos in Indonesia, along with its local counterpart Animal Conservation for Life, KSBK. WSPA's expert Rob Laidlaw shared the organization's findings with The Jakarta Post and offered solutions through an e-mail interview from his Canada office.

Chinese-Indonesians still discriminated against Muninggar Sri Saraswati, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta It was a sad irony that top shuttler Hendrawan who saved the country in the Thomas Cup championship had to struggle to get his citizenship certificate before heading to China for the tournament a mere two weeks ago.

Unfinished business haunts RI-Timor Lorosae ties Aboeprijadi Santoso and Yemris Fointuna, The Jakarta Post, Dili/Kupang Despite reconciliatory gestures from their leaders, the future of ties between Indonesia and its new neighbor Timor Lorosae hangs in the balance due to a legacy of wide-ranging unfinished business.

1. Proper (1 x 30) Home sales perk up ASEAN property 2. Timor (2 x 14) E. Timor, Australia sign oil, gas treaty 3. Thai (2 x 24) Thai auto industry to stay competitive post AFTA 4. IWC (1 x 45) Japan calls for resumption of commercial whaling JP/

Counterfeit money, drugs destroyed BOGOR: The Cibinong Prosecutors' Office burned on Monday Rp 5.3 billion (US$570,000) in counterfeit bank notes as well as large quantities of marijuana and heroin that were confiscated from suspects. Chief of the prosecutors' office Marwan Wahab told reporters that there was still Rp 100 million of the money which had not been destroyed as it was needed to be presented during the trial of Robby Hartono, 41.

Countries react coolly to Malaysian push to define terrorism Agencies Kuala Lumpur Southeast Asian security ministers reacted coolly on Monday to Malaysia's latest call for a formal definition of terrorism. Singaporean Home Affairs Minister Wong Kan Seng said such a definition should be left to the United Nations, rather than ministers of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) who were meeting in Kuala Lumpur to discuss regional counterterrorism measures.

2. Telkom (2 x 16) Telkom's Q1 net profit jumps 46% 3. Energy JP/ Asia to battle for $200 bln energy investment 4. Oil (2 x 30) Oil prices stabilize a bit as Middle East continues to simmer