Indonesian Political, Business & Finance News

Archive: 22 August 2002

76 articles found

TV Program: Thursday, August 22, 2002

TV Program: Thursday, August 22, 2002TVRI 5:00 a.m. Religious Teachings6:00 News8:30 Music9:00 Children's Program10:00 Documentary11:30 Music12:00 p.m. News1:00 Talk Show2:00 News3:30 Cartoon4:00 TV Drama5:00 The Brilliant6:00 News7:00 Talk Show9:00 News9:30 Music: Country Road11:00 Talk ShowTPI...

Megawati reprimands minister over treasure hunt

Megawati reprimands minister over treasure huntTiarma Siboro and Theresia Sufa, Jakarta/Bogor The government called on Wednesday for an end to the polemic over a treasure dig at the Batutulis protected historic site in the West Java town of Bogor, after President Megawati Soekarnoputri reprimanded...

Two on trial for stamping on Megawati's image

Two on trial for stamping on Megawati's imageMuninggar Sri Saraswati, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Two demonstrators went on trial Wednesday for allegedly insulting the president and vice president by stepping on their pictures during a rally in front of the State Palace on June 24.

Tax rise, subsidy cuts will weaken recovery: Report

Tax rise, subsidy cuts will weaken recovery: ReportDadan Wijaksana, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta The tax revenue increase and sharp subsidy cuts proposed by the government in the 2003 draft state budget could weaken the pace of the country's economic recovery, a U.S. investment firm said.

Ngatini, heroine of humble farmers

Ngatini, heroine of humble farmersApriadi Gunawan, The Jakarta Post, Medan The stereotypical image that all farmers live under constant oppression, backwardness and the control of the authorities is a myth. At least that is what Ngatini believes.

Padang Bai offers splendid underwater world

Padang Bai offers splendid underwater worldPariama Hutasoit, Contributor, Karang Asem, East Bali For divers, Padang Bai is a hidden and unexplored paradise.Serving as a transit port for the Bali-Lombok shipping route, Padang Bai is quite a busy place despite being located far from the glittering...

Mock court finds defendants guilty

Mock court finds defendants guilty JAKARTA: All defendants in a financial scandal were sentenced to between 10-years and 20-years jail on Wednesday by a people's tribunal held to mock the ongoing trial of House of Representatives Speaker Akbar Tandjung.

Haze reaches alarming levels, affecting health, environtment

Haze reaches alarming levels, affecting health, environtmentBambang Bider and Haidir Anwar Tanjung, The Jakarta Post, Pontianak/Pekanbaru Thick haze covering a major part of Sumatra and Kalimantan has reached alarming levels, affecting people's health, transportation and the environment.

Sumatran main artery repaired

Sumatran main artery repairedOyos Saroso H.N., The Jakarta Post, Bandarlampung Repair work on Sumatra's East Coast Highway, which connects Sumatra with Java, is being carried out by South Sumatra and Lampung province in a bid to help develop the two provinces.

Kuningan farmers uproot coffee plants

Kuningan farmers uproot coffee plantsNana Rukmana, The Jakarta Post, Kuningan, West Java Frustrated by declining coffee prices, many farmers in West Java are now cutting down their coffee plants and replacing them with vegetables and other crops in order to survive.

Akbar confident of freedom even if guilty

Akbar confident of freedom even if guiltyMoch. N. Kurniawan, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Akbar Tandjung, a suspect in a multi-million dollar corruption case, expressed confidence on Wednesday that he would remain free even if the court found him guilty of misusing Rp 40 billion money from the State...

Ramayana profit drops 43 %: Report

Ramayana profit drops 43 %: Report JAKARTA : PT Ramayana Lestari Sentosa, one of Indonesia's largest department store operators, Wednesday reported a 43 percent fall in first-half net profit to Rp 84.69 billion, due to foreign exchange losses and a decline in interest income.

Oily diplomacy

Oily diplomacy The Bush administration, promiscuously invoking the war against terrorism, is using its influence inappropriately to assist an American oil company that has been sued for misconduct overseas.

Acehnese man arrested over bombing

Acehnese man arrested over bombing BANDA ACEH: Banda Aceh Police have arrested Khairul M. Djamil, one of six Acehnese people suspected of being behind the bomb blast that occurred during the celebration of Independence Day over the weekend.Adj. Sr. Comr.

JP/6/LA19

JP/6/LA19Which path for East Asia?Hilton L. Root Former Senior Adviser U.S. Department of the Treasury The Washington Post Secretary of State Colin Powell's recent visit to Asia aimed to reassure countries assisting the U.S.

BNI 1st-half profit up

BNI 1st-half profit up JAKARTA: State Bank Negara Indonesian (BNI) said on Wednesday its first-half net profit rose 7.7 percent to Rp 1.512 trillion (about US$170 million), benefiting from Bank Indonesia's lower benchmark rates over the period.

Bribery case closed

Bribery case closed The Jakarta High Court has decided to close the bribery case involving Supreme Court Justice Supraptini Sutarto and former Supreme Court Justices M. Yahya Harahap and Marnis Kahar.The three justices were reported by Endin Wahyudin, a middle man, who said that he had bribed the...

Indonesia eases past Brunei in World Youth Chess Olympiad

Indonesia eases past Brunei in World Youth Chess OlympiadMusthofid, The Jakarta Post, Kuala Lumpur The Indonesian junior chess team got off to a flying start at the World Youth Chess Olympiad at the MidValley Megamall in Kuala Lumpur, posting a 4-0 victory over Brunei on Wednesday.

TV Program: Thursday, August 22, 2002

TV Program: Thursday, August 22, 2002TVRI 5:00 a.m. Religious Teachings6:00 News8:30 Music9:00 Children's Program10:00 Documentary11:30 Music12:00 p.m. News1:00 Talk Show2:00 News3:30 Cartoon4:00 TV Drama5:00 The Brilliant6:00 News7:00 Talk Show9:00 News9:30 Music: Country Road11:00 Talk ShowTPI...

Spotlight

SpotlightPhoto: SamsungSamsung Electronics IndonesiaOFFICIAL SPONSOR: (From left to right) PT Samsung Electronics Indonesia general manager Lee Kang Hyun, PT Samsung CEO Oh Suck Ha, KONI Chairman Wismoyo Arismunandar and KONI Secretary General Fritz Simanjuntak sign a Memorandum of Understanding as...

Chinese firm to process city's waste, sell to PLN

Chinese firm to process city's waste, sell to PLNNovan Iman Santosa, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta In an attempt to handle its garbage, the city administration signed on Wednesday a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with a Chinese firm and state electricity company PLN to use garbage to produce...

Government says mayor still in charge

Government says mayor still in chargeAinur R. Sophiaan, The Jakarta Post, Surabaya The central government still recognizes Surabaya Mayor Bambang D.H., who was dismissed from office last month by the city council, as the legal head of the city's administration.

Govt upbeat over 2002 privatization target

Govt upbeat over 2002 privatization targetThe Jakarta Post, Jakarta Despite facing tough challenges and a close deadline, the government expressed optimism that it would be able to meet the privatization target of Rp 3.9 trillion (US$438 million) this year.

Balinese comics reach new heights

Balinese comics reach new heightsI Wayan Juniartha, The Jakarta Post, Denpasar, Bali What do you get when you put a small boy, his attentive parents, a chubby little pet pig, dozens of ducks, two awkward villains, a seemingly innocent swarm of bees, Balinese landscape, and a simple story line...

Megawati opens first SOE expo

Megawati opens first SOE expoA'an Suryana and Berni K.Moestafa, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta President Megawati Soekarnoputri officially opened on Wednesday a five-day state-owned enterprises (SOEs) expo, which is aimed at promoting the sagging profile of the country's SOEs.

'No safety at all in public transportation'

'No safety at all in public transportation' Public transportation is vital for Jakartans as many regularly use public vehicles to reach their workplace. Unfortunately public vehicles offer little in the way of safety and comfort.

Trisakti embarrassed by brawls

Trisakti embarrassed by brawls JAKARTA: Trisakti University held a seminar on conflict resolution for its lecturers on Wednesday amid concerns of frequent student brawls on campus."The discussion was aimed at synchronizing the lecturers' common perception to handle student melees in a comprehensive...

Asian monies mixed against U.S. dollar

Asian monies mixed against U.S. dollarAgencies, Tokyo The dollar eased against the yen and most of Asian currencies Wednesday after falls on Wall Street and with uncertainty still lingering over the direction of the U.S. economy, dealers said.The dollar traded at 118.02-05 yen at 08.00 GMT (02.00 p.

Illegal migrant workers

Illegal migrant workersFrom Media IndonesiaThe worsening national economy has resulted in tens of millions of people becoming unemployed or half employed. And they still have to support their families. Owing to the difficulty of getting jobs at home, they have been forced to seek employment abroad.

South Kalimantan governor fired: Following pressure from

South Kalimantan governor fired: Following pressure from thousands of demonstrators outside the legislative building, the South Kalimantan Legislative Council decided on Wednesday evening to dismiss Governor Sjachriel Darham.

1. Bush (4 x 11)

1. Bush (4 x 11) Bush offers $4.5b in aid to help Africa JP/16/Bush 2. Asia (2 x 25) Ratings news allows SE Asia currencies to delink from yen JP/16/Rating 3. Timor (1 x 42) Dili squares up for oil fight with Australia JP/16/Timor 4. US (2 x 15) U.S. budget deficit hit $29.16b in July JP/16/US

Global terrorism, understaffing and the FBI

Global terrorism, understaffing and the FBIDini Djalal, Editor, 'Aksara', Jakarta Paul McCabe has been an agent of the Federal Bureau of Investigations, or FBI, for 16 years, working first as an undercover agent, and then as both a special agent and the media coordinator of the Joint-Terrorism Task...

Malino peace process flawed

Malino peace process flawedPrasetyohadi, Researcher in Conflict Transformation, Jakarta It was indeed a show of good will on the part of the central government to host a two-day reconciliatory meeting between the conflicting parties in Poso, Central Sulawesi.

Alleged people-smuggler on trial for visa abuse

Alleged people-smuggler on trial for visa abuseMuninggar Sri Saraswati, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Due to lack of legislation on people-smuggling, an Egyptian smuggler was indicted on Wednesday for staying illegally in the country instead of smuggling hundreds of Middle Eastern people in a boat that...

Indian dance festival in four cities

Indian dance festival in four cities DENPASAR, Bali: A festival of classic and popular Indian dances will tour four Indonesian cities between Oct. 18 and Nov. 4, organizers said.A 100-strong Indian dance troupe will make its first stop in Denpasar, before moving to Jakarta, Yogyakarta and Bandung.

BI lowers intervention rate

BI lowers intervention rate JAKARTA: Indonesia's central bank said Wednesday it has cut its overnight intervention rate, which is the rate it pays on deposits from commercial banks, by 100 basis points to 12.625 percent from 13.625 percent.

Rp 1 trillion per day

Rp 1 trillion per day The 2003 state budget draft submitted to the House of Representatives last Friday sets tax receipts at Rp 260.8 trillion, or Rp 1 trillion each working day, a huge amount indeed given that the economic crisis still persists.

Japan to help regreen Lake Toba

Japan to help regreen Lake Toba MEDAN, North Sumatra: Mita Toshiya, visiting chairman of the Tokyo Legislative Council, has pledged to provide financial assistance for the regreening program at Lake Toba.

2. Duit 3 X 18

2. Duit 3 X 18 Asian monies mixed against U.S. dollar 3. OIl 1 X 29 U.S. oil stock jump hits price

KL palm firms to set up database

KL palm firms to set up database KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia's palm oil industry plans to set up a database in a move to reduce market dependence on foreign intelligence and to boost competitiveness, a report said Wednesday.The intelligence unit, with an annual allocation of five million ringgit (US$1.

An ill-fated treasure hunt

An ill-fated treasure hunt Of course, Minister of Religious Affairs Said Agiel Munawar could hardly have foreseen that the little adventure he started last week should have taken the turn it did. What began as an apparently well-intentioned, if irrational and impulsive, treasure hunt has grown into...

Creativity sought to avoid burdening business

Creativity sought to avoid burdening business The government's plan to increase tax revenue and cut subsidies on fuel and electricity has raised concern in the business community and among analysts. Economist Sri Adiningsih of Gadjah Mada University in Yogyakarta spoke to The Jakarta Post's Sri...

JP/13/L01

JP/13/L01 Rupiah Rates Aug 21 JP/13/ConverRupiah Rates Aug 21Banknote rates TT ratesSelling Buying Selling BuyingRp Rp Rp Rp Australian dollar 1 5,117.51 4,564.84 4,867.39 4,814.73Brunei dollar 1 5,334.48 4,760.00 5,073.76 5,020.57Canadian dollar 1 5,964.71 5,323.70 5,673.19 5,615.

RI plays down remarks over caning of TKIs in Malaysia

RI plays down remarks over caning of TKIs in MalaysiaAgencies, Jakarta The government distanced itself Wednesday from an attack by the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) chairman Amien Rais on what he called Malaysia's "inhumane" caning of illegal Indonesian migrant workers.

Plan to teach in English sets tongues wagging

Plan to teach in English sets tongues waggingSean Yoong, Associated Press, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia The plan seemed simple and practical: Use English in Malaysian classrooms to teach math and science so students will improve their grasp of these subjects in the language that has become essential in...

Gambling talks end in tension

Gambling talks end in tensionDamar Harsanto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta A discussion aimed at addressing gambling in the capital on Tuesday ended in tension when a number of participants expressed scorn for the event organizer, who they accused of being manipulative.

Koizumi to meet Megawati

Koizumi to meet Megawati TOKYO: Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi is to meet Indonesian President Megawati Sukarnoputri at a development summit in South Africa to compare notes on various issues, said an official of Koizumi's Liberal Democratic Party.

BNI 1st-half profit up

BNI 1st-half profit up JAKARTA: State Bank Negara Indonesian (BNI) said on Wednesday its first-half net profit rose 7.7 percent to Rp 1.512 trillion (about US$170 million), benefiting from Bank Indonesia's lower benchmark rates over the period.

GKJ to host international festival

GKJ to host international festival JAKARTA: Arts lovers will able to enjoy dances, musical performances and plays during the sixth Gedung Kesenian Jakarta (GKJ) International Festival, to be held here from Sept. 4 to Sept. 29.

Police fail to arrest minister in Poso

Police fail to arrest minister in PosoThe Jakarta Post, Manado/Jakarta Police in the conflict-torn town of Poso, Central Sulawesi, are seeking the Rev. Rinaldy Damanik, who they have accused of provoking renewed violence there, his relatives and church activists said on Wednesday.

Australia, RI and Papua

Australia, RI and Papua Media reports on last week's meeting between Australian Prime Minister John Howard and Papua New Guinea Prime Minister Sir Michael Somare were inaccurate and misleading. The comments they elicited from some people in Indonesia were disappointing.

Erosion of nationalism

Erosion of nationalismFrom Rakyat Merdeka In the context of the 57th anniversary of Indonesia's independence, a number of television commercials (mostly as company images) have appeared with nationalism as the main theme.

Indonesian independence: It is all in the name

Indonesian independence: It is all in the nameTeuku Faizasyah, Department of Political Science and Public Policy, University of Waikato, Hamilton, New Zealand What is in a name? asked Shakespeare. Although knowing that each name is unique and carries its own meaning, a phone call from a friend...

Stock prices on The Jakarta Stock Exchange (in rupiah) on Aug.21,2002

Stock prices on The Jakarta Stock Exchange (in rupiah) on Aug.21,2002 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Shares Close Change Trading Volume ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Abdi Bangsa Tbk 270 0 0 Ades Alfindo...

Dili squares up for oil fight with Australia

Dili squares up for oil fight with AustraliaTom Wright, Dow Jones, Dili East Timor's new government is squaring up for a fight with Australia over its demand for the lion's share of royalties from energy projects in the Timor Sea.

UGM researchers create multi-purpose CT scan

UGM researchers create multi-purpose CT scanRidlo Aryanto, The Jakarta Post, Yogyakarta Just a week after physicist Kusminarto returned home after completing his doctoral degree at Surrey University in England, he was distressed upon learning that his niece, who was being treated for brain cancer,...

Ministers face summon over education budget

Ministers face summon over education budgetThe Jakarta Post, Jakarta The House of Representatives (DPR) is planning to summon economic ministers and the National Development Planning (Bappenas) chairman to explain why such a meager budget was allocated for education in 2003.

Govt, GAM invited to return to negotiation table

Govt, GAM invited to return to negotiation tableThe Jakarta Post, Jakarta The government's stated intention of settling the Aceh conflict through peaceful means is facing a litmus test after the Switzerland-based Henry Dunant Centre (HDC) invited the government and the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) to...

BPKP lair of corruptors

BPKP lair of corruptorsFrom Koran TempoI felt greatly insulted upon reading a statement by honorable members of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) about Development Finance Comptroller (BPKP) as reported in the mass media on Aug. 8, 2002.

Manila wants to send Agus Dwikarna home

Manila wants to send Agus Dwikarna homeBerni K. Moestafa, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Manila might send home convicted Indonesian Agus Dwikarna, whom the Philippine courts sentenced to 10 years in jail for possessing explosives, under a prisoner exchange deal President Megawati Soekarnoputri has...

* Headlines: Mega raps minister over treasure hunt 2

* Headlines: Mega raps minister over treasure hunt 2 * National:Government to revise two labor bills 4 * Archipelago: Police fail to arrest minister in Poso 5 * Opinion: RI independence: It is all in the name7 * City:Chinese firm to process Jakarta's waste 8 * Sports:RI eases past Brunei in chess...

US$170,000 Singapore Open

US$170,000 Singapore Open (x denotes seeded player) Men's singles: 1st round Xia Xuanze (Chn x1) bt Hendra Wijaya (Sin) 17-14, 15-12 Kasper Oedum (Den) bt Taufiq Hidayat (Ina) 15-12, 15-6 Agus Hariyanto (Ina) bt Ong Huck Lee (Mas) 15-9, 15-1 Mohammad Roslin Hashim (Mas) bt Rasmus Wengberg (Swe)...

1. OMBO: 1 LINE, 35 COUNTS

1. OMBO: 1 LINE, 35 COUNTS Public art to stimulate people's interest 2. MEXICO: 1 LINE, 40 COUNTS Mexican photographer captures spirit of children

Public art to stimulate people's interest

Public art to stimulate people's interestBoudewijn Brands, Contributor, Jakarta Most people working in Jakarta spend two or three hours per day in traffic, and there are many billboards that vie for their attention.

Abu Sayyaf rebels seize eight from bus

Abu Sayyaf rebels seize eight from bus PHILIPPINES: Guerrillas linked to the al-Qaeda network seized eight door-to-door cosmetics sellers on a remote southern Philippine island, but freed two of them hours later, officials said on Wednesday.

Crisis center to provide access to policy-makers

Crisis center to provide access to policy-makersFitri Wulandari, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Indonesia's desperation to escape the prolonged crisis has resulted in yet another decision that many view not only as belated but also questionable as to its effectiveness.

House to grill IBRA over alleged graft in loan asset sale

House to grill IBRA over alleged graft in loan asset saleDadan Wijaksana, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta The House of Representatives is set to grill the Indonesian Bank Restructuring Agency (IBRA) in the next few weeks over alleged irregularities in its massive loan asset sale.

Police plan antiterrorism workshop

Police plan antiterrorism workshop JAKARTA: National Police Headquarters is preparing a workshop on how to cope with terrorism and other transnational crimes.National Police Chief Gen. Da'i Bachtiar said on Tuesday the workshop would be held in October here and attended by representatives of...

Mexican photographer captures spirit of children

Mexican photographer captures spirit of childrenTania Budihardjo, Contributor, Jakarta Mexican photographer Manuel Penafiel lives up to the tag of "specialist" with his authentic portrayal of his country's culture.In his latest exhibition in Jakarta, Children of Mexico, which ends on Aug.

Chinese Xia overcomes Wijaya to advance in Singapore Open

Chinese Xia overcomes Wijaya to advance in Singapore OpenAgencies, Singapore Top-seeded Xia Xuanze of China squeezed past Singaporean shuttler Hendra Wijaya Wednesday to advance to the second round of men's singles in badminton's Yonex-Sunrise Singapore Open.

Wanna be tall?: Get rich first!

Wanna be tall?: Get rich first!The Jakarta Post, Jakarta A recent study by the World Health Organization found that increased height among Indonesian men was associated with increased income.The study, reported in the Bulletin of the World Health Organization, found that a one percent increase in...

Govt bows to pressure, revises two labor bills

Govt bows to pressure, revises two labor billsThe Jakarta Post, Jakarta Bowing to strong demands from both workers and the business community, the government has finally agreed to revise crucial bills on labor protection and settlement of industrial relations disputes.

Where to go in Bali for Thursday, August 22, 2002

Where to go in Bali for Thursday, August 22, 2002Exhibitions* Bronze Sculptures Corpus Terrae by Teguh Ostenrik, at Valentine Willie Fine Art, The Chedi, Desa Malinggih Kelod, Payangan, Gianyar (Tel. 081 23607011), until Sept. 10.

1. Expo (4x9)

1. Expo (4x9) Megawati opens first SOE expo 2. Budget (2x26) Tax rise, subsidy cuts will weaken recovery: Report 3. BUMN (2x20) Govt upbeat over 2002 privatization target 4. Center (1x49) Crisis center to provide access to policy-makers

BI lowers intervention rate

BI lowers intervention rate JAKARTA: Indonesia's central bank said Wednesday it has cut its overnight intervention rate, which is the rate it pays on deposits from commercial banks, by 100 basis points to 12.625 percent from 13.625 percent.

Tommy shuns again Tangerang court

Tommy shuns again Tangerang court TANGERANG: State prosecutors failed to present former president Soeharto's youngest son Hutomo "Tommy" Mandala Putra to testify in the Tangerang District Court on Wednesday as he has been transferred to the Nusakambangan penal island near Cilacap, Central Java.