Indonesian Political, Business & Finance News

Archive: 27 September 2002

53 articles found

The gray area between luminescence and twilight

The gray area between luminescence and twilightCameron Bates, Contributor, Jakarta Gerard Mosterd is conflicted. He was raised on both nasi (rice) and potatoes.The darkish, dancing Dutchman, born to a blue-eyed, blonde- haired Dutch father and an Indonesian mother in the Netherlands, is wrestling...

Thousands suffer delayed visas to visit U.S.

Thousands suffer delayed visas to visit U.S.Muhammad Nafik, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta The U.S. policy of tightening visa procedures has caused thousands of Indonesians, including students, to delay or even drop their travel plans to the country.

Pot calling the kettle black

Pot calling the kettle black It is interesting to note that President Megawati was greatly disappointed in the reactions of certain demonstrators, saying that their behavior was considered to be mismanaged and beyond ethical norms.

Irrationality is enticing

Irrationality is enticing Visiting the "haunted house" on Jl. Metro Pondok Indah in South Jakarta is much better than sitting around complaining about life's hardships. This could be what is on the minds of the many Jakarta residents who have flocked to the empty house in the luxurious housing...

Bank Niaga and bribery

Bank Niaga and bribery It is a bitter reality that in Indonesia you can practically buy anything. This corrupt mentality has even been accepted as normal behavior.Now in the divestment of 51 percent of the shares of Bank Niaga under the government's control, corruption is also heavy in the air.

Revolution not reform

Revolution not reform From Rakyat Merdeka When students and politicians touted the term "reform" in 1998, I said to myself it should have been revolution. We should have drawn up an agenda for a revolution, instead of reform.Why? There are changes now but they are superficial.

'Trains overcrowded, riddled with thugs'

'Trains overcrowded, riddled with thugs' Commuter trains are cheap and fast, but many passengers complain about the poor service and lack of safety. Some commuters shared their concerns with The Jakarta Post.

Democracy without education: Quo vadis?

Democracy without education: Quo vadis?Nirwan Idrus, Executive Director, Indonesian Institute for Management Development (IPMI), Jakarta The euphoria about democracy in Indonesia lasted a few years. Reality took over and democracy is no more.

Ciamis regent demands subordinates' loyalty

Ciamis regent demands subordinates' loyaltyNana Rukmana, The Jakarta Post, Cirebon West Java Deputy Governor Moch. Husein Jachjasaputra regretted Ciamis Regent Oman Subarna's move asking all village and subdistrict heads in the regency to express their loyalty to him, saying it was not in line with...

Dutch citizen on trial for drugs

Dutch citizen on trial for drugsMulta Fidrus, The Jakarta Post, Tangerang An Dutch citizen who was born in Indonesia went on trial on Thursday for producing and trafficking millions of ecstasy pills between September 1999 and March 2002.Prosecutor Martha P.

Stock prices at The Jakarta Stock Exchange (in rupiah) on Sept.26,2002

Stock prices at The Jakarta Stock Exchange (in rupiah) on Sept.26,2002 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Shares Close Change Trading Volume ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Abdi Bangsa Tbk 270 0 0 Ades Alfindo...

Walking the tightrope

Walking the tightrope With the United States and other countries in the world, including some of our closest neighbors, beginning to lose their patience, the government now seems ready to make good its pledge to join the world in the fight against terrorism.

Legal reform going nowhere, commission tells President

Legal reform going nowhere, commission tells PresidentThe Jakarta Post, Jakarta Four years since the beginning of the reform era, legal reform is still going nowhere because the government, the legislature and the judiciary are reluctant to cooperate to guide reform, the National Legal Commission...

1. Arrest - 2x16

1. Arrest - 2x16 Activist arrested for slandering Sutiyoso 2. Train - 1x25 PT KAI letting commuters down 3. Budget - 2x 18 City proposes raising 2002 budget by Rp 400b 4. Drug - 1x 30 Dutch citizen on trial for drugs 5. Speak- 2x20 'Trains overcrowded, riddled with thugs'

RI expects lower CGI loan this year

RI expects lower CGI loan this yearBerni K. Moestafa The Jakarta Post Jakarta Indonesia is expecting to receive loans below last year's figure of US$3.14 billion from creditor countries under the Consultative Group on Indonesia (CGI), a senior government official said, citing the lower state budget...

Minister sued over 'hidden treasure'

Minister sued over 'hidden treasure' BOGOR: Minister of Religious Affairs Said Agil Al-Munawar and President Megawati Soekarnoputri are facing a class action lawsuit filed by the Sundanese community over the excavation in the Batutulis archeological site here in effort to find "hidden treasures".

VP or family planning?

VP or family planning?From KompasWhile the economic situation has yet to return to normal, there are still government officials who make the public nervous with their statements.Our Vice President, Hamzah Haz, said that family planning would not make anybody smart or rich.

Army chief denies involvement in Freeport attack

Army chief denies involvement in Freeport attackTiarma Siboro, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Army Chief of Staff Gen. Ryamizard Ryacudu denied on Thursday allegations that soldiers stationed in Papua were involved in a shooting last month near the Freeport mine that left two Americans and one...

Concern over Bank Niaga's divestment

Concern over Bank Niaga's divestment In connection with the divestment of Bank Niaga, there are several things I would like to convey to the public.First, the process has proven that we cannot be fair. The divestment was carried out in phases starting in August 2002.

City wants Rp 400b more for 2002 budget

City wants Rp 400b more for 2002 budgetThe Jakarta Post, Jakarta City councillors questioned on Thursday the proposal by the city administration to increase its 2002 budget from Rp 9.3 trillion to Rp 9.7 trillion, including a Rp 10 billion hike in spending for administration employees.

Six defiant lawmakers reported to police by wealth commission

Six defiant lawmakers reported to police by wealth commissionThe Jakarta Post, Jakarta Senior officials with the Public Servants' Wealth Audit Commission (KPKPN) have reported six defiant legislators to the police because they have ignored the obligation on them to submit their wealth report.

Busway operation delayed

Busway operation delayed JAKARTA: The city administration will delay until next year operation of the busway, a new system bus line connecting Blok M in South Jakarta and Kota in Central Jakarta.Previously the administration planned to operate the busway system in October this year.

Malaysia demands RI open its drug market

Malaysia demands RI open its drug marketRendi A. Witular, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta The Malaysian government has banned new drug imports from Indonesia since the middle of this year in retaliation against the long and bureaucratic procedure faced by Malaysian pharmaceutical firms to register their...

TNI seeks clear legal basis to fight war on terrorism

TNI seeks clear legal basis to fight war on terrorismTiarma Siboro and Dadan Wijaksana, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Indonesian Military (TNI) chief Gen. Endriartono Sutarto suggested on Thursday that if the government were to continue the fight against terrorism it must impose a tough law that...

Aceh talks aimed at cessation of hostility

Aceh talks aimed at cessation of hostilityThe Jakarta Post, Jakarta/Banda Aceh Hope remains for peace in Aceh as both the Indonesian Military (TNI) and the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) expressed unprecedented support for a cease fire ahead of peace talks scheduled for early next month.

Ciamis regent demands subordinates' loyalty

Ciamis regent demands subordinates' loyaltyNana Rukmana The Jakarta Post CirebonWest Java Deputy Governor Moch. Husein Jachjasaputra regretted Ciamis Regent Oman Subarna's move asking all village and subdistrict heads in the regency to express their loyalty to him himself, saying it was not in line...

Hindu and Buddha archeological sites found in West Sumatra

Hindu and Buddha archeological sites found in West SumatraKasparman, The Jakarta Post, Padang, West Sumatra Archeologists from the West Sumatra Ancient Heritage Conservation Center are studying historical objects that were recently found in six Hindu and Buddha archeological sites in Sawahlunto...

Munying, a Dayak traditional healer

Munying, a Dayak traditional healer Munying is not much different from everybody else in his village. Living in a four meter-by-five meter wooden house in Tanjung village, Jalai Hulu district, he makes a living as a farmer.But he is also known as a healer, or baliatn.

1. Purba -- Mega's absence from

1. Purba -- Mega's absence from ASEM summit questioned 2. Martin -- The push for world peace amid weapons availability and anger

33 Sumatran tigers killed every year

33 Sumatran tigers killed every year PEKANBARU, Riau: Natural Resources Conservation Agency chairman Adi Susmianto said on Thursday that Sumatran tigers were on the verge of extinction, because of the uncontrolled killing of the rare and protected species.

Megawati agrees on subsidy plan for sugarcane farmers

Megawati agrees on subsidy plan for sugarcane farmersAdianto P. Simamora, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta President Megawati Soekarnoputri has agreed to a plan to subsidize local sugarcane farmers, according to the chairman of the Indonesian Farmers Association (HKTI), Siswono Yudhohusodo.

Activist arrested for slandering Sutiyoso

Activist arrested for slandering SutiyosoAhmad Junaidi, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Outspoken activist Azas Tigor Nainggolan was arrested by city police on Thursday for slandering Governor Sutiyoso by alleging that he had bribed city councillors.

1. DAYAK: 1 LINE, 35 COUNTS

1. DAYAK: 1 LINE, 35 COUNTS Dayak folk-healing yields to modern cures 2. MUNYIN: 2 LINE, 20 COUNTSMunying, a Dayak traditional healer

PT KAI letting commuters down

PT KAI letting commuters downDamar Harsanto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Jakartans must try to forget the concept of commuter trains as a comfortable and safe means of transportation as the state-owned railway company PT KAI fails to provide a sufficient supply of trains to meet the massive demand,...

Rupiah Rates Sept.26

Rupiah Rates Sept.26 Banknote rates TT rates Selling Buying Selling Buying Rp Rp Rp Rp Australian dollar 1 5,198.17 4,647.31 4,949.46 4,895.79 Brunei dollar 1 5,333.71 4,770.18 5,078.52 5,025.22 Canadian dollar 1 6,018.99 5,382.67 5,731.01 5,670.46 Swiss franc 1 6,348.89 5,679.39 6,045.13 5,983.

RI expects lower CGI loan this year, says minister

RI expects lower CGI loan this year, says ministerBerni K. Moestafa, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Indonesia is expecting to receive loans below last year's figure of US$3.14 billion from creditor countries under the Consultative Group on Indonesia (CGI), a senior government official said, citing the...

AGO to bring into court IBRA bribe scandal

AGO to bring into court IBRA bribe scandalA'an Suryana, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta The Attorney General's Office (AGO) said on Thursday it would bring into court the alleged corruption case in Bank Niaga divestment program, once the Police completed the dossier of the case.

Dayak folk-healing yields to modern cures

Dayak folk-healing yields to modern curesErma S. Ranik, Contributor, Pontianak, West Kalimantan The cold was gripping in Sikukng mountain range area, Jagoi Babang district, Bengkayang regency. The clock struck 11 -- a time when everyone in the village goes to bed.

* Headlines: New agrarian law needed to settle land disputes2

* Headlines: New agrarian law needed to settle land disputes2 * National: Legislators indifferent, delay talks on Akbar4 * Archipelago: Army denies involvement in Freeport attack5 * Opinion: Democracy without education: Quo Vadis?7 * City: Activist arrested for slandering Sutiyoso8 * Sports:...

Indonesia's Sampoerna earnings soars to Rp 887b

Indonesia's Sampoerna earnings soars to Rp 887b JAKARTA: Cigarette producer PT HM Sampoerna said Thursday its net profit for the first six months of this year jumped to Rp 887.92 billion (US$95.5 billion) from Rp 249.89 billion.

I didn't lie at Earth Summit: Minister

I didn't lie at Earth Summit: MinisterMoch. N. Kurniawan, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta The government challenged on Wednesday an alliance of non- governmental organizations (NGOs) to prove their allegation regarding the manipulation of reports the country presented during the World Summit on...

Indonesia and China sign Fujian LNG contract

Indonesia and China sign Fujian LNG contractFitri Wulandari and Johannes Simbolon, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta State oil and gas company Pertamina and Chinese energy giant China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC) signed here on Thursday a contract to supply US$8.

Legislators indifferent, delay talks on Akbar

Legislators indifferent, delay talks on AkbarKurniawan Hari, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta The House of Representatives' steering committee (Bamus) on Thursday agreed to postpone the deliberation of a petition against its convicted speaker Akbar Tandjung until the end of October, indicating that the...

New agrarian law needed to settle land disputes

New agrarian law needed to settle land disputesThe Jakarta Post, Jakarta Uncertainties over land ownership have appeared to have caused massive land disputes involving peasants occupying the land for years against the official corporate owners, a condition which have been neglected for over three...

Govt lacks resolve in settling Poso conflict

Govt lacks resolve in settling Poso conflict The prolonged communal conflict in Poso, Central Sulawesi has yet to be entirely settled despite government efforts in sponsoring the Malino peace deal. Sulaiman Mamar, a professor of anthropology at the Tadulako University in the province capital of...

Saving the Balinese ancient art of 'lontar'

Saving the Balinese ancient art of 'lontar'Novan Iman Santosa, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta/Buleleng, Bali A great many of Indonesia's indigenous arts have disappeared because the younger generation lives in the pop culture, and considers anything indigenous as "out of fashion".

Orangutans infected with hepatitis

Orangutans infected with hepatitis SAMARINDA, East Kalimantan: The Wanariset Semboja orangutan conservation center has found 58 of the orangutans it is currently handling have been infected with hepatitis.

Foreign investors' flight

Foreign investors' flightFrom Media IndonesiaLabor movements constitute the main reason why foreign investors are leaving Indonesia, according to a Media Indonesia editorial, Aug. 28, 2002. Is this view correct?First, a survey of productivity has indicated that when Indonesian workers' productivity...

1,500 teachers to get promotion

1,500 teachers to get promotion PURWOKERTO, Central Java: The Central Java deputy governor, Achmad, said on Thursday the provincial administration would promote some 1,500 contract-based teachers at state-run elementary schools in the province to permanent status.

RI athletes continue practicing despite fall breeze

RI athletes continue practicing despite fall breezeNovan Iman Santosa, The Jakarta Post, Busan, South Korea Indonesian athletes keep up their training sessions ahead of the Busan 2002 Asian Games, to be opened on Sunday, amid the autumn weather which is getting colder each day and with constant...

Foreigners working in Indonesia

Foreigners working in Indonesia Once again it appears that an Indonesian government is on the verge of retreating into paranoia. A couple of women are alleged to have broken visa laws by a couple of groups of people, with plenty of motive to lie about it (the Police and Military in Aceh), and a...

No progress in war on graft: Bagir

No progress in war on graft: BagirThe Jakarta Post, Jakarta The government's campaign to eradicate corruption since the onset of the reform movement four years ago was nothing more than half- hearted slogans as the crime was still rampant, Chief Justice Bagir Manan complained.

Mega's absence from ASEM summit questioned

Mega's absence from ASEM summit questionedKornelius Purba, The Jakarta Post, Staff Writer, Jakarta, korpur@yahoo.com President Megawati Soekarnoputri decided not to attend a key multilateral summit this week, following her much-criticized frequent overseas trips.