Asian stocks mixed as worries remain Agencies, Jakarta Asian stock markets were mixed Thursday after a rebound on Wall Street failed to inspire all investors in the region. Japanese stocks were higher, rebounding by 1.6 percent from seven days' of losses after Wall Street's recovery, with the gains supported by hopes of additional anti-deflationary measures, dealers said. The gains were capped by concerns related to the approaching first anniversary of the Sept.

House urges govt to complete crucial investment bill Adianto P. Simamora, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta The House of Representatives urged the government to quickly complete the drafting of the new investment bill to help revive investment flow into the country. Suryadharma Ali, chairman of House Commission V for industry and trade, expected the government to be able to submit the bill to the House for deliberation before the end of October.

Dance festival goes on without trademark show Tantri Yuliandini, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Too many times, bad management and a shortage of funds have been cited as excuses for poor performance in the local arts scene. But it is a crying shame when this becomes the case for this year's Indonesian Dance Festival, IDF, 2002. Since its conception in 1992, the festival has been the proving ground for young new talents eager to make it in the performing arts scene, both locally and internationally.

'How can House be led by a convicted criminal?' Muhammad Nafik and Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Legislators and observers urged convicted corrupter Akbar Tandjung on Thursday to resign from his post as speaker of the House of Representatives (DPR), arguing that it was inappropriate for the respected institution to be chaired by a convicted criminal.

Message from the Ambassador Assalamu'alaikum Warahmatullahi Wabarakatuh. On the occasion of the National Day of the State of Qatar on September 3, I am very happy and grateful to the Government of the Republic of Indonesia and the Indonesian people for their brotherly relations and their hospitality. In this regard, I would like to show my appreciation to all parties who have encouraged the issuance of this article.

* Headlines: Asia hails environmental blueprint3 * National: New voting system appears complex 4 * Archipelago: Ambon blast kills 3 high school girls5 * Opinion: War against terror: Lessons for Indonesia7 * City: PDI-P insists on reelecting Sutiyoso8 * Sports: KONI accuses House of being apathetic10 * World:Powerful car bomb rocks Kabul, killing 1011 * Business:Merger to form RI's 10th-largest bank13 * Features:Wianta, Balinese universal artist 20

1. ASIA: 1 x 35 Asia hails environmental blueprint 2. WASTE: 2 x 27 Jakarta rivers, underground water severely contaminated 3. WATER: 1 x 40 Activists say no to water privatization 4. MEGA: 1 x 20 Megawati in Algeria

Fake beer producer could face five years in jail, police say I Wayan Juniartha, The Jakarta Post, Denpasar, Bali Denpasar police detectives chief Sr. Comm. Budi Wasono says that fake beer producer Antono, who was arrested on Tuesday, is facing a five-year jail term and fine of up to Rp 1 billion. Budi said Thursday that the punishment was based on Article 90 of Law No.15/2001 concerning product brand, and Article 8 Law No.8/1999 on consumer protection.

On political will Why is it that political leaders spend so much time and money talking to themselves about the need for political will and yet show so little of it to their own people and in their own situations? Is it a form of mantra (Hindu religious formula), or a confession of guilt? Take Indonesia, for example. President Megawati Soekarnoputri said in her speech in South Africa, "political will is required to take the actions needed resolve the problems that cause poverty".

The Jakarta Post The government signed on Thursday a US$60.5 million grant with United Nations' World Food Program (WFP) to provide food for the poor, refugees and to finance food-security programs in the country.

TV Today: Friday, September 6, 2002 TVRI .tb .30" .90" 5:00 a.m. Religious Teachings 6:00 News 8:00 Environment 9:00 Film 11:00 News 11:30 Music 12:00 p.m. News 1:00 Talk Show 3:00 Music 3:30 Religious Teachings 4:00 TV Drama 5:00 The Brilliant 6:00 News 7:00 Talk Show 8:00 Music 9:00 News 9:30 Music 11:00 Puppet Show TPI 5:30 a.m. Religious Teachings 7:00 Quiz 8:00 Music 9:30 Entertainment News 10:00 Music 11:00 Quiz 12:00 p.m.

Stock prices on The Jakarta Stock Exchange (in rupiah) on Sep.5,2002 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Shares Close Change Trading Volume -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Abdi Bangsa Tbk 270 0 0 Ades Alfindo Tbk 850 0 0 Adindo Foresta 45 5 500 AGIS Tbk 85 0 245,500 Akbar Indo Makmur 295 0 2,500 Alakasa Industrindo 190 0 0 Alfa Retailindo Tbk 825 25 1,156,000 Alter Abadi Tbk 10 0 0 Alumindo Light 400 0...

New voting system appears complex but more reliable Berni K. Moestafa, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta A plethora of political parties and a long list of candidates await voters in the 2004 election, but analysts say the extra trouble may ensure elected lawmakers will heed voters' interests instead of only those of their own party. "The election bill aims to bind better legislators with their constituents," said political analyst and member of the General Elections Commission (KPU) Mulyana W.

Mandiri, BNI, Medco's ratings stable: S&P The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Standard & Poor's revised Thursday the outlook on the long- term counterparty credit ratings of state owned bank PT Bank Mandiri and the foreign and local currency counterparty credit ratings of publicly-listed state-owned bank PT Bank Negara Indonesia (BNI) to stable from negative.

'We have no choice but to use polluted water' Believing that the groundwater in the capital is badly polluted and contaminated, some residents shared their worries about possible side effects to their health. Industrial zones with their wastes and poor public awareness regarding the preservation of the environment have worsened the groundwater quality. Some expressed what they felt to The Jakarta Post. Heru Hardoyo, 33, an employee of an industry in Pulo Gadung, East Jakarta.

Plot or justice? It took months of listening to testimonies filled with falsehood and deception. But on Thursday, finally, the Central Jakarta District Court came out with a verdict that is likely to leave the case as controversial as it was.

Business urge new customs chief to get serious A'an Suryana, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta The business community urged Eddy Abdurachman, who was recently named new Director General of Customs and Excise, to work hard to curb rampant smuggling and corruption activities here.

On toll road construction From Rakyat Merdeka We are really concerned about Minister of Resettlement and Regional Infrastructure Soenarno's tardiness in settling major problems within the scope of his job. There are two things that are worth questioning concerning his policies. First, in our opinion, the construction of the Jakarta Outer Ring Road (JORR) has dragged on for way too long and has violated a joint agreement. Take the Malaysia Consortium for example.

Judges' discretion adds to public distrust in court The Jakarta Post Jakarta As another prominent convicted corrupter is allowed to walk free as he waits an appeal, legal experts say that though such court decisions may be legitimate, they only reinforce criticism that money and power buys the favor of Indonesian judges. The case of Akbar Tandjung, speaker of the House of Representatives and also chairman of the Golkar Party, is another example that justice is not above all else.

14th Asiad torches lit together in two Koreas Associated Press, Seoul Seven women dressed as angels lit an Asian Games torch Thursday using sunlight reflected by a mirror at the peak of Halla Mountain on South Korea's southernmost island of Jeju. Simultaneously, a flame for the Sept. 29-Oct. 14 games was lit atop Baekdu Mountain on the northern tip of North Korea, said Kim Jung-hoon, a spokeswoman for the Asian Games organizing committee.

War against terror: Lessons for Indonesia Bantarto Bandoro, Editor, 'The Indonesian Quarterly', Centre for Strategic and International Studies, Jakarta, bandoro@csis.or.id The Sept. 11 terrorist attacks on the United States in which thousands of innocent lives were lost has led Indonesia and other members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to join the American-led global war against international terrorism. The war against terrorism will be a never ending battle as the U.S.