Indonesian Political, Business & Finance News

Archive: 3 December 2003

72 articles found

Hamzah OKs Tangerang flyover

Hamzah OKs Tangerang flyover TANGERANG: Vice President Hamzah Haz expressed his support on Tuesday for the construction of a flyover in Balaraja district, Tangerang, which will cost the central government Rp 2 trillion (US$2.3 billion). Tangerang regency had earlier submitted a proposal for the construction, which will pass through the Serpong housing complex and the northern coast of Banten province.

16 anticorruption commission candidates chosen for shortlist

16 anticorruption commission candidates chosen for shortlist Muninggar Sri Saraswati, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Anticorruption watchdog leaders are among the 16 candidates of the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) leaders who will undergo the final selection assessments on Thursday.

More Larantuka suspects arrested

More Larantuka suspects arrested Yemris Fointuna, The Jakarta Post, Kupang, East Nusa Tenggara Ten more people have been declared suspects following the recent rampage in the East Flores capital of Larantuka and are currently being detained at the police detention center, police said on Tuesday. According to East Flores Police precinct chief Adj. Sr. Comr.

Home ministry to open office in Riau

Home ministry to open office in Riau PEKANBARU: Minister of Home Affairs Hari Sabarno will soon issue an instruction on the establishment of a local departmental office in Riau Islands province, an official says.

A question of political will

A question of political will Much hope has been raised by the new plan which the World Health Organization announced on Worlds AIDS Day on Monday, to provide treatment for some 3 million people living across the world with HIV/AIDS, by 2005.

Environmental

Environmental damage in Bekasi From Warta Kota Bekasi councillor Hasnul Kholid Pasaribu has pointed out that Mega Bekasi Hypermarket, Metropolitan Mall, Ramayana Bekasi Plaza and Hero Plaza occupy water catchments. The councillor's statement is true and has become common knowledge.

House forms Team 27 to monitor Pertamina past corruption cases

House forms Team 27 to monitor Pertamina past corruption cases Eva C. Komandjaja, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta House of Representatives Commission II and Commission IV have established the special Team 27 to monitor the investigation of corruption cases at state oil and gas company PT Pertamina. During a closed-door hearing on Tuesday, the two commissions agreed to form the team, which will consist of 15 legislators from Commission II and 12 from Commission IV.

Silaen's appointment slammed

Silaen's appointment slammed JAKARTA: Rights groups on Tuesday criticized the appointment of a police officer accused in the 1999 East Timor violence as the new chief in restive Papua province, saying it showed that security forces cared little about human rights or justice. Brig. Gen. Timbul Silaen was named on Monday as the new head of police in Papua, where a small band of separatist guerrillas is battling Jakarta rule.

Leuser Park to disappear in less than 10 years

Leuser Park to disappear in less than 10 years This is the second and last article in a series on the recent Bahorok flash flood presented by The Jakarta Post's Apriadi Gunawan, Muninggar Sri Saraswati and Ridwan Max Sijabat. The thought that one day Gunung Leuser National Park will no longer exist is staggering but if nothing is done to prevent a tragedy of the scale of the Nov. 2 Bahorok flash flood, the park will vanish in less than 10 years, experts say.

GDP growth may hit 8% in 2005: Djisman

GDP growth may hit 8% in 2005: Djisman Johannes Simbolon, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta After years of an economy in crisis and slow growth, Indonesia is poised to record an accelerated growth rate starting in 2005, according to a local economist on Tuesday. The strong rebound will come on the back of global recovery and regained confidence in the government after the completion of general elections in 2004, Djisman S. Simandjuntak, executive director of Prasetiya Mulya Business School, said.

Alleged suicide sparks fury in East Kotawaringin

Alleged suicide sparks fury in East Kotawaringin SAMPIT, Central Kalimantan: Suriansyah, a crime suspect, died, allegedly due to suicide, only a day after he was arrested on Saturday, a police officer has said. However, the family of Suriansyah suspects that the victim died at the hands of the police. Comr.

An idea of a general

An idea of a general Warning for tardy civil servants Civil servants who fail to return to work in the days after the Idul Fitri holiday will be punished. State Minister of Administrative Reforms Feisal Tamin revealed the government's policy on Monday, saying that anyone not on official leave must be at their desk on Dec. 1, 2003. Idul Fitri will fall on Nov. 25 and Nov. 26, but the government has declared an extended holiday, from Nov. 22 through Nov.

Forged stamps and documents with police names seized

Forged stamps and documents with police names seized Tony Hotland The Jakarta Post Jakarta Police have arrested a suspected forger and are seeking two others in relation to the forgery of car documents. They also seized hundreds of bogus documents stamped with police officers names and signatures, including car transfer documents. Jakarta Police auto-theft chief Adj. Sr. Comr.

Natuna gas leak still under repair

Natuna gas leak still under repair The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Bad weather has been blamed for the slow pace of reparation work on the 650-kilometer undersea pipeline from West Natuna island to Singapore, which was shut down due to a leak earlier this month. Indonesia's oil and gas regulator BP Migas expects another week before full restoration of gas supply is restored. "We have not finalized the repair work. Bad weather got in the way.

Police to question six suspected RI terrorist

Police to question six suspected RI terrorist The Jakarta Post, Jakarta/Kudus, Central Java The government will detain for questioning the six Indonesian students currently held by Pakistani authorities for alleged involvement in terrorist activities, the foreign minister said. Minister of Foreign Affairs Hassan Wirayuda also said on Tuesday that a joint team consisting of ministry officials and police personnel would leave for Pakistan this week to bring the students home.

* Headlines: Police to question six suspected RI terrorists 2

* Headlines: Police to question six suspected RI terrorists 2 * National: Govt to launch offensive against Poso attackers 4 * Archipelago: More Larantuka suspects arrested 5 * Opinion:AIDS: Act now or pay later 6 * City: Civil servants abuse extended holiday 8 * Sports: Tiger's desire undermined by fiancee factor 9 * World: Thailand's Thaksin declares victory in war on drugs 11 * Business:94,000 fired over first 10 months this year 13 * Features: Popular obesity surgery makes dramatic gains 18

Flood victims to be relocated

Flood victims to be relocated The Jakarta Post, Jakarta The East Java administration plans to relocate around 160 families from the subdistricts of Tirtoyudo and Sumbermanjing Wetan, Malang, where a recent flash flood killed three people and injured dozens of others. The plan was decided on Tuesday during a meeting at the gubernatorial office in the provincial capital of Surabaya, called specifically to discuss efforts to help the flood victims.

Shoot-on-sight for GAM celebrants

Shoot-on-sight for GAM celebrants Teuku Agam Muzakkir and Nani Farida, The Jakarta Post, Lhokseumawe/Banda Aceh, Aceh The military issued on Tuesday a shoot-on-sight order against all people who attend the 27th anniversary of the separatist Free Aceh Movement (GAM) on Dec. 4. Lt. Col. A.Y. Nasution, the Lilawangsa Military Resort Commander overseeing northern and eastern parts of Aceh, said that the order would also be imposed on people who fly and/or distribute separatist flags.

Malaysian nabbed for illegal logging

Malaysian nabbed for illegal logging JAYAPURA, Papua: Police in Papua have arrested Lee Kah Wai, a Malaysian citizen accused of illegal logging in the country's easternmost province. Papua Police chief Insp. Gen. Budi Utomo said here on Tuesday that security personnel are searching for Lai Chee Kiong, another Malaysian man who has allegedly fled from the province. In a recent police raid, the two Malaysians were found to have engaged in illegal logging in Papua, Budi said.

Where to go in Surabaya, for Wednesday, December 3, 2003

Where to go in Surabaya, for Wednesday, December 3, 2003 Talk * Discussion Club, British Council Surabaya, every Saturday, 1:30 p.m. (Tel. 031-5689958). Museum * Empu Tantular Museum, Jl. Taman Mayangkara No. 6, Tuesday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., Saturday to Sunday, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Church Services * Surabaya International Christian Fellowship is an English church service at Hotel Shangri-La, Jl. May. Jend. Sungkono, Surabaya, every Sunday, 10:30 a.m. .

Retracing history: Birth of SEA Games

Retracing history: Birth of SEA Games The SEA Games originated from the SEAP (South East Asian Peninsular) Games. When it was held for the first time in Bangkok in 1959, only six countries participated: Laos, Malaysia, Burma (Myanmar), Singapore, Vietnam and Thailand. Thailand was the major force, finishing atop the medal table six times in the first eight SEAP Games.

94,000 workers fired in first 10 months

94,000 workers fired in first 10 months Rendi A. Witular, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Around 94,000 people lost their jobs in the first 10 months of this year following decisions by many companies to shut down or downsize their businesses due to the lingering economic and political crisis, a senior government official said.

Bumi Q3 profit jumps by 76%

Bumi Q3 profit jumps by 76% JAKARTA: Mining company PT Bumi Resources' net profit surged by 76 percent to Rp 64.8 billion (US$7.6 million) in the first nine- months of this year from Rp 36.7 billion in the same period last year on higher sales. In a report to the Jakarta Stock Exchange on Tuesday, the company said that its sales during the nine-month period increased to Rp 1.99 trillion from Rp 1.83 trillion.

Community health

Community health From Republika The government has declared the national health vision under the name of "Indonesia Sehat 2010" (Healthy Indonesia 2010) but this will remain just a hope, a reason why Health Minister Ahmad Sujudi has said it will be very difficult to empower the community in the health sector under the national health system.

Police extend detention of suspect in BNI scam

Police extend detention of suspect in BNI scam Abdul Khalik, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta The National Police have extended the detention of Edi Santoso, one of the key suspects in the Bank National Indonesia (BNI) scandal, for another 30 days to assist the investigation. "We will follow the standard procedure by notifying the Attorney General's Office that we will detain Edi for another 30 days as we need to question him further," National Police deputy spokesman Brig. Gen.

Achieving

Achieving national discipline It is amazing that the problem of transition toward democracy, which has characterized Indonesian political development during the past five years, has recently triggered a hectic debate between scholars and commentators. Also, the debate has involved an exchange of opposing arguments from differing perspectives, as manifest in a dozen lengthy articles published in Kompas, from Sept. 29 to date.

Prof. DG Roy MSc, CAIIB, DBM, CAIB, a professional banker with

Prof. DG Roy MSc, CAIIB, DBM, CAIB, a professional banker with 28 years and more than 200 workshops experience, will overview the latest trend in the Retail Banking Business: A Relationship Marketing Approach an interactive workshop to be held in Jakarta from Dec. 10 through Dec. 12, 2003. The three-day course will give participants an awareness of the significance and relevance of the Retail Banking Business.

TV Program: Wednesday, December 3, 2003

TV Program: Wednesday, December 3, 2003 .TB.30" 1.00" TVRI .TB.30" .90" 6:00 a.m. News: Berita Pagi 9:00 Entertainment News: Business Magazine 10:00 Game Show: Dibisikin 12:00 p.m. Talk Show: Konsultasi Keluarga 1:00 News: Berita Siang 3:00 City News 3:30 Documentary 6:00 English News Service 7:00 News: Berita Malam 8:00 Quiz: Ekspresi Gaya Pelajar 9:00 News: Dunia Dalam Berita 10:00 Music: Dangdut Pro 12:00 a.m. News TPI 6:00 a.m.

Death threats continue against local PKB clerics

Death threats continue against local PKB clerics Ainur R. Sophiaan and Muhammad Nafik, The Jakarta Post, Surabaya/Jakarta More clerics with the National Awakening Party (PKB) have received death threats following the recent slaying of a party leader in Lumajang regency, East Java, which was believed to be politically motivated, PKB executives said on Tuesday.

JP/3/INSIGHT

JP/3/INSIGHT Urgent now to rethink human rights Yanuar Nugroho The Business Watch Indonesia Surakarta Central Java yanuar-n@unisosdem.org Look at this time-series data on evictions in Jakarta, compiled and processed by the Institute Sosial Jakarta (ISJ) and the Jakarta Residents' Forum (Fakta). First, during 2001, the Jakarta municipality, in the name of law and order, evicted the urban poor 99 times.

Prof. DG Roy MSc, CAIIB, DBM, CAIB, a professional banker with

Prof. DG Roy MSc, CAIIB, DBM, CAIB, a professional banker with 28 years and more than 200 workshops experience, will overview the latest trends in the Credit Risk Management system in banks at an interactive workshop, to be held in Jakarta from Dec. 8 through Dec. 9, 2003 The two-day course will give participants an awareness of various risks faced by banks, with the backdrop of a changing scenario.

Busway lane divider baffles and annoys motorists

Busway lane divider baffles and annoys motorists Leony Aurora, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Mulyono was driving his cab at a steady 60 kilometers per hour near the Hotel Indonesia traffic circle in Central Jakarta. The traffic was light that morning as many people had gone to their hometowns for Idul Fitri. He stayed on the right side of the road, wanting to go straight at the crossing ahead.

Indonesian footwear producers in life or death struggle

Indonesian footwear producers in life or death struggle Eva C. Komandjaja, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Indonesian footwear producers are struggling to maintain their existence, which has been threatened by political instability, high production costs and other problems such as worker strikes.

Back off Bollywood, KL's pirates told

Back off Bollywood, KL's pirates told Agence-France Presse, Kuala Lumpur India on Tuesday called for tougher action against the makers of pirated discs in Malaysia, where Bollywood movies and Indian music are popular among the multi-ethnic population. "I think (piracy) is to a great extent rampant here," India's visiting Minister of State for Commerce and Industry Satyabarata Mokherjee told reporters. "We need to take more stringent steps so that it can stop.

Holiday season: Time to get smart with food

Holiday season: Time to get smart with food Melissa Southern-Garcia, Dietitian, Jakarta, southerndietitian@yahoo.com During the busy holiday season, it's easy for time to get away from us. Planning healthy meals often becomes last on our list. Parties and get-togethers make it even more difficult to eat well. Here are some quick solutions for making your meals healthier. 1.

RI athletes raring to go for gold

RI athletes raring to go for gold Zakki Hakim and Musthofid, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Djoko Pramono, chief-de-mission of the Indonesian delegation to the Southeast Asian (SEA) Games, sent out the message loud and clear: 'We won't be sitting back on our haunches.' The SEA Games will kick off on Friday in Vietnam. "We are not dozing after a serious seven-month workout," he said before the departure of the second group of Indonesian athletes to Vietnam.

More trouble on Java train line

More trouble on Java train line Nana Rukmana and Yuli Tri Suwarni, The Jakarta Post, Cirebon/Bandung There was another delay on the busy Java north coast railroad line on Tuesday, which follows three recent accidents in three days on the same line. Patria Supriyoso, spokesman for state train operator PT KAI, announced that the three recent accidents were the result of technical malfunctions and not human error.

Timah's net profit to surge sevenfold

Timah's net profit to surge sevenfold The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Net profit of state-owned PT Timah, the world's largest integrated tin miner, may skyrocket this year mostly on higher tin prices and sales volume, a senior official said on Tuesday. Timah president Thobrani Alwi said the company had estimated its net profit by the end of this year to jump to around Rp 80 billion (US$9.4 million) from Rp 11.28 billion in 2002, on estimated sales of around $200 million.

Tragedy on Bahorok scale may be repeated

Tragedy on Bahorok scale may be repeated The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Spokesman of the Leuser Management Unit (UML), Denny Purba, suggested that the authorities conduct a comprehensive study of the Leuser Ecosystem Region (KEL), where the Bahorok river system is located, to determine the root cause of the flash flood. "The landslides and flash flood were most likely caused by numerous factors. We can't just blame the rain," he told The Jakarta Post.

Residents anxious over uncertain eviction date

Residents anxious over uncertain eviction date Evi Mariani, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Residents of Kayuputih, East Jakarta, stayed at home last week, fearing public order officers would demolish their houses sooner than the scheduled Tuesday. "I've haven't worked for a week now. I will only go back to work when it is certain when the eviction is going to take place. None of us has the clue when it will be," said Silalahi, 45, who is a driver of a public bus.

Old crime, new crisis

Old crime, new crisis JP/6/E05 authoritarian former Indonesian president Soeharto, why has one military massacre of Muslim civilians been singled out for accountability, almost two decades after the fact? The answer is as much entwined in the present day threat posed by extremist Islam - and its terrorist offshoots - as in popular demands to right past wrongs.

Old crime, new crisis

Old crime, new crisis Of all the human rights abuses committed under the authoritarian former Indonesian president Soeharto, why has one military massacre of Muslim civilians been singled out for accountability, almost two decades after the fact? The answer is as much entwined in the present day threat posed by extremist Islam - and its terrorist offshoots - as in popular demands to right past wrongs.

Alleged suicide sparks fury in East Kotawaringin

Alleged suicide sparks fury in East Kotawaringin SAMPIT, Central Kalimantan: Suriansyah, a crime suspect, died, allegedly due to suicide, only a day after he was arrested on Saturday, a police officer has said. However, the family of Suriansyah suspects that the victim died at the hands of the police. Comr.

Contractors or brokers?

Contractors or brokers? From Koran Tempo Three months ago, a transaction concerning the right to a toll road construction project was reported. According to Coordinating Minister for People's Welfare Jusuf Kalla, it was a normal transaction and the origin of the money was unknown. The statement was made in connection with rumors that the funds derived from the scam at Bank Negara Indonesia went to two presidential aspirants of the Golkar Party.

Environmental

Environmental damage in Bekasi From Warta Kota Bekasi councillor Hasnul Kholid Pasaribu has pointed out that Mega Bekasi Hypermarket, Metropolitan Mall, Ramayana Bekasi Plaza and Hero Plaza occupy water catchments. The councillor's statement is true and has become common knowledge.

1. TERRORIST: 28 pt, 1 cols, 4 x 10

1. TERRORIST: 28 pt, 1 cols, 4 x 10 Police to question six suspected RI terrorists 2. KPK: 36 pt, 4 cols, 2 x 28 16 anticorruption commission candidates chosen for shorlist 3. POLICE: 32 pt, 3 cols, 2 x 24 Forged stamps and documents with police names seized 4. SUSUL: 28 pt, 4 cols, 1 x 38 S.Korea, Japan will send troops to Iraq 5. CHINA: 28 pt, 5 cols, 1 x 48 Miss World opens the way for greater autonomy 6. ODD: 20 pt, 2 cols, 1 x 28 Souvenir returned after bad luck

Six more parties pass screening for 2004 elections

Six more parties pass screening for 2004 elections Kurniawan Hari, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Six more of the 40 political parties undergoing factual verification have passed the final screening and are thus officially eligible for next year's elections, the National Elections Commission (KPU) announced on Tuesday.

TIS cable network completed

TIS cable network completed SINGAPORE: Singapore Telecommunications Ltd. (SingTel) announced on Tuesday the completion of the TIS (Thailand-Indonesia- Singapore) cable network, a US$36-million joint project with CAT Telecom Public Company Limited (CAT) of Thailand and PT Telekomunikasi Indonesia Tbk. (Telkom).

RI missing out on ASEAN haze agreement: Activist

RI missing out on ASEAN haze agreement: Activist Urip Hudiono, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Indonesia will likely miss out on the benefits of the ASEAN Agreement on Transboundary Haze Pollution, and, more importantly, lose the opportunity to show diplomatic goodwill, by delaying its ratification of the accord.

Govt urges the House to revise press law

Govt urges the House to revise press law JAKARTA: The government urged the legislature to take the lead in revising Law No.40/1999 on the press, to avoid mistaken perceptions that the government is trying to restrict press freedom. State Minister for Information and Telecommunications Syamsul Muarif said on Tuesday that there was a growing perception that the authorities were trying to restrict press freedom.

Forged stamps and documents with police names seized

Forged stamps and documents with police names seized Tony Hotland, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Police have arrested a suspected forger and are seeking two others in relation to the forgery of car documents. They also seized hundreds of bogus documents stamped with police officers names and signatures, including car transfer documents. Jakarta Police auto-theft chief Adj. Sr. Comr.

Police hunt seven jailbreakers in Medan city

Police hunt seven jailbreakers in Medan city Apriadi Gunawan, The Jakarta Post, Medan, North Sumatra Police here said on Tuesday they were searching for seven detainees who broke out of their holding cell in the North Sumatra capital of Medan. The detainees, who were facing counterfeiting, robbery, theft, drugs and sexual harassment charges, managed to make good their escape on Monday after cutting through rusty bars on a window in a bathroom with a hacksaw, the police said.

Kemayoran vendors to be evicted

Kemayoran vendors to be evicted JAKARTA: The Central Jakarta municipal administration plans to evict sidewalk vendors from the main roads of Kemayoran early on Wednesday. Mayor Hosea Petra Lumbun said on Tuesday his office would not relocate the vendors, saying their presence on the streets only worsened traffic. Petra said the evictions would target vendors on Jl. Cempaka Mas, Jl. Garuda, Jl. Letjen Suprapto and Jl. Benyamin Sueb.

11 more arrested over brawl in Magelang

11 more arrested over brawl in Magelang MAGELANG, Central Java: Magelang Police Precinct have arrested 11 more suspects over a recent brawl in the Magelang subdistrict of Banjaragung, making the total number arrested over the incident 15, an official said. The 15 suspects were charged with assault, violating Article 170 of the Criminal Code, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in jail. One of the suspects, ES, was charged with the possession of a weapon, violating Law.

1. KPU: 3 LINES, 16 COUNTS

1. KPU: 3 LINES, 16 COUNTS Six more parties pass screening for 2004 elections 2. WORLD: 1 LINE, 32 COUNTS Poor infrastructure retards RI growth: WB 3. VISA: 2 LINES, 16 COUNTS U.S. scraps post-9/11 foreign registration rule U.S. scraps foreign registration rule 4. DRUGS: 1 LINE, 36 COUNTS Coming soon: Inexpensive HIV/AIDS medicine

New Malaysian Prime Minister supports currency peg

New Malaysian Prime Minister supports currency peg Agence France-Presse, Kuala Lumpur Malaysia's new Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, who is also finance minister, on Tuesday backed the pegging of the country's currency to the U.S. dollar, saying it has served the economy well. Abdullah took over both posts on Oct. 31 from Mahathir Mohamad, who was responsible for pegging the ringgit at 3.8 to the dollar amidst the Asian economic crisis in 1997/98.

Alleged suicide sparks fury in East Kotawaringin

Alleged suicide sparks fury in East Kotawaringin SAMPIT, Central Kalimantan: Suriansyah, a crime suspect, died, allegedly due to suicide, only a day after he was arrested on Saturday, a police officer has said. However, the family of Suriansyah suspects that the victim died at the hands of the police. Comr.

Beware politicians

Beware politicians bearing gifts From Media Indonesia As the 2004 general election nears, we should be alert for various political occurrences that could prevent the people from going to the polls, such as political violence and security disturbances. Behind the tension and violence that may arise, some politicians may be trying to benefit their own interests.

Government plans to launch offensive against Poso attackers

Government plans to launch offensive against Poso attackers Irvan NR and Muninggar Sri Saraswati, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta/Palu In response to a series of attacks on villages in Poso over the past week, the government will take the offensive in dealing with security problems in this remote Central Sulawesi town. Coordinating Minister of Political and Security Affairs Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said tough measures were necessary because of the fragile security situation in Poso.

Rupiah Retes Dec.2

Rupiah Retes Dec.2 Banknote rates TT rates Selling Buying Selling Buying Australian dollar 1 6,547.29 5,815.49 6,213.96 6,148.59 Brunei dollar 1 5,224.76 4,642.36 4,958.76 4,908.27 Canadian dollar 1 6,901.95 6,132.37 6,550.56 6,483.63 Swiss franc 1 6,938.15 6,164.52 6,584.91 6,517.62 Danish krone 1 1,449.52 1,287.35 1,375.72 1,361.09 Euro 1 10,777.21 9,575.21 10,228.52 10,123.67 Poundsterling 1 15,471.32 13,747.52 14,683.65 14,534.96 Hong Kong dollar 1 1,159.05 1,030.08 1,100.05 1,089.08...

Voting for political parties

Voting for political parties From TEMPO Indonesia is facing a lot of problems now, among other concerns, ongoing financial woes, the threat of national disintegration (in Aceh and Papua), and terrorist acts. Next year Indonesians will elect their representatives in the People's Consultative Assembly and the House of Representatives and also their new president. They are certainly hopeful that the winning political party will be able to solve the problems that the nation has been facing.

Mega kicks reporters out of party meeting

Mega kicks reporters out of party meeting Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Megawati Soekarnoputri banned reporters from covering her party's Idul Fitri celebration on Tuesday and sent them out of a meeting at party headquarters in Lenteng Agung, South Jakarta. "I am briefing my supporters, so please leave the room," said Megawati, chairperson of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan).

Fishermen find active cannon

Fishermen find active cannon KUPANG, East Nusa Tenggara: A cannon was snagged by a net belonging to two fishermen from Namosain subdistrict in Alak Kota, Kupang regency, while the two were sailing in waters near the town. Zet Mau, 27, and Yeskial Mau, 16, immediately reported the finding to the nearest police post in the neighboring Nunhila subdistrict. "We were casting the net to catch fish when we felt something was being caught in our net, and it was so heavy.

Indonesia wants OPEC to maintain current production level

Indonesia wants OPEC to maintain current production level Sandy Darmosumarto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Minister of Mineral Resources and Energy Purnomo Yusgiantoro wants the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) to maintain its current output level of 24.5 million barrels per day (bpd), as prices remain uncertain.

Coming soon: Cheap HIV/AIDS medicine

Coming soon: Cheap HIV/AIDS medicine Dewi Santoso, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta People living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) will assure themselves of access to antiretroviral (ARV) drugs at a cheaper price, perhaps even for free for those who were unable to afford them, starting in January. Deputy director of the narcotics division at the Food and Drugs Supervisory Board (BPOM) Lucky S.

More trains in delays

More trains in delays JAKARTA: The extra trains provided over the Idul Fitri holiday and the railroad accident in Tegal, Central Java, have delayed the arrival of more trains at Gambir station, Central Jakarta. "We cannot do anything to prevent delays as long as we still operate the additional trains. The trains may arrive two to five hours late," spokesman of state-run railway operator PT KAI Zainal Abidin said on Tuesday.

6,402 Aceh refugees still live in camps

6,402 Aceh refugees still live in camps BANDA ACEH, Aceh: An official has said that 6,402 displaced people in Aceh are still living in refugee camps in five regencies in the ravaged province. Burhanuddin, a spokesman of the Humanitarian Center at the Aceh Social Affairs Office, said on Tuesday that the displaced people insisted on staying in the camps due to security concerns in their hometowns.

Eight parties fail in Jakarta

Eight parties fail in Jakarta The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Jakarta General Elections Commission (KPUD) announced on Tuesday that eight of 39 political parties that registered to join the next elections failed to meet the requirements. KPUD Chairman M. Taufik said on Tuesday that the conclusion was based on the result of factual verification conducted by the general elections commission at the Jakarta provincial and municipality/regency levels.

Community health

Community health From Republika The government has declared the national health vision under the name of "Indonesia Sehat 2010" (Healthy Indonesia 2010) but this will remain just a hope, a reason why Health Minister Ahmad Sujudi has said it will be very difficult to empower the community in the health sector under the national health system.

Contractors or brokers?

Contractors or brokers? From Koran Tempo Three months ago, a transaction concerning the right to a toll road construction project was reported. According to Coordinating Minister for People's Welfare Jusuf Kalla, it was a normal transaction and the origin of the money was unknown. The statement was made in connection with rumors that the funds derived from the scam at Bank Negara Indonesia went to two presidential aspirants of the Golkar Party.

Poor infrastructure retards RI: WB

Poor infrastructure retards RI: WB Dadan Wijaksana, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta The World Bank, one of the country's long-standing main lenders, warned on Tuesday of the need to boost spending on infrastructure projects to avoid a crisis in the largely abandoned sector and improve the country's long-term economic growth prospects.

Workers abuse extended holiday

Workers abuse extended holiday Bambang Nurbianto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta As many as 445 civil servants of the Jakarta administration face various penalties including salary cuts over their absence on Monday -- the first day of work after a nine-day holiday to celebrate Idul Fitri. The employees were found absent when officials from the City Audit Agency held unannounced inspections at 67 agencies employing 12,677 people.