Indonesian Political, Business & Finance News

Archive: 10 March 2003

73 articles found

Disk drive makers shut S'pore plants

Disk drive makers shut S'pore plants Jennifer Tan, Reuters, Singapore Walking the factory floor of Western Digital Technologies Inc in Kuala Lumpur, John Coyne is comforted by the thunder of well- oiled machinery. But the hum comes at deafening price for nearby Singapore. The U.S. hard disk drive maker shut its factory in the city state four years ago and moved its production lines to lower-cost Malaysia, resulting in the loss of 4,000 jobs.

Al-Ghozi admits to role in Philippine Embassy bombing

Al-Ghozi admits to role in Philippine Embassy bombing Jim Gomez, Associated Press, Manila An Indonesian man convicted of possessing explosives in the Philippines has allegedly admitted to detonating a bomb in Jakarta, which killed two people and seriously injured the Filipino ambassador three years ago, police said on Sunday.

Police to improve Imron's case file

Police to improve Imron's case file DENPASAR, Bali: The police team investigating last year's bombings in Bali will send a special unit to trace and collect evidence and left in East Kalimantan by suspect Ali Imron, team spokesman Adj. Sr. Comr. Yatim Suyatmo said on Saturday. "The special officers are scheduled to leave on Monday with the hope that they will be able to collect new evidence to complete Ali Imron's case file," he said.

Army chief reactivates battalion in Binjai

Army chief reactivates battalion in Binjai Apriadi Gunawan, The Jakarta Post, Binjai, North Sumatra Army Chief of Staff Gen. Ryamizard Ryacudu reactivated the Binjai Battalion in North Sumatra on Saturday after a five-month period of inactivity following a clash between Army personnel and police personnel that killed 12 people, including two civilians. Ryamizard said the revival of the battalion was based on the needs of the Indonesian Military (TNI).

Do not pit people

Do not pit people against each other From Kompas As an ordinary citizen, I was sad and disappointed to learn of the establishment of the Message of the People's Plight Front (Ampera) as I find it hard to understand why those claiming to be community figures always set a bad example for the people. Why do they always say they are speaking on behalf of the people when they try to topple the legitimate government? Why do they enjoy bickering and arguing without respecting the law?

KL condemns U.S. over false report

KL condemns U.S. over false report MALAYSIA: Malaysian acting prime minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi slammed the U.S. on Sunday for submitting a false report to the United Nations on Iraq's alleged nuclear weapons program. Describing the action as "a worrisome and shameful act", Abdullah said Malaysia was sad that the United States had attempted to use it as evidence to attack Iraq. Abdullah made the comments when asked to respond to the revelation by UN weapons inspectors that the U.S.

Is Australia on collision course with Indonesia?

Is Australia on collision course with Indonesia? Paulo Gorjao, Lecturer, Lusiada University, Portugal, paulogorjao@yahoo.com In February, with just a few weeks interval, Australia released a new foreign policy white paper, Advancing the National Interest (ANI), and a defense white paper update, Australia's National Security: A Defense Update (ANS).

Lisa, Norasa in chase for SEAG slots

Lisa, Norasa in chase for SEAG slots Musthofid, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Women's International Master (WIM) Lisa Lumongdong and Norasa Verdiana moved a step closer to joining the national chess team for the next Southeast Asian (SEA) Games after both took the two places provided at the Anniswati Cup. Lisa and Norasa finished in second and third place respectively behind eventual champion Evie Lindiawati, who has been assured of an automatic berth in the next six-strong team.

684 schools receive ADB grants

684 schools receive ADB grants KENDARI, Southeast Sulawesi: At least 684 state and private high schools in Southeast Sulawesi received grants totaling Rp 49.48 billion (US$5.8 million) from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) from 1999 through 2002. Burhan Said, a consultant with ADB's Assistance Scheme for Facilities Improvement, said the funds were used to build laboratories and libraries, to buy books and to construct new classrooms or renovate school buildings.

TV Program: Monday, March. 10, 2003

TV Program: Monday, March. 10, 2003 TVRI .TB.30" .90" 5:03 a.m.Religious Teachings 6:00 News: Berita Pagi 7:00 English News Service 7:30 Children's Program: Pentas Ceria 8:00 Talk Show: RT/RW 8:30 DRTV 9:00 Ketrampilan Keluarga 9:30 Documentary 10:30 Entertainment 11:00 News: Berita Daerah 11:30 Music: Konteswara 12:00 p.m.News: Berita Siang 1:00 Talk Show: Konsultasi Keluarga: Kesehatan 2:00 News: Metro Indonesia 2:30 Music: Pop Daerah 3:00 Children's Program: Panggung Anak 3:30 Documentary...

Security issues dominates RI, Australia ties

Security issues dominates RI, Australia ties Berni K. Moestafa, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Security issues would likely dominate this week's consultation forum meeting between Indonesia and Australia, the first such gathering for two years and one which comes amid a rise in the terrorist threat and a looming war in Iraq, foreign affairs analysts said. Officially, the agenda is economics-heavy.

May 7, 2000 a mob, claiming to be made up of supporters

May 7, 2000 a mob, claiming to be made up of supporters of former president Abdurrahman Wahid, occupied the offices of the Surabaya-based Jawa Pos newspaper. The occupation forced the paper to halt production for a day July 7, 2000 a mob, claiming to consist of students and lecturers from a university in the West Sumatra capital of Padang, destroyed the offices of local tabloid Bijak.

RI protest shows of support for Aceh independence

RI protest shows of support for Aceh independence Nani Farida and Apriadi Gunawan, The Jakarta Post, Lhokseumawe, Medan The government plans to file a complaint with the Joint Security Committee (JSC) against the hoisting of Free Aceh Movement (GAM) flags and shouts demanding independence by locals during the inauguration of a peace zone in the Pidie regency district of Tiro on Saturday. Sr. Comr. Adjie R.

Muhammadiyah to boost peace in conflict areas

Muhammadiyah to boost peace in conflict areas Sri Wahyuni, The Jakarta Post, Yogyakarta The country's second largest Muslim organization, Muhammadiyah, is to send peace advocacy and mediation teams to a number of conflict areas in a bid to accelerate peace the processes and recovery there. The teams' peace missions will cover Aceh, Ambon in Maluku, Poso in Central Sulawesi, and Papua, places where conflicts have claimed tens of thousands of lives.

1. Attack -- 4 cols, 2 lines, 48 pts

1. Attack -- 4 cols, 2 lines, 48 pts Iraq war could inspire more attacks in Muslim Asia 2. Protest -- 3 cols, 2 lines, 36 pts Millions in Indonesia, Pakistan rally against U.S.-led war 3. Fire -- 4 cols, 2 lines, 36 pts Most houses are vulnerable to fire due to ignorance 4. Ghozi -- 3 cols, 2 lines, 30 pts Convicted Indonesian admits to role in Jakarta bombing

PDF: Recognized standard for document exchange

PDF: Recognized standard for document exchange Zatni Arbi, Columnist, Jakarta, zatni@cbn.net.id Today, when downloading a document from a website, we usually have the choice of getting it in Word or PDF format. Word format is preferable if the downloaded document will have to be edited once it is stored on our hard disk. All we have to do is open the file in MS Word.

RI and U.S. similarities

RI and U.S. similarities Students and workers have taken to the streets in both Indonesia and the United States. In Indonesia, they originally protested the hikes in utility rates and in fuel oil prices, but later they started demanding that President Megawati and Vice President Hamzah Haz step down. In the United States, they are protesting their government's plan to attack Iraq. The students and workers in the two countries represent the taxpayers.

Do not harm public interest

Do not harm public interest From Suara Karya Most citizens of Indonesia are now well aware of their role in the general elections of 2004. It is no longer easy to lure the floating masses by offering money and cheap entertainment or hiring popular stars as campaigners, because urban and rural people have become more rational.

1. Attack -- 4 cols, 2 lines, 48 pts

1. Attack -- 4 cols, 2 lines, 48 pts Iraq war could inspire more attacks in Muslim Asia 2. Protest -- 3 cols, 2 lines, 36 pts Millions in Indonesia, Pakistan rally against U.S.-led war 3. Fire -- 4 cols, 2 lines, 36 pts Most houses are vulnerable to fire due to ignorance 4. Ghozi -- 3 cols, 2 lines, 30 pts Convicted Indonesian admits to role in Jakarta bombing

Regional watchdog needed to ensure fair competition

Regional watchdog needed to ensure fair competition Adianto P. Simamora, The Jakarta Post, Bali In a bid to help ensure fairer business competition practices within the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) economies, an European expert has urged the Southeast Asian regional grouping to set up a special competition body.

Student electrocuted on train roof

Student electrocuted on train roof JAKARTA: A junior high school student, identified as Kiki Rizki Fauzi, was killed after being electrocuted on the roof of an electric train at Jayakarta train station here on Saturday afternoon.

Sunu, Maya win Hemaviton Challenge

Sunu, Maya win Hemaviton Challenge The Jakarta Post Jakarta Top seed Sunu Wahyu Triaji continued his winning form when he notched up the boys' singles title of the inaugural Hemaviton Challenge junior tennis tournament her on Sunday. Joining the U-18 category, Sunu thumped third-seeded Christian Adinata 6-1, 6-1 in the apparently lopsided final matches at the Bung Karno Tennis Court in Central Jakarta.

Philippines to sue Hong Kong over wage cuts to maids

Philippines to sue Hong Kong over wage cuts to maids Agence France-Presse, Manila Philippine President Gloria Arroyo said on Saturday her government will sue the Hong Kong government in Hong Kong courts over the wage cuts imposed on Filipina domestic workers there. "We will not only bring our case to the ILO (International Labor Organization), but also to the Hong Kong courts themselves.

Iraq war could inspire more attacks in Asian countries

Iraq war could inspire more attacks in Asian countries Jane Macartney, Reuters, Singapore Some of the most dramatic and devastating attacks by Osama bin Laden's al-Qaeda network were born in Asia, home to the world's biggest Muslim population. It is the region most likely to be the target of extremist attacks if the United States invades Iraq, analysts say. "If the U.S.

Number of poor soars in North Sumatra

Number of poor soars in North Sumatra MEDAN: The number of people living in poverty in North Sumatra has nearly doubled over the past five years, a local health official says. The head of the North Sumatra Health Office, Fatni Sulani, said on Saturday that as of December 2002 there were 2.993 million people officially classified as poor in the province, up from 1.5 million five years ago.

1. Attack -- 4 cols, 2 lines, 48 pts

1. Attack -- 4 cols, 2 lines, 48 pts Iraq war could inspire more attacks in Muslim Asia 2. Protest -- 3 cols, 2 lines, 36 pts Millions in Indonesia, Pakistan rally against U.S.-led war 3. Fire -- 4 cols, 2 lines, 36 pts Most houses are vulnerable to fire due to ignorance 4. Ghozi -- 3 cols, 2 lines, 30 pts Convicted Indonesian admits to role in Jakarta bombing

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JP/ / checked by Rich Gearing for more value-added services I.Christianto Contributor Jakarta Mobile phone service providers particularly those operating under the Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) are now gearing up for more value-added services (VAS) such as multimedia messages (MMS) and other Internet-based features. A cellular phone nowadays is not just for communicating or sending messages (SMS).

Campaign fund need to bring PKB together again?

Campaign fund need to bring PKB together again? Arya Abhiseka, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta The two factions of the National Awakening Party (PKB) appear to be moving closer to reconciliation after leaders from both sides made their first public appearance together since the split on Sunday.

Public holidays

Public holidays in 2003 calendars From Kompas The government, through a joint decree from the minister of religious affairs, the minister of manpower and transmigration and the state minister for administrative reforms, has stipulated changes in public holidays in 2003. Some public holidays have been moved either forward or back to ensure the people will have a longer holiday, while the observance of the events on these holidays remains on the same dates.

HIV/AIDS cases increase in Bali

HIV/AIDS cases increase in Bali DENPASAR, Bali: Seventy new cases of HIV/AIDS were discovered in Bali in the first two months of 2003, bringing to 321 the number of people with HIV/AIDS in the province, a health official said on Saturday. Citing a survey by the Bali Health Office, Bali AIDS Prevention Commission official Tuti Parwati said most of new HIV/AIDS patients were intravenous drug users or commercial sex workers.

Glodok dreams of bigger things

Glodok dreams of bigger things JAKARTA: In an effort to realize plans to turn Glodok Plaza into the city's largest computer center, the plaza's management, PT TCP Internusa, signed an agreement over the weekend with Bank Bumiputra and the Association of Indonesian Computer Traders. Under the agreement, those interested in opening or expanding businesses in Glodok Plaza, which is located on Jl. Pinangsia Raya in West Jakarta, may be eligible for financial support from the bank.

'Tempo' attack won't be the last, observer warns

'Tempo' attack won't be the last, observer warns Muninggar Sri Saraswati, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Journalists' associations and media observers have widely condemned Saturday's use of a mob to attack Tempo magazine's offices in a display of displeasure against an article in the magazine. A media observer predicted that such attacks could become very common in the future.

SMEs seek govt help in boosting exports

SMEs seek govt help in boosting exports Zakki Hakim, The Jakarta Post Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) have called on the government to provide help in promoting their products overseas in a bid to boost their exports. The SMEs have also asked the government for cheap loans to finance working capital. "The U.S.

Hilly Gayatri provides holistic dental care

Hilly Gayatri provides holistic dental care Carla Bianpoen, Contributor, Jakarta At 18, after high school, Hilly Gayatri had no idea what to do. Her father chose a career for her: dentistry. Today she is one of Indonesia's foremost women in dental care who thinks that teeth and dentures are only part of the total person. The idea of a holistic approach did not originate with her, but she is the first female dentist to have picked up the idea and put it into practice.

NGO blasts misuse of school fund

NGO blasts misuse of school fund Damar Harsanto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta The City Education Department has allegedly marked up a fund used to renovate Jakarta's school buildings by more than 250 percent from the standard cost stipulated by the local administration this year. "The fund allotted for the school renovation this year is simply nonsense.

Residents told to don masks as haze worsens

Residents told to don masks as haze worsens The Jakarta Post Jakarta The heavy rain that fell on Pontianak, West Kalimantan on Saturday failed to clear the thick haze shrouding the provincial capital, prompting the city mayor to urge the town's 500,000 residents to put on masks. "Stop complaining to the government! Buy a mask and always wear it," Pontianak Mayor Buchary Abdurrahman told Antara on Saturday. He also urged residents to refrain from outdoor activities.

People told to don masks as haze, pollution worsen

People told to don masks as haze, pollution worsen The Jakarta Post, Jakarta The heavy rain that fell on Pontianak, West Kalimantan, on Saturday failed to clear the thick haze shrouding the provincial capital, prompting the city mayor to urge the town's 500,000 residents to put on masks. "Stop complaining to the government! Buy a mask and always wear it," Pontianak Mayor Buchary Abdurrahman told Antara on Saturday. He also urged residents to refrain from outdoor activities.

684 schools receive ADB grants

684 schools receive ADB grants KENDARI, Southeast Sulawesi: At least 684 state and private high schools in Southeast Sulawesi received grants totaling Rp 49.48 billion (US$5.8 million) from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) from 1999 through 2002. Burhan Said, a consultant with ADB's Assistance Scheme for Facilities Improvement, said the funds were used to build laboratories and libraries, to buy books and to construct new classrooms or renovate school buildings.

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~ ;JP; ANPAv..r.. Photo-BRI-priority CHECKED BY RICH JP/Mulkan Salmona SPECIAL ACCESS: A disabled woman on a wheel chair draws her money at a branch of state-owned Bank Rakyat Indonesia (BRI) in Jakarta without having to wait in a long line. FOR AD DISPLAY Life and Health Insurance Want to know more about life and health insurance? See our weekly Focus Issue on the March 16 edition of the Sunday Post which will take a close look at the latest trends in life and health insurance products.

Where to go in Jakarta: Monday, March. 10, 2003

Where to go in Jakarta: Monday, March. 10, 2003 Exhibitions * Painting, In Between, the works of Agus Suwage, Aga Petus, Agung Kurniawan, Ardison, Astari Rasjid, Edo Pillu, Ivan Sagito, G. Sidharta A., Krisna Murti, Nyoman Erawan, S. Teddy D., Eka Suprihadi, Pande Ketut Taman, Sunaryo, F. Widayanto, at Andi's Gallery, Jl. Tanah Abang IV/14, Central Jakarta, (Tel. 021- 3457130), until March 22, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.. * Painting, Sharaku, at Gallery Mini The Japan Foundation, Summitmas I lantai 3, Jl.

RI, Malaysia to sign MOU to protect migrant workers

RI, Malaysia to sign MOU to protect migrant workers Moch. N. Kurniawan, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Indonesia and Malaysia are narrowing the gap between them regarding the signing a long-waited Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on migrant workers that will ban Malaysian agencies from directly recruiting Indonesian workers here.

East Timor Indictments : A chance to save reform

East Timor Indictments : A chance to save reform Aboeprijadi Santoso, Journalist, Amsterdam Instead of expressing regret over Dili's indictment of Indonesian generals (as East Timor President Xanana Gusmao did) or flatly rejecting it (as Indonesian Foreign Minister Hassan Wirayuda and President Megawati Soekarnoputri hastily did), Jakarta and Dili would do well to review their policies and consider the long-term implications of the issue.

Bill limits flexibility in making fiscal policy

Bill limits flexibility in making fiscal policy Dadan Wijaksana, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Economists say that a clause in the newly approved state finance bill requiring the government to obtain approval from the House of Representatives before seeking foreign loans allows for too much interference from legislators.

Feasible exit strategy needed for IMF parting

Feasible exit strategy needed for IMF parting Ari A. Perdana, Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), Jakarta, Ari_Perdana@csis.or.id The IMF assistance program in Indonesia is entering its final year. Signed in 1998, the contract initially expired last year, but the government decided to extend it for another year. So far, the government is still unsure whether or not to once again extend the contract.

Done

Done Priority consumers: Small but lucrative market By Ari Darmawan Contributor Jakarta Priority customers are not huge in number, but due to their enormous amounts of funds and transactions they are undoubtedly regarded as "fat" accounts, and therefore categorized as clients who deserve priority banking services. Two state banks, Bank Mandiri and BNI, for example, provide such customers with exclusive service packages called Mandiri Prioritas and BNI Prima, respectively.

Student electrocuted on train roof

Student electrocuted on train roof JAKARTA: A junior high school student, identified as Kiki Rizki Fauzi, was killed after being electrocuted on the roof of an electric train at Jayakarta train station here on Saturday afternoon.

Saturday-off policy helps students relax, recover

Saturday-off policy helps students relax, recover Tertiani ZB Simanjuntak, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Every school day, 15-year-old Via wakes up at 4 a.m. to do her homework. But despite rising before the sun, she still doesn't have the time to finish her work before school starts at 7 a.m., forcing her to finish the homework during class. She is not a lazy student. Via is a freshman at SMA 70 high school in South Jakarta, which since 2001 has had a five-day school week, with classes from 7 a.m.

Stock remain nervous over Iraq crisis

Stock remain nervous over Iraq crisis The Jakarta Post, Jakarta As a possible war in Iraq becomes increasingly imminent, uncertainty will continue to cast a shadow over the local equity market's performance this week, putting the Jakarta Composite Index under familiar pressure, an analyst has said. The index will remain depressed this week amid gloomy sentiment, after the U.S. stepped up pressure to take military action against Iraq, a Jakarta-based dealer said.

Most Jakarta houses are vulnerable to fire due to public ignorance

Most Jakarta houses are vulnerable to fire due to public ignorance Damar Harsanto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta You may well be concerned that your home must be nicely arranged for your comfort. Iron bars might be installed on the windows, doors and fences to ensure security. But, one big question remains. Is your home safe from fire? You may find out the answer by checking first how many exit points are available at your home.

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JP/ / Done. Short Message Service (SMS) "Can't live a day without it!" Debbie A. Lubis Contributor Jakarta A bunch of gray-uniformed girls sitting in the front seats of a bus didn't seem bothered by the heat and sweat caused by the traffic jam they had been stuck in for almost an hour. They were too excited laughing at the flashy messages that appeared on their mobile phones.

KL condemns U.S. over false report

KL condemns U.S. over false report MALAYSIA: Malaysian acting prime minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi slammed the U.S. on Sunday for submitting a false report to the United Nations on Iraq's alleged nuclear weapons program. Describing the action as "a worrisome and shameful act", Abdullah said Malaysia was sad that the United States had attempted to use it as evidence to attack Iraq. Abdullah made the comments when asked to respond to the revelation by UN weapons inspectors that the U.S.

Information bill has conflicting articles

Information bill has conflicting articles Kurniawan Hari, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Public access to information guaranteed by the freedom of information bill could be threatened with the inclusion of a specific right granted to public offices to declare certain information classified. The contradiction in terms may worsen with the potential adoption of more legislation to justify that certain information be kept from the public.

Expansion, new bank lending boosts number of start-up firms

Expansion, new bank lending boosts number of start-up firms Rendi A. Witular The Jakarta Post Jakarta Expansion by foreign companies here and new bank lending are the main reasons for the sharp rise in the number of start-up manufacturing companies last year particularly in the food and beverage sector, an industry expert said.

Dengue, 'chikungunya' claim 13 lives in Cirebon

Dengue, 'chikungunya' claim 13 lives in Cirebon Nana Rukmana, The Jakarta Post, Cirebon, West Java An outbreak of dengue fever and chikungunya disease has claimed the lives of 13 people in Cirebon, West Java, over the past two months, a local health official said on Saturday. Dadang Prihadi, the head of the Cirebon health office, said at least 315 people in the regency were infected with the mosquito- borne diseases.

Indonesia's Muslims pray for peace

Indonesia's Muslims pray for peace Tiarma Siboro, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Over 500,000 Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) followers turned out at the parade ground inside the Brawijaya Military Command headquarters in Surabaya on Sunday for the largest rally so far in the country against a possible United States attack on Iraq.

Two police assistants wanted for rape

Two police assistants wanted for rape Police have launched a manhunt for two Central Jakarta civilian police assistants after the alleged rape of a girl at the Central Jakarta Mayoralty Office on Jl. Tanah Abang I, Central Jakarta early Friday morning. Central Jakarta Police unit chief First Insp.

PDI-P to promote political laws

PDI-P to promote political laws JAKARTA: The Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) plans to host a national meeting here to discuss the newly endorsed legislation on political parties and general elections. The meeting, scheduled from Monday to Wednesday, will be held at the five-star Shangri-La Hotel and attended by more than 900 party executives nationwide.

Army chief reactivates Binjai Battalion

Army chief reactivates Binjai Battalion Apriadi Gunawan The Jakarta Post Binjai, North Sumatra Army Chief of Staff Gen. Ryamizard Ryacudu reactivated the Binjai Battalion in North Sumatra on Saturday after a five-month period of inactivity following a clash between Army personnel and police personnel that killed 12 people, including two civilians. Ryamizard said the revival of the battalion was based on the needs of the Indonesian Military (TNI).

Antara

Antara HOME BUSINESS: Darmadi, 28, a resident of Dongkelan, Bantul, Yogyakarta, crafts a lamp shade from bamboo and rattan. Although only a home industry, Darmadi's products have entered international markets. However, he is unable to take large orders because he lacks the financial resources.

* Headlines: RI to protest independence campaign by GAM 2

* Headlines: RI to protest independence campaign by GAM 2 * National: Illegal trade in cultural artifacts widespread 4 * Archipelago: Army chief reactivates Binjai battalion 5 * Opinion: Feasible exit strategy needed for IMF parting 7 * City: School renovated but still damaged 8 * Sports: Coulthard wins Australian GP 10 * World: Invasion of superbugs worries U.S. doctors 11 * Business: U.S. jobs plunge 308,000 amid war worries 16 * Features: Internet boosts info war potential 17

AGO to bring Pertamina graft cases to court

AGO to bring Pertamina graft cases to court Moch. N. Kurniawan, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta The Attorney General's Office will start submitting graft cases in the state-owned oil and gas firm Pertamina to court this week following the House of Representatives' announcement of the names of alleged big-fish corruptors last week.

We need another

We need another 'Bung' Karno From Rakyat Merdeka Indonesia's first president Sukarno, better known as Bung (Brother) Karno, was excellent at uniting this nation by means of, among other things, identifying a common enemy. He diverted the attention of the nation to Papua and made The Netherlands the country's common enemy. Temporarily, we forgot inter-ethnic conflicts and our poverty as the people were busy training as volunteers to fight for the return of Papua to Jakarta's control.

Jakarta students win tickets to UK

Jakarta students win tickets to UK JAKARTA: Bernardine Andara Fembriarto and Eunike Stephanie Sastrawidjaja, two Jakarta senior high-school students, won an English-language video making competition organized by the British Council. For their achievement, they will enjoy a two-week visit to England, where they will join winners from 12 other countries to meet with a number of prominent British figures, learn about educational opportunities there and watch British cultural shows.

Tangerang residents use polluted Cisadane water

Tangerang residents use polluted Cisadane water Multa Fidrus, The Jakarta Post, Tangerang Even though the Cisadane River is seriously polluted with industrial waste, residents living along the river in Tangerang regularly use the water for their daily needs.

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JP/ / Garuda reroutes Europe flights to avoid Iraqi airspace The Jakarta Post Jakarta The national flag carrier Garuda Indonesia will shift its Indonesia-Europe routes from southern Asia to northern Asia if war were to break out in Iraq. "The routes to Europe usually take the southern route: Denpasar-Singapore-London or Denpasar-Singapore-Amsterdam," Garuda's director of commerce Bahrul Hakim said, as quoted by Antara on Saturday.

S'pore men seek wives, mistresses in Bintan

S'pore men seek wives, mistresses in Bintan Agence France-Presse, Singapore Increasing number of Singaporean men are finding mistresses and wives on Indonesia's Bintan island, with some of them converting to Islam to appease local sentiments, the Sunday Times reported. Many of them acquire their women from brothels and nightclubs and do not formalize their marriages out of fear their families would find out, the report said.

ITB off limits for campaigning

ITB off limits for campaigning BANDUNG: The state Bandung Institute of Technology (ITB) students community rejected on Saturday any election campaigning inside their campus. They said election campaigns on campus would adversely affect students' study. "The reason behind our rejection is that a campus is a venue to develop sciences. The spirit of its neutrality should remain intact," ITB Student Association's president, Alga Indria, told reporters here.

Women activists urged to join political parties

Women activists urged to join political parties Kurniawan Hari, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Although Indonesian women now have a greater chance to participate in the decision-making process with the endorsement of the election bill, the opportunity will be meaningless if women activists do not join political parties, a former minister for women's empowerment said.

'School renovated, but still damaged'

'School renovated, but still damaged' Many schools in Greater Jakarta are in poor condition, some in such disrepair that they are at the point of collapse. It is no secret that many school buildings are constructed using low- quality materials, despite the huge sums of money the city administration spends to pay for the buildings. The Jakarta Post discussed this important matter with several residents.

Expansion, bank lending boost number of start-up firms

Expansion, bank lending boost number of start-up firms Rendi A. Witular, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Expansion by foreign companies here and new bank lending are the main reasons for the sharp rise in the number of start-up manufacturing companies last year particularly in the food and beverage sector, an industry expert said.

Riau to open ferry service to KL

Riau to open ferry service to KL PEKANBARU, Riau: The provincial transportation office here will open a sea-lane between Pekanbaru and the Malaysian state of Malacca this month, an official said on Saturday. "We have been developing Sungai Duku Port in Pekanbaru into an international port that can support the opening of the new sea- lane," the head of the provincial transportation office, Pria Budi, said.

PDI-P to promote political laws

PDI-P to promote political laws JAKARTA: The Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) plans to host a national meeting here to discuss the newly endorsed legislation on political parties and general elections. The meeting, scheduled from Monday to Wednesday, will be held at the five-star Shangri-La Hotel and attended by more than 900 party executives nationwide.

Sunu, Maya win junior tournament

Sunu, Maya win junior tournament The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Top seed Sunu Wahyu Triaji continued his winning streak when he captured the boys' singles title of the inaugural Hemaviton Challenge junior tennis tournament here on Sunday. Joining the U-18 category, Sunu thumped third-seeded Christian Adinata 6-1, 6-1 in the lopsided final matches at the Bung Karno Tennis Court in Central Jakarta.