Indonesian Political, Business & Finance News

Archive: 8 March 2003

74 articles found

Residents divided over smeltery closure

Residents divided over smeltery closureMulta Fidrus, The Jakarta Post, Tangerang, Banten Residents of Pajang subdistrict in Benda district of Tangerang municipality are divided over the presence of an aluminum and copper smeltery, PT Teguh Makmur Sejahtera, which has been operating in the area...

Are we to kiss the IMF goodbye?

Are we to kiss the IMF goodbye?Ari A. Perdana Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) Jakarta Ari_Perdana@csis.or.id Faculty of Economics, University of Indonesia The IMF assistance program in Indonesia is entering its final year.

House considering additional BI governor candidates

House considering additional BI governor candidatesDadan Wijaksana, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta The House of Representatives hinted that it might ask President Megawati Soekarnoputri to add two names to the list of candidates for Bank Indonesia's top post, in a clear sign of a potential political...

Pasir Wetan, the center for ironwork crafts in Banyumas

Pasir Wetan, the center for ironwork crafts in BanyumasAgus Maryono The Jakarta Post PurwokertoIn a simple workshop, craftsman Sutoto is busy creating a unique handicraft made from iron."This craft is meant for export, and maybe it will be displayed in someone's home," explained the 39-year-old...

Where to go in Semarang: Saturday, March 8, 2003

Where to go in Semarang: Saturday, March 8, 2003 Tour and Travel Services* Antara Travel Service, Puri Anjasmoro, Ruko E1/9 (Tel. 024- 7605341, fax: 024-7605779). * Electra Duta Wisata Tour and Travel, Jl. Gajah Mada 1 (Tel. 024-3518444, 3511112, fax: 3511114). * Fortuna Tours and Travel, Jl. Dr.

`Govt will ensure safety of foreigners'

`Govt will ensure safety of foreigners'Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta The government assured foreigners living in Indonesia on Friday that it would do its utmost to ensure their safety and protect their interests should war break out in Iraq.

Free trade deals vital for ASEAN survival: Singapore

Free trade deals vital for ASEAN survival: SingaporeAgence France-Presse, Singapore Free trade agreements are vital for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to maintain its relevance under the lengthening economic shadows of giant neighbors China and India, a Singapore minister said...

GT Petrochem restructures its $440m debt

GT Petrochem restructures its $440m debt JAKARTA: Indonesia's tire cord producer PT GT Petrochem Industries said on Friday it has reached an agreement with its creditors to restructure US$440 million of its debt.

Govt urged to drop revised cigarette regulation

Govt urged to drop revised cigarette regulationMuninggar Sri Saraswati, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta A group of 18 non-governmental organizations appealed to the government on Friday to drop a revised government regulation (PP) on cigarettes, which they said was drawn up with a total lack of...

TV Today: Saturday, March. 8, 2003

TV Today: Saturday, March. 8, 2003TVRI 5:03 a.m.Religious Teachings6:00 News: Berita Pagi7:00 English News Service7:30 Children's Program: Pentas Ceria8:00 DRTV Indonesia 8:30 Talk Show: Ibu, Bayi dan Balita9:00 Music: Pesona Music Indonesia 10:00 TV Drama: Mujizat10:30 Talk Show11:00 News: Berita...

Former heads of state to meet here

Former heads of state to meet here JAKARTA: Former Indonesian president B.J. Habibie will meet with former Australian prime minister Malcolm Fraser here next week and former Dutch prime minister Andreas van Agt to discuss a possible clash of civilizations as an outcome of the war on terrorism.

Seeking help for rape survivors

Seeking help for rape survivorsSheila Quarles van Ufford-Thomson, Contributor, Jakarta What would you do if your daughter were raped? At the height of the riots that ravaged Jakarta in May 1998, at least one daughter, and likely a hundred more, were sexually assaulted.

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.

Tracking the roots of Jamaah Islamiyah

Tracking the roots of Jamaah IslamiyahBlontank Poer, The Jakarta Post, Surakarta The eloquent phrase "Jamaah Islamiyah", meaning "Islamic community", has lost its innocence.Ever since the Oct. 12 Bali bombings last year, the definition of the phrase drew ever closer to becoming Indonesia's answer...

No public interest should be harmed

No public interest should be harmedFrom Suara KaryaMost 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...

Distinctive iron handicrafts put Pasir Wetan on the map

Distinctive iron handicrafts put Pasir Wetan on the mapAgus Maryono, The Jakarta Post, Purwokerto In a simple workshop, craftsman Sutoto is busy creating a unique handicraft made from iron."This craft is meant for export, and maybe it will be displayed in someone's home," explained the 39-year-old...

Tracking the roots of Abdullah Sungkar's Jamaah Islamiyah

Tracking the roots of Abdullah Sungkar's Jamaah Islamiyah Blontank Poer The Jakarta Post Surakarta Jamaah Islamiyah's (JI) existence somehow seems to fall between illusion and reality. Some say this group is a mere invention of the Indonesian and foreign governments.

1. RICE: 50 pt, 2 cols, 4 x 12

1. RICE: 50 pt, 2 cols, 4 x 12 Housewives terrorized for reporting reduced aid 2. SADNESS: 30 pt, 3 cols, 2 x 26 Manggarai fire leaves thousands homeless, jobless 3. FACTORY: 28 pt, 2 cols, 2 x 20 Residents divided over smeltery closure 4.

Rupiah Rates March 7

Rupiah Rates March 7 JP/13/ConverRupiah Rates March 7 Bank notes rates TT rates Selling Buying Selling Buying Australian dollar 1 5,759.06 5,140.58 5,478.94 5,420.47Brunei dollar 1 5,400.03 4,821.25 5,137.38 5,083.76 Canadian dollar 1 6,369.75 5,686.45 6,059.93 5,996.06Swiss franc 1 7,030.90 6,278.

Tracking the roots of Abdullah Sungkar's Jamaah Islamiyah

Tracking the roots of Abdullah Sungkar's Jamaah Islamiyah Blontank Poer The Jakarta Post Surakarta Jamaah Islamiyah's (JI) existence somehow seems to fall between illusion and reality. Some say this group is a mere invention of the Indonesian and foreign governments.

Where to go in Jakarta: Saturday, March 8, 2003

Where to go in Jakarta: Saturday, March 8, 2003Exhibitions* Painting, In Between, by Agus Suwage, Aga Petus, Agung Kurniawan, Ardison, Astari Rasjid, Edo Pillu, Ivan Sagito, G. Sidharta A.,Krisna Murti, Nyoman Erawan, S. Teddy D., Y. Eka Suprihadi, Pande Ketut Taman, Sunaryo, F.

RI won't propose an increase in OPEC quota

RI won't propose an increase in OPEC quota Indonesia will not propose an increase in OPEC's production quota when the organization meets next week in Vienna, Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Purnomo Yusgiantoro said Friday.

Asian Muslims dismayed at possible Iraq war

Asian Muslims dismayed at possible Iraq warJane Macartney, Reuters, Singapore More Muslims live in Asia than any other region on earth and as U.S. President George W. Bush edged closer to war on Iraq many local groups responded with concern on Friday.

Who cares about green oases in Jakarta?

Who cares about green oases in Jakarta?Nirwono Joga, Chairman, Indonesian Landscape Architecture Study Group, Jakarta We can expect even less green open space along with this drawn-out economic crisis. The economic squeeze will certainly increase the occupancy of open areas on roadsides, under...

Tracking the roots of Abdullah Sungkar's Jamaah Islamiyah

Tracking the roots of Abdullah Sungkar's Jamaah Islamiyah Blontank Poer The Jakarta Post Surakarta Jamaah Islamiyah's (JI) existence somehow seems to fall between illusion and reality. Some say this group is a mere invention of the Indonesian and foreign governments.

Sutiyoso vows to restore homes

Sutiyoso vows to restore homesM. Taufiqurrahman, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Governor Sutiyoso said Friday that the city administration would not relocate the fire victims in Manggarai, South Jakarta, saying the administration would build a decent housing complex.

Milestone in accountability

Milestone in accountability The government and the House of Representatives should be highly commended for their achievement in completing the law on state finances, which forms the foundation for the building of a legal and institutional framework for the public financial management system.

May God bless women!

May God bless women!Solita Sarwono, Psychologist, Gender Specialist, Wasenaar, The Netherlands On March 8 the world focuses its attention on women: the poor, rich, illiterate, highly educated, housewives, the jobless, career women, traditional, modern, young, old, married and single.

Firefighters: Overworked, underpaid

Firefighters: Overworked, underpaidDamar Harsanto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Don't even think about becoming a firefighter in Jakarta if it is wealth that you are after.This advice came from Johnny Pangaribuan, the 52-year-old fire chief of the Jakarta fire department, which deals with at least two...

Hamzah to skip party post race

Hamzah to skip party post race JAKARTA: Vice President Hamzah Haz said on Friday he would not contest for the chairmanship of the United Development Party (PPP) during the party's meeting in May.Hamzah, who is currently chairman of the third largest party in the country, said he expected other...

Activists to boycott parties not honoring quota ruling

Activists to boycott parties not honoring quota rulingArya Abhiseka, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta A women's rights group vowed on Friday to campaign for the boycott of political parties that refused to implement the 30 percent quota for women legislative candidates in the upcoming general election.

Ari A. Perdana

Ari A. Perdana Centre for Strategic and International Studies/ Faculty of Economics, University of Indonesia2. Gorjao -- Is Australia on collision course with Indonesia once again? 2 X 21 Is Australia on collision course with Indonesia? Colliding with Australia Paulo Gorjao Lecturer, Lusiada...

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.

Rubber exporters may boost output, exports

Rubber exporters may boost output, exportsNitsara Srihanam, Dow Jones, Bangkok Rising global rubber prices may trigger an increase in rubber production and exports by the world's leading rubber producers, according to a report issued on Friday by the Thai Farmers Research Center.

Govt gives HTI firms 30 days to pay back debts

Govt gives HTI firms 30 days to pay back debtsRendi A. Witular, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta The Ministry of Forestry has issued a 30-day ultimatum to 31 privately owned industrial timber estates (HTI) to surrender their collateral assets as a guarantee that they will settle their debts with the...

The streets of Jakarta

The streets of Jakarta What do people really think of the streets of Jakarta? An odd question, perhaps. But opinions on this matter seem to depend on where one stands: Those who have been victims of street crimes say they're horrible.

* Headlines: Military involved in Aceh's Takengon incident 2

* Headlines: Military involved in Aceh's Takengon incident 2 * National: Illegal trade in cultural artifact widespread 4 * Opinion:Who cares about green oases in Jakarta?7 * City: Housewives terrorized for reporting reduced aid 8 * Sports: Hewitt downs Ferreira for berth in quarterfinals10 * World:...

. EXPO: 28 pt, 4 cols, 1 x 44

. EXPO: 28 pt, 4 cols, 1 x 44 Indonesian Expo 2003: An expo worth visiting

Abu Bakar Ba'asyir at the center of controversy

Abu Bakar Ba'asyir at the center of controversyBlontank Poer, The Jakarta Post, Surakarta Forcing the religious conversion of a state and government and justifying any means to carry that out. This appears to be the stigma Muslim cleric Abu Bakar Ba'asyir bears following the Bali bomb blasts that...

Regent escapes through back door

Regent escapes through back door BOGOR: Bogor Regent Agus Utara Efendi slipped out the back door of the local council building on Friday to avoid hundreds of Parung market vendors protesting plans to evict them to make way for the construction of a shopping mall.

Vendor stumbles upon secret to making tasty snack

Vendor stumbles upon secret to making tasty snackAgus Maryono and Mamock Ng, The Jakarta Post, Purwokerto, Central Java Visiting Purwokerto is never the same without tasting its sweet fried cassava speciality, known locally as gethuk goreng.

Crimes on public buses on the rise

Crimes on public buses on the riseTertiani ZB Simanjuntak, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Jakarta Police have said that their intensified patrols and monitoring of rising street crime might have moved the crime hot spots to beyond the patrol's coverage, including on board public transportation.

Huge antiwar rallies to come

Huge antiwar rallies to comeFabiola Desy Unidjaja, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Jakarta and Surabaya will see a wave of mass rallies in a couple of days to show Indonesia's strong opposition to a possible attack on Iraq.Influential Muslim preacher A.A.

Newly approved finance bill welcomed

Newly approved finance bill welcomedDadan Wijaksana, The Jakarta post, Jakarta The passage of the state finance bill should signify the government's commitment to eradicating corruption although whether or not it will be effective depends on how the bill is implemented, experts said Friday.

The eloquent phrase "Jamaah Islamiyah", meaning "Islamic

The eloquent phrase "Jamaah Islamiyah", meaning "Islamic community", has lost its innocence. Ever since the Oct. 12 Bali bombings last year, the definition of the phrase drew ever closer to becoming Indonesia's answer to the global Al-Qaeda terrorist group.

Police seize over 30,000 bullets

Police seize over 30,000 bullets YOGYAKARTA: Yogyakarta Police seized on Friday over 30,000 bullets recovered from a house in Ambarukmo village, Sleman regency in Yogyakarta.Depok Military Commander Capt. Inf. Sujud said the bullets were classified into two caches -- 12.

The eloquent phrase "Jamaah Islamiyah", meaning "Islamic

The eloquent phrase "Jamaah Islamiyah", meaning "Islamic community", has lost its innocence. Ever since the Oct. 12 Bali bombings last year, the definition of the phrase drew ever closer to becoming Indonesia's answer to the global Al-Qaeda terrorist group.

House lists big names in corruption at Pertamina

House lists big names in corruption at PertaminaKurniawan Hari, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta A House of Representatives (DPR) special committee of inquiry into corruption at state oil firm Pertamina alleged on Friday a number of former ministers and cronies as well as family members of former...

Mudslide may reveal more Yogyakarta history

Mudslide may reveal more Yogyakarta historySri Wahyuni, The Jakarta Post, Yogyakarta A team of government researchers were on Friday focusing on ruins unearthed by a recent mudslide in Yogyakarta."Literature has so far told us that an irrigation dam was built during the rule of Sultan...

RI and U.S.

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...

Indonesian Expo 2003: An expo worth visiting

Indonesian Expo 2003: An expo worth visitingSari P. Setiogi, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Interested in Indonesian traditional batik, Bali paintings, wood carvings, handicrafts, food? Or something more "Western" like leather jackets and boots? Or something more "serious" like furniture, leather chairs...

Troops to be maintained in North Maluku

Troops to be maintained in North MalukuFabiola Desy Unidjaja, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta The government will maintain a large number of troops in North Maluku to assist the repatriation of refugees despite a plan to lift the civil emergency status in the province.

`Private cars the main cause of traffic jam'

`Private cars the main cause of traffic jam' Plans by the Organization of Land Transportation Owners (Organda) to import 3,000 used buses from Japan and Australia have been criticized by the Indonesian Consumers Foundation (YLKI), which questioned the quality and roadworthiness of the buses.

Proliga winner won't go to AVC Cup: PBVSI

Proliga winner won't go to AVC Cup: PBVSIThe Jakarta Post, Jakarta The 2003 Proliga winner will not represent Indonesia in the fifth Asian Volleyball Confederation (AVC) Cup men's volleyball club championship, according to a top official of the Indonesian volleyball governing body here on Friday.

Illegal trade in cultural artifacts widespread

Illegal trade in cultural artifacts widespreadMoch. N. Kurniawan, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta The illicit trade of cultural property, which involves local and international syndicates, is rampant, but the government is unable to combat it.

East Timor's Indictment : A Chance To Save Indonesia's Reform

East Timor's Indictment : A Chance To Save Indonesia's ReformAboeprijadi 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...

Ba'asyir at the center of controversy

Ba'asyir at the center of controversyBlontank Poer The Jakarta Post Surakarta Forcing the religious conversion of a state and government and justifying any means to carry that out. This appears to be the stigma Muslim cleric Abu Bakar Ba'asyir bears following the Bali bomb blasts that killed 202...

Palyja to repair water mains

Palyja to repair water mains JAKARTA: PT PAM Lyonnaise Jaya (Palyja) is allocating Rp 8.5 billion (US$944,444) to repair 60 kilometers of water mains in Jakarta.Palyja said in a press release on Friday that the repairs would be in the areas of Hayam Wuruk, Mangga Besar, Pangeran Jayakarta, Glodok,...

PTBA finds 230 million tons of new coal reserves

PTBA finds 230 million tons of new coal reservesA'an Suryana, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta State owned coal miner PT Tambang Batubara Bukit Asam (PTBA) has discovered more than 230 million tons of coal reserves in South Sumatra's East Kungkilan area.

EU pledges US$37.8m for health grant

EU pledges US$37.8m for health grant JAKARTA: The European Union (EU) has pledged 35 million euro (US$37.8 million) in a grant for community health projects in three provinces -- South Sumatra, Jambi, and Papua -- over a period of four and a half years.

Govt allocates $702,000 for e-learning

Govt allocates $702,000 for e-learning JAKARTA: The government has allocated Rp 6.25 billion (about US$702,000) for the installation of e-learning technology equipment for 50 cities in eight provinces.The Ministry of Education's director for vocational education Gatot Haripriowirjanto said on...

Teens dominate Anniswati Cup chess tourney

Teens dominate Anniswati Cup chess tourneyMusthofid, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Two international masters (IMs) crashed in the fifth round of the Anniswati Cup women's chess tournament on Friday as teenage Evie Lindiawati kept her one-point lead intact with two rounds to go.

Ba'asyir at the center of controversy

Ba'asyir at the center of controversyBlontank Poer The Jakarta Post Surakarta Forcing the religious conversion of a state and government and justifying any means to carry that out. This appears to be the stigma Muslim cleric Abu Bakar Ba'asyir bears following the Bali bomb blasts that killed 202...

18 bodies found at sea

18 bodies found at sea PEKANBARU, Riau: Fishermen found 18 bodies over the last three days, all floating in the waters off Bagan Siapiapi and Panipahan in the Rokan Hilir regency.The bodies were likely to be the missing victims of the ferry KM Mutiara Indah that sank in the waters off Tanjung Balai...

Amrozi says he's only guilty of `shopping'

Amrozi says he's only guilty of `shopping'Agence France-Presse, Denpasar, Bali A key suspect accused of buying a ton of explosive chemicals for the Bali bombing described his role as "shopping" as he was handed over to Indonesian prosecutors on Friday in preparation for a trial.

The eloquent phrase "Jamaah Islamiyah", meaning "Islamic

The eloquent phrase "Jamaah Islamiyah", meaning "Islamic community", has lost its innocence. Ever since the Oct. 12 Bali bombings last year, the definition of the phrase drew ever closer to becoming Indonesia's answer to the global Al-Qaeda terrorist group.

1. IRAQ: 1 x 30

1. IRAQ: 1 x 30 Huge antiwar rallies to come 2. FOREIGNERS: 1 x 34 'Govt will ensure safety of foreigners' 3. BLIX: 2 x 20 Blix welcomes Iraqi cooperation, U.S. stands firm 4. PERTAMINA: 1 x 50 House lists big names in corruption at Pertamina

Only 18 of 63 Supreme Court justice candidates passed the

Only 18 of 63 Supreme Court justice candidates passed the interview and screening stage conducted by the House of Representatives. And most of those who passed did so with conditions attached.The Supreme Court needs 26 new justices but only 18 were passed by the House, and some of them will...

Military involved in Aceh's Takengon incident: Kontras

Military involved in Aceh's Takengon incident: KontrasThe Jakarta Post, Jakarta A fact-finding team of the Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras) have discovered that the local military was allegedly involved in the recent attack on the office of the Aceh peace monitoring...

Is Australia on collision course with Indonesia once again?

Is Australia on collision course with Indonesia once again?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...

The eloquent phrase "Jamaah Islamiyah", meaning "Islamic

The eloquent phrase "Jamaah Islamiyah", meaning "Islamic community", has lost its innocence. Ever since the Oct. 12 Bali bombings last year, the definition of the phrase drew ever closer to becoming Indonesia's answer to the global Al-Qaeda terrorist group.

Women's contribution

Women's contribution Among the various themes planned to mark International Women's Day today is the comparatively unique issue of "consumerism", which is considered to be one of the main causes of the rampant corruption in this country.

Housewives terrorized for reporting reduced aid

Housewives terrorized for reporting reduced aidBambang Nurbianto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Several housewives from Cipinang Besar Selatan subdistrict in East Jakarta said they have been intimidated by two subdistrict officials after they reported a reduction of rice aid for the poor from the...

Manggarai fire leaves thousands homeless, jobless

Manggarai fire leaves thousands homeless, joblessM. Taufiqurrahman, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Thousands of residents in the slums along Jl. Manggarai Utara II, South Jakarta, must now brave the cold nights of the rainy season, after a fire razed the neighborhood and left them homeless.