Ministry launches essential drug list JAKARTA: The Ministry of Health launched on Monday a book containing an essential drug list (DOEN) across the country, which is useful especially for health workers and institutions as a guide in choosing the most effective, quality and economical drugs. Minister of Health Achmad Sujudi said that the list was expected to enhance the availability of medicine and to make the drugs more affordable to all citizens in a fair way.

Defending global essentials: Notes from Kyoto Yanuar Nugroho, Director, The Business Watch Indonesia, Surakarta, Central Java, yanuar-n@unisosdem.org While 1.1 billion people do not have access to safe drinking water and almost 2.4 billion do not have adequate sanitation, according to the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), only 1.6 percent of development assistance is spent on providing water and sanitation services.

Govt urges paramilitary dissolution JAKARTA: The government has asked political parties and organizations to dissolve their paramilitary units ahead of the 2004 general election, saying these groups violated the principles of democracy. Speaking on Monday, Minister of Defense Matori Abdul Djalil said he would propose a regulation banning paramilitary groups affiliated with political parties and organizations.

Megawati plans to visit restive Aceh in April Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta President Megawati Soekarnoputri is planning to visit conflict- torn Aceh in April, her second after the government and the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) signed a peace deal aimed at putting an end to decades-long conflict in the province.

KPU to start voter registration process Tuesday Arya Abhiseka, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Field officers representing the General Elections Commission (KPU) will start voter registration on Tuesday April 1, for all citizens 17 or older who wish to vote in the 2004 general election. KPU member Mudji Sutrisno told The Jakarta Post on Monday that all residents would be notified by each local neighborhood unit of the date when demographic information would be collected by field workers.

Dow Jones Jakarta PT Indonesian Satellite Corp. (Indosat) Monday said its net profit for 2002 fell significantly to Rp 336.25 billion (US$37.7 million) from Rp 1.453 trillion the previous year due to the higher cost of goodwill amortization. The cost of goodwill amortization rose to Rp 753.5 billion from Rp 321.2 billion after the company acquired cellular unit PT Satelit Palapa Indonesia last year.

Ramayana net profit fell last year JAKARTA: Indonesian retailer PT Ramayana Lestari Sentosa said on Monday that its net profit fell to Rp 299.68 billion in 2002 from Rp 320.08 billion a year earlier, mainly due to declining interest income. The company, whose customers are mainly those at the lower end of the middle-income group, said interest income slipped to Rp 58.26 billion from Rp 74.34 billion due to falling interest rates in the country.

A friend to tribespeople in need Haidir Anwar Tanjung, The Jakarta Post, Pekanbaru Most "modern" people might find it difficult getting on with people who live in the jungle, struggling to fill the silence with some polite small talk. And you can generally forget about city dwellers and jungle residents from becoming fast friends.

PKB politicians establish law firm JAKARTA: A law firm founded by several politicians from the Nation Awakening Party (PKB) was inaugurated on Monday. PKB chairman Alwi Shihab, leaders Moh. Mahfud MD, A.S. Hikam, H.Z. Arifin Junaidi, Khofifah Indar Parawansa, Saleh Abdul Malik and Ahmad Anas Yahya are the partners of the firm. Former president Abdurrahman Wahid is the adviser to the firm. The law firm is named Mahfud MD and Associates.

Jailing tax evaders The Directorate General of Taxation will soon be able to put its money where its mouth is under a joint decree of the Ministry of Finance and Ministry of Justice and Human Rights that allows for the jailing of uncooperative taxpayers for a maximum one year without prior trial.

New IMF loan shows confidence in RI reform program: Experts Dadan Wijaksana, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta In spite of the lukewarm reaction from the financial market, recent approval from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to disburse its latest loan tranche to Indonesia reflects the Fund's continued confidence on the country's economy, experts said.

National Museum offers cheap tour of RI's past Sari P. Setiogi, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Ronald Ong, a Singaporean, told The Jakarta Post that he was visiting the National Museum, better known as Museum Gajah, because he wanted to know more about Indonesia's heritage. "Singapore and Indonesia are neighbors and I wanted to know more about this country. It's like traveling around Indonesia for only Rp 750 (US$0.083), very cheap-lah..." the 56-year-old said one Saturday morning.

1. VOTE: 50 pt, 2 cols, 4 x 12 Some residents in dark about start of voter registration 2. HOTEL: 36 pt, 3 cols, 2 x 26 Regent Hotel employees want their fate decided 3. GAJAH: 28 pt, 4 cols, 1 x 45 National Museum offers cheap tour of RI's past 4. SPEAK: 28 pt, 3 cols, 1 x 30 'I deserve good water service'

Homemade bomb explodes in Medan MEDAN, North Sumatra: A homemade bomb placed in the backyard of the Medan mayor's office exploded on Monday, damaging three cars parked in the compound. No casualties were reported in the blast. The chief of the North Sumatra Police, Insp. Gen. Dewa Astika, said that the bomb squad had collected bomb fragments to study the nature of the bomb.

2. AID: 2 x 28 Indonesian Red Cross opens bank account for Iraqi aid 3. MILITER: 1 x 35 False claims litter Iraq conflict 4. OSAMA: 2 x 27 Mubarak says Iraq war will produce 100 bin Ladens