IMF monitoring role still crucial: Kadin A'an Suryana, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta The Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Kadin) said on Wednesday that Indonesia still needed the International Monetary Fund to play a monitoring role in the implementation of the country's economic reform program to help instill investor confidence.

FPI apologizes for 'kidnapping' chief JAKARTA: The Islam Defenders' Front (FPI) said they were sorry for "kidnapping" chief Habib Rizieq Shihab from the Jakarta Prosecutor's Office on Monday, saying it was not planned beforehand and was done without the knowledge of his legal team.

Trial 3 x 18 Suspected terrorist Ba'asyir goes on trial on charges of treason JP/2/SARS 1 x 46 RI has new SARS patient, govt traces his contacts 1 x 60 Russia's jet fighters set to strengthen Indonesian air defense

Civilian supremacy in Aceh A bloody war is at the doorstep of the restive province of Aceh. Indonesian citizens will soon kill each other in a terrible battle. It's only a matter of time. Aceh has been a boiling hot spot for 26 years, and no one can guarantee that the conflict will end soon. The province has a long history of conflicts, beginning with its fight against the Dutch colonialists, and followed by the Free Aceh Movement's (GAM) armed resistance against the Indonesian Military.

Reason must prevail From Kompas Protests against the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq have flared up across the country, involving nearly all social groups. Regrettably, some protesters who have held their rallies in front of several U.S. companies, have also damaged U.S.-based franchise restaurants selling fast foods. In addition, some university students threw rotten eggs and paint at the American Express Building on Jl. Rasuna Said, Jakarta, on March 26, 2003.

Modern infrastructure available for investors Evolving Batam into an industrial area with international standards is not easy. But the Batam Industrial Development Authority (BIDA) is able to do it from the start of the development of the island into industrial bonded zone 30 years ago. Modern infrastructure facilities such as seaports, airports, paved roads or highways are now available for investors who open their factories on the island.

RP expects to exit IMF pact this year Ditas Lopez, Dow Jones, Manila The Philippines expects to end its post-program monitoring arrangement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) later this year, but Finance Secretary Jose Isidro Camacho said the exit won't mean abrupt changes to the country's economic program.

Correcting address We, at Yayasan LIA would like to thank you for the information you provided about our organization in your newspaper on Sunday, April 6, and also the picture of our branch building you included. However, the address of the building was given incorrectly. Please let our readers know that the correct address for that branch is: Jl. Let. Jend. S. Parman Kav 64, West Jakarta. ATTIE SIRINGARINGO, Head of Bureau of Public Relations and Law, Jakarta

Sinar Mas factory gutted by fire JAKARTA: The Jakarta Stock Exchange (JSX) suspended on Wednesday trade in PT Sinar Mas Agro Resources and Technology (SMART) shares after it received a report that one of the company's cooking oil factories was gutted by fire earlier in the morning. JSX suspended trade in the shares at 9:30 a.m. when the stock was trading at Rp 1,225. JSX said the gutted factory, located in Surabaya, East Java, produced Filma cooking oil.

Sanggar Anak Akar to stage operetta Tantri Yuliandini, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Rebellion by those once oppressed by the state has become an overly repetitive theme in arts. But in an upcoming event, it will breathe anew because the actors are deprived children, the very victims of an authoritarian regime.

Inmates run drug ring from prison in Bali Wahyoe Boediwardhana, The Jakarta Post, Denpasar, Bali A four-day undercover police operation crushed a drug ring that was operating out of the tightly guarded cells of Kerobokan Penitentiary, Bali's largest detention facility. Police arrested on Tuesday three inmates for allegedly running the drug ring, and seized 348 high-grade ecstasy pills worth Rp 52.2 million (US$5,800).

Bali bomb, SARS and Iraq, triple threat to tourist trade Fitri Wulandari, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Tour packages to mainland China, Hong Kong and Singapore used to sell like hot cakes for travel agency Smailing Tour. Every month, the agency, which has 16 offices in Jakarta and Bali, could send at least 20 people to those destinations.

1. TERROR: 1 x 28 18 more JI members arrested 2. WHO: 1 x 45 WHO warns against travel to Beijing, Toronto 3. ACEH: 3 x 17 Govt spells out conditions for talks with GAM

~By Lee Hye-min, Economic Counselor, Korean Embassy in Jakarta The Indonesian and South Korean economies greatly complement each other. On the one hand, Indonesia is richly endowed with a wide variety of natural resources, the home to a potentially vast consumer market with its population of more than 210 million and boasting a huge pool of easily trainable labor.

After breather, rupiah resumes climb Dow Jones The dollar closed at PHP53.510 on the Philippine Dealing System, up from PHP52.495 on Tuesday. Apart from follow-through dollar buying by companies for month-end requirements, worries over the government's continuing budget deficit overshoot and the economic impact of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), also dominated the market.