Indonesian Political, Business & Finance News

Archive: 23 June 2003

64 articles found

1. WASTE: 2 x 28

1. WASTE: 2 x 28 Hazardous waste a threat in RI's major cities: WB expert 2. JAPAN: 2 x 26 Megawati arrives in Tokyo to begin four-day visit 3. TOURISM: 1 x 36 APEC draws up tourism risk strategy 4. AMBON: 1 x 50 Muslims, Christians clean places of worship in Ambon 5.

S'pore Red Cross to visit Bengkulu

S'pore Red Cross to visit Bengkulu BENGKULU: Several Singaporean Youth Red Cross members will visit Bengkulu to carry out social activities.Head of the Indonesian Red Cross Bengkulu chapter Wahiddun Nurdin Djangjaja said on Saturday that the youths would carry out mass medical treatment, as well as...

Aceh, one month after

Aceh, one month after One month has passed since the "integrated operations" under the auspices of a military emergency were launched to settle the Aceh conflict once and for all, and the question has become, are we moving closer to a solution? Judging by the latest events and most recent...

Hughes against human trafficking

Hughes against human trafficking JAKARTA: Popular television host Dewi Hughes has a new role: national spokesperson in a campaign to eliminate the trafficking of Indonesian women and children."Now I have a new dream, to end the real-life nightmare of human trafficking," said the host of Mimpi Kali...

City sidelines pedestrians in development

City sidelines pedestrians in developmentTertiani ZB Simanjuntak, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta The scorching heat slowed her steps as she climbed the stairs of a pedestrian bridge connecting Plaza Blok M and the nearest bus terminal in South Jakarta, while she clutched her handbag tightly in fear of...

Aceh martial law authority not unaccountable

Aceh martial law authority not unaccountableLuhut M.P. Pangaribuan, Lawyer, Jakarta The martial law in the province of Aceh was issued in a decree signed by President Megawati Soekarnoputri. The decision was taken based on the reasoning that a comprehensive approach and dialog had failed to change...

Stronger role sought in Indonesian defense

Stronger role sought in Indonesian defenseSatya Arinanto, Lecturer, Faculty of Law, University of Indonesia In a hearing with the House of Representatives (DPR) last month, the Ministry of Defense's role was questioned by legislators from Commission I.

Ron Pate

Ron Pate Contributor JakartaGolf, business and politics go hand in hand Golf is a game that is popular around the world. And Indonesia is no exception. A survey of business executives and affluent residents of Asian capital cities conducted in 2000 by ACNielsen found that 13 percent of Jakarta's...

Singaporean Embassy clarifies

Singaporean Embassy clarifiesFrom KontanWith reference to a report in Kontan No. 37/VII/June 16, 2003 under the title Mengungkap rahasia gelap Singapura (Revealing Singapore's secrets), allow us to clarify as follows:Every year for the past 29 years, Singapore, through the Singaporean envoy in...

`Don't charge GAM members with terrorism'

`Don't charge GAM members with terrorism'Muninggar Sri Saraswati, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta A legal observer said the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) was a political movement aimed at achieving independence from Indonesia, therefore the government could not charge its members and supporters under the law...

`I have to be wise in spending my allowance'

`I have to be wise in spending my allowance' Students are ready for the end of the academic year and their long holiday, which is to start this month. Some have planned various activities, such as hanging out in shopping malls, going out of town, camping and the like.

* Headlines:Air Force officer defends govt in Sukhoi deal2

* Headlines:Air Force officer defends govt in Sukhoi deal2 * National:UGM says admission fee of Rp 5m justified 4 * Archipelago:Pertamina may lose its W. Java assets5 * Opinion:Is East Timor's PM a leader or follower?7 * City:Clean water a luxury for many Jakartans 8 * Sports:Lewis keeps world...

Air Force officer defends government in Sukhoi deal

Air Force officer defends government in Sukhoi dealA'an Suryana, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta An Air Force officer defended on Saturday the government's controversial decision to purchase Russian Sukhoi fighters, saying the country urgently needed jet fighters.

JP/7/satya

JP/7/satyaStronger role in defense sought in white paper Satya Arinanto Lecturer Faculty of Law University of Indonesia In a hearing with the House of Representatives (DPR) last month, the Ministry of Defense's role was questioned by legislators from Commission I.

Rini's protectionist trade policies criticized

Rini's protectionist trade policies criticizedAdianto P. Simamora, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Minister of Industry and Trade Rini Soewandi has been criticized for issuing trade policies which run counter to the liberalization spirit of the World Trade Organization (WTO).

Stock index expected to increase, rupiah to remain stable, dealers say

Stock index expected to increase, rupiah to remain stable, dealers sayDadan Wijaksana, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta The Jakarta Composite Index is expected to move higher this week as positive sentiments continue following the government's plan to increase the size of the Bank Mandiri stake sale, an...

Air Force officer defends govt in Sukhoi deal

Air Force officer defends govt in Sukhoi dealA'an Suryana The Jakarta Post JakartaAn Air Force officer defended on Saturday the government's controversial decision to purchase Russian Sukhoi fighters, saying the country urgently needed jet fighters.

Jakarta's anniversary climax missing festive mood

Jakarta's anniversary climax missing festive moodTertiani ZB Simanjuntak, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta The all-night parties on the eve of Jakarta's 476th anniversary, which fell on Sunday, apparently took a bite out of the festive mood for many city residents, due to a lack of publicity.

PLN implements energy-saving program

PLN implements energy-saving programSri Wahyuni, The Jakarta Post, Yogyakarta To reduce electricity demand in the provinces of South Sumatra, Jambi and Bengkulu, state electricity company PLN has started to implement a demand-side management program.

Merpati hopeful about govt loan

Merpati hopeful about govt loan MAKASSAR: State-owned airline Merpati Nusantara is still hopeful that its request for Rp 200 billion in low-interest loans from the government's investment fund account (RDI) would be approved by the House of Representatives Commission IX on financial affairs.

Fire burns down shophouse

Fire burns down shophouse JAKARTA: Seventeen fire trucks were deployed on Saturday to extinguish a fire that razed a three-story shophouse on Jl. Balikpapan in Tomang, Central Jakarta.No human casualties were reported after the fire.

Gambling case suspect remains a free man

Gambling case suspect remains a free manThe Jakarta Post, Jakarta Three days after being declared a suspect over allegations regarding the legalization of gambling at Tering Bay Resort, Nongsa district, Batam municipality, Riau, Buralimar remains a free man.

1. Sugar:

1. Sugar: Rini issued a decree on Sept. 24, 2002 that only allows state plantation companies, private firm Rajawali Nusantara Indonesia and Bulog to import sugar for the purpose of curbing sugar imports and helping local farmers.

Bank Permata play down drop in SBI rate

Bank Permata play down drop in SBI rateEvi Mariani, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Bank Permata said that the drop in the interest rate of one-month Bank Indonesia SBI promissory notes would not create financial difficulties for the medium-sized bank, as its main source of profit is its lending...

Thailand, South Korea float free-trade pact

Thailand, South Korea float free-trade pact Agence France-Presse Chiang Mai, Thailand Thailand and key trading partner South Korea on Saturday considered a future free-trade agreement, although barriers on rice and auto parts remain sticking points, officials said.

Doubt cast on JI link in Sumatra

Doubt cast on JI link in SumatraApriadi Gunawan, The Jakarta Post, Medan The National Police, praised for their fight against terrorism, have sparked confusion over a recent claim that Jamaah Islamiyah was operating in Sumatra.

Is East Timor's Alkatiri a leader or follower?

Is East Timor's Alkatiri a leader or follower?Paulo Gorjao, Lecturer, Lusiada University, Portugal It is obvious that Indonesia (together with Australia) will be the two countries that constitute the most important of East Timorese bilateral relations in the long term.

Controversies abound over IBRA's planned closure

Controversies abound over IBRA's planned closureM. Taufiqurrahman, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta After five years of being tasked to restore the condition of the national banking sector and to help recover the huge cost of the government's bank bailout program, the Indonesian Bank Restructuring Agency...

Don't raise price of generic drugs, NGO says

Don't raise price of generic drugs, NGO saysSari P. Setiogi, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta The Indonesian Health Consumers Foundation (YLKKI) has rejected as irrational the government's plan to raise the price of generic drugs by 6 percent to 7 percent this year.

Increase in beginners means good business for golf shops

Increase in beginners means good business for golf shopsThe growing popularity of golf in Indonesia has brought a positive impact on sales of golf equipment, such as clubs, bags, golf attire and other accessories, in the country.

Pertamina may lose its assets

Pertamina may lose its assetsNana Rukmana, The Jakarta Post, Indramayu, West Java The Indramayu regency administration has told state-owned oil and gas firm Pertamina to pay local oil and gas processing taxes or risk having its assets seized.

Muslims, Christians clean places of worship in Ambon

Muslims, Christians clean places of worship in Ambon For the first time since violent sectarian clashes broke out between Muslims and Christians in Indonesia's Ambon island in 1999, members of both communities on Sunday jointly began to clean mosques and churches there, a report said.

Residents complain about astronomical school fees

Residents complain about astronomical school feesZakki Hakim, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta "Did the fierce debate and demonstration last week on the educational bill mention anything about how expensive schooling is in Jakarta?" Syarief, 43, a parking attendant, asked The Jakarta Post on Friday.

Garuda, MAS ink code-share pact

Garuda, MAS ink code-share pactFitri Wulandari, The Jakarta Post, Kuala Lumpur Garuda Indonesia Airways and Malaysian Airlines (MAS) have inked a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to expand their cooperation in a bid to recover their operations amid a weakening market in the air traffic industry.

Govt to screen all civil servants

Govt to screen all civil servantsThe Jakarta Post, Jakarta The government will administer a nationalism test to all civil servants throughout the country from July 1 through July 31 to ensure that all state employees are completely loyal to the unitary republic of Indonesia, the home affairs...

4 x 10

4 x 10 Clean water a luxury for many Jakartans JP/8/PEJALAN1 X 41 City sidelines pedestrians in development JP/8/School2 x 25 Residents complain about astronomical school fees JP/8/speakup2 x 19 'I have to be wise in spending my allowance'

TNI deploys British tanks to Aceh

TNI deploys British tanks to AcehThe Jakarta Post, Lhokseumawe, Aceh Three dozen British-made Scorpion tanks have joined Indonesian troops in Aceh to fight local separatists, risking further dispute with the European country.

APEC draws up tourism risk strategy

APEC draws up tourism risk strategyRoberto Coloma, Agence France-Presse, Singapore Scarred by last year's Bali massacre and sapped by the lingering SARS epidemic, Asia-Pacific countries are forging a risk management strategy to protect their tourism sectors from future disasters.

;AP;

;AP; ANPAv..r.. Photo-Tokyo Photo caption JP/2/CAPTIONPhoto captionAP/Itsuo InouyeTOKYO VISIT: Indonesian President Megawati Soekarnoputri (center) accepts a bouquet from an Indonesian girl living in Tokyo as her husband (right) Taufik Kiemas looks on.

Fire razes Simpong market

Fire razes Simpong market PALU, Central Sulawesi: A fire swept through the Simpong traditional market in Luwuk, the capital of Banggai regency, Central Sulawesi, on Saturday morning, destroying all of the stalls.

Linux: Alternative in the face of law

Linux: Alternative in the face of lawVishnu K. Mahmud, Contributor, Jakarta, vmahmud@yahoo.com The word is out. The law on intellectual property rights (UU HAKI) is scheduled to come into force in July. Selling bootleg software and pirated movies will no longer be tolerated.

More complaints about toll roads

More complaints about toll roadsFrom Media IndonesiaDuring peak hours in the afternoon, when traffic is heavy on the Tegal Parang flyover, toll roads in the city are considerably congested, causing traffic jams as far as Hotel Maharaja and the intersection between Jl. Kuningan and Jl. Gatot Subroto.

Cool response given to Tj. Priok trial

Cool response given to Tj. Priok trialMuninggar Sri Saraswati, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta The poor record of the country's human rights tribunal in handling the 1999 East Timor bloodshed has produced ample reason for suspicion over the government's plan to present the long- awaited hearing into the...

The airline industry: Predatory practices?

The airline industry: Predatory practices?Lalu A. Damanhuri, Infrastructure Planning & Development Specialist, Committee for Infrastructure Development Policy (KKPPI), Jakarta With the promulgation of government regulation PP No.

1. ACEH: 1 x 35

1. ACEH: 1 x 35 TNI deploys British tanks to Aceh 2. SCREEN: 1 x 35 Govt to screen all civil servants 3. JAKARTA: 4 x 13 Jakarta's anniversary climax missing festive mood

PKN, a lifeboat for Alwi's PKB

PKN, a lifeboat for Alwi's PKB JAKARTA: Alwi Shihab officially introduced the National Awakening Party (PKN) on Saturday as a possible new name (in Bahasa Indonesia) for his National Awakening Party (PKB).The new name was officially announced last week, during the party's plenary meeting.

Megawati arrives in Tokyo to begin four-day visit

Megawati arrives in Tokyo to begin four-day visitAgencies, Jakarta Indonesian President Megawati Soekarnoputri arrived in Tokyo on Sunday for a four-day state visit to boost bilateral relations, including trade.

Global carmakers forecast scorching growth in India's auto market

Global carmakers forecast scorching growth in India's auto marketJay Shankar, Bangalor, India Global carmakers have stepped on the gas in India, forecasting fast-paced growth in a market they say is wide open.

19 PPP chapters side with Hamzah

19 PPP chapters side with Hamzah JAKARTA: Nineteen provincial chapters of the United Development Party (PPP) threw their support behind Hamzah Haz as chairman, saying they rejected any effort by irresponsible parties to hold an extraordinary congress to challenge him.

Asian ministers agree to promote bond markets

Asian ministers agree to promote bond marketsGrant Peck, Associated Press, Chiang Mai Foreign ministers from 18 Asian countries on Sunday agreed to promote bond markets in the region to avoid another financial crisis of the kind that devastated regional economies six years ago.

checked

checked Phenomenal cigarette marketing continues despite pressureMahendra Gautama Contributor Jakarta Today's cigarette -- tobacco rolled in paper -- may have had its beginnings in what was "conceived" by some members of an Egyptian cannon crew in 1832 during the siege of Acre.

Hazardous waste a threat in RI's major cities: WB expert

Hazardous waste a threat in RI's major cities: WB expertMoch. N. Kurniawan, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Hazardous industrial waste is becoming an increasing threat to the country's biggest cities, including Jakarta, Semarang in Central Java, and Surabaya in East Java, according to an expert.

Southeast Asian countries' quest for single market on the rocks

Southeast Asian countries' quest for single market on the rocksP. Parameswaran, Agence France-Presse, Phnom Penh When Southeast Asian nations began tearing down tariff barriers for manufactured products a decade ago, little did they expect a near shakeout of the region's bustling traditional liquor...

More complaints

More complaints about toll roads From Media IndonesiaDuring peak hours in the afternoon, when traffic is heavy on the Tegal Parang flyover, toll roads in the city are considerably congested, causing traffic jams as far as Hotel Maharaja and the intersection between Jl. Kuningan and Jl.

Sulawesi proposes new province

Sulawesi proposes new province MAKASSAR: The declaration of Luwu province will take place in its capital, Palopo, on June 28, adding to Indonesia's list of 32 provinces.A number of activities are scheduled to mark the declaration of the province, at its four main cities, Palopo, Belopa, Masamba and...

UGM says admission fee of Rp 5m justified

UGM says admission fee of Rp 5m justifiedSri Wahyuni, The Jakarta Post, Yogyakarta Rector of Gadjah Mada University (UGM) Sofian Effendi denied accusations that the institution was turning into a business venture which charged too much money.

School 'donations' may be capped

School 'donations' may be capped JAKARTA: The City Council has said it would propose that Governor Sutiyoso revoke Decree No. 643/1995 in order to limit the amount of money collected by schools from parents.

Inmate dies of heart attack

Inmate dies of heart attack BOGOR: An inmate serving a two-year jail term for robbery died on Friday in the emergency unit of the Indonesian Red Cross hospital here following a heart attack.Dr. Zaelani, a health officer in Paledang penitentiary, told The Jakarta Post that the patient, Ambrian Azis...

House may agree soon on elections

House may agree soon on electionsKurniawan Hari, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta House of Representatives legislators have moved from a hotel to another to deliberate on the presidential election bill, but no agreement has been reached on some contentious issues.

;JP

;JP ANPAv..r.. Photo-gold-beginners Feature photo for FOCUS ISSUEJP/Arief Hidayat GOLF FOR BEGINNERS: A group of women take part in a golf lesson at a course near Jakarta. Golf is now becoming more and more popular for women and children.

Clean water still a luxury for many Jakartans

Clean water still a luxury for many JakartansDamar Harsanto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta For Lieswati, 27, clean water is truly a luxury as every night she must stay up to fill several buckets and a bath tub with water for the family's daily needs due to the poor tap water supply.

BILLBOARD ADS: Billboards are becoming increasingly more

BILLBOARD ADS: Billboards are becoming increasingly more important for cigarette manufacturers to promote their products amid growing restrictions of cigarette advertisements in newspapers and on television.

Paulo Gorjao

Paulo Gorjao Lecturer Lusiada University Portugal It is obvious that Indonesia (together with Australia) will be the two countries that constitute the most important of East Timorese bilateral relations in the long term.

Tourism and the 'baby boomers'

Tourism and the 'baby boomers'Rob Goodfellow, University of Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia In his letter last month to The Jakarta Post, Sydney-based Evan Willis correctly asserted that "the US$1 per day backpackers of the 1970s are coming back to Indonesia with wives, children and...