Indonesian Political, Business & Finance News

Archive: 9 July 2003

81 articles found

Selapanjang residents plan to demonstrate at airport

Selapanjang residents plan to demonstrate at airport Multa Fidrus, The Jakarta Post, Tangerang Villagers from Selapanjang in Tangerang have threatened to stage a protest at the Soekarno-Hatta International Airport. The residents have been demanding compensation since they were evicted from their land due to the airport's expansion project which began last year. The project was operated by PT Angkasa Pura II. "We have been patient so far.

Despite progress, RI ranks low in human development

Despite progress, RI ranks low in human development Endy M. Bayuni, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta The good news is that Indonesia has been making progress in almost all facets of human development. The not so good news is that the country still rates poorly in the fight to improve the lives of its people when compared to other countries, including most in the region.

Thousands of monkeys run wild in Banyumas

Thousands of monkeys run wild in Banyumas Agus Maryono, The Jakarta Post, Banyumas, Central Java Villagers in Wangon subdistrict, Banyumas regency, Central Java, are facing food shortages and crop failures as thousands of hungry monkeys have been raiding their crops and fruit trees in search of food.

Kurniawan Hari, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Kurniawan Hari, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta A further split has cast a shadow over the United Development Party (PPP), the nation's largest Muslim-based party, as a walkout spoiled the finale of its four-day congress on Friday. With his reelection as party chairman a foregone conclusion, Hamzah Haz would now need to reconcile with his solitary contender, Bachtiar Chamsyah, who walked out of the meeting to form the party's new board of executives.

Taiwan campaigns to lure Indonesian visitors

Taiwan campaigns to lure Indonesian visitors Evi Mariani, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Taiwan's government launched here on Tuesday a campaign to attract Indonesian businesspeople and tourists to the country, just three days after the World Health Organization (WHO) removed Taiwan from its list of SARS-affected areas. In a press briefing, officials of the Taipei Economic and Trade Office in Jakarta announced various promotions and rewards for Indonesian businesspeople and tourists visiting Taiwan.

Unasked questions in Sukhoi countertrade controversy

Unasked questions in Sukhoi countertrade controversy Mari Pangestu, Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), Jakarta Countertrade, as its name suggests, is the international exchange of goods and services based on barter or some form of reciprocity. Countertrade undertaken in the private sector is easily understood as taking place directly between buyers and sellers, or more usually through a third party, which earns margins as the intermediary between buyers and sellers.

Unasked questions in Sukhoi countertrade controversy

Unasked questions in Sukhoi countertrade controversy Mari Pangestu Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) Countertrade, as its name suggests, is the international exchange of goods and services based on barter or some form of reciprocity. Countertrade undertaken in the private sector is easily understood as taking place directly between buyers and sellers, or more usually through a third party, which earns margins as the intermediary between buyers and sellers.

Insurance essential for RI's overseas workers

Insurance essential for RI's overseas workers The Jakarta Post, Jakarta The government appears to be at a loss to know what to do as a result of the increasing refusals by labor exporters to take out insurance cover for Indonesian workers overseas. The key problem is that according to the ILO Convention on Migrant Workers and Law No.

TV Program: Wednesday, July 9, 2003

TV Program: Wednesday, July 9, 2003 .TB.30" 1.00" TVRI .TB.30" .90" 6:00 a.m. News: Berita Pagi 7:00 English News Service 9:00 Music 10:00 Quiz: Dibisikin 11:00 News: Berita Daerah 12:00 p.m. News: Berita Siang 1:00 Talk Show: Konsultasi Keluarga 2:00 Metro Indonesia 3:30 Music 4:30 Documentary 5:00 Game Show: Yang Brilian 6:00 News: Berita Petang 7:00 Quiz: Ekspresi Gaya Pelajar 9:00 News: Dunia Dalam Berita 9:30 Music: Dangdut Pro 11:00 Talk Show: Bincang Malam TPI 6:00 a.m.

TNI commander sees no violation in Sukhoi jet purchase

TNI commander sees no violation in Sukhoi jet purchase Kurniawan Hari, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Indonesian Military (TNI) chief Gen. Endriartono Sutarto said on Tuesday the defense ministry was not involved in the procurement of four Sukhoi jet fighters and two helicopters from Russia, the funds for which came from the budget of the industry and trade ministry.

Special admission in UI marred by confusion

Special admission in UI marred by confusion Damar Harsanto The Jakarta Post Jakarta The announcement of the controversial special admission program at the University of Indonesia (UI) has confused parents and would-be students as most do not have a clear picture of the procedures and requirements of the program, except that it is for people who can afford tens of millions of rupiah as "down payments".

Japan tries to separate Iran oil talks from nuclear issue

Japan tries to separate Iran oil talks from nuclear issue Natalie Obiko Pearson, Associated Press, Tokyo Bucking pressure from Washington, Japan intends to pursue a deal to develop a major Iranian oil field and does not want to link the issue to concerns over Tehran's suspected development of nuclear weapons.

FPI leader can't stomach prison food

FPI leader can't stomach prison food JAKARTA: The Central Jakarta District Court adjourned a court session to hear the prosecutors' sentence request against the absent Islam Defenders Front (FPI) chairman Habib Rizieq Shihab, as he was suffering from symptoms of food poisoning. "We ask the court to take the defendant out of prison so he can be hospitalized," prosecutor Hasan Basrie made his appeal to the panel of judges on Tuesday.

More people turn to old cars for hobby and fun

More people turn to old cars for hobby and fun Sudibyo M. Wiradji The Jakarta Post Jakarta To many people, an old, rusted and wrecked car left in the corner of a garden or a scrap heap is no more than just discarded and useless junk -- but not to old car enthusiasts. Even such cars that have obviously seen better days are considered invaluable items that might augment their collection.

East Asian GDP to rebound: ADB

East Asian GDP to rebound: ADB Cecil Morella, Agence France-Presse, Manila Sluggish East Asian economies should improve in the second half, helped by a short-term easing of fiscal and monetary policies after the Iraq war and SARS outbreak, Asian Development Bank (ADB) chief Tadao Chino said Tuesday. A better outlook for developing East Asia's major trading partners should also help it post 5.5 percent growth this year, the head of the Manila-based bank said.

Most of IPO proceeds from BRI to plug deficit

Most of IPO proceeds from BRI to plug deficit Rendi A. Witular, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta The government said that the proceeds from the privatization of state-owned Bank Rakyat Indonesia (BRI) would be mostly used to plug the state budget deficit rather than increase the bank's working capital.

PKB Alwi Shihab wins party battle

PKB Alwi Shihab wins party battle Tiarma Siboro, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta The Ministry of Justice and Human Rights announced on Tuesday the National Awakening Party (PKB) led by Alwi Shihab can undergo screening to determine whether it meets the requirements for a political party. The PKB split into two groups -- one led by Alwi Shihab and the other by Minister of Defense Matori Abdul Djalil -- in 2001, with each faction claiming to be the legitimate party.

Fatahillah Museum holds fun bike, night tour

Fatahillah Museum holds fun bike, night tour JAKARTA: The Jakarta History Museum, better known as Fatahillah Museum, will host a bicycle tour around the historical area of Batavia on July 13 and an evening tour of the museum on July 27. Head of the museum Tinia Budiarti told a press conference on Tuesday that the Tour de Kasteel Batavia Fun Bike will start from Fatahillah Square, West Jakarta, at 6:30 a.m. and will also finish at the square.

World's first intelligence academy to open in Batam

World's first intelligence academy to open in Batam Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, The Jakarta Post, Batam The world's first intelligence colleges will be opened in Batam, Riau, and Sentul, West Java, to introduce the art of espionage as a science and to improve the capability of national intelligence agents. The construction of school facilities in Batam and Sentul is to break ground on Wednesday, with President Megawati Soekarnoputri slated to officiate the construction here.

Government told to eradicate child labor within four years

Government told to eradicate child labor within four years M. Taufiqurrahman, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta The International Labor Organization (ILO) urged the Indonesian government on Tuesday to phase out the worst forms of child labor in the next four years in view of the increasing exploitation of children in the country.

Jambi seeks cargo flights to Singapore

Jambi seeks cargo flights to Singapore JAMBI City, Jambi: The Jambi provincial administration is exploring the possibility of opening a cargo flight route between the Kerinci district and Singapore to help accelerate economic growth, says governor Zulkifli Nurdin. "The Kerinci regency has many commodities for export but these cannot be developed because of the absence of air transportation connecting the regency with Singapore or Malaysia.

Nigerian unions end strike

Nigerian unions end strike NIGERIA: Nigeria's trade unions called off on Tuesday a week-long general strike over fuel prices, which had raised tensions in Africa's most populous country just days before the arrival of U.S. President George W. Bush.

Oil prices plunge after Nigeria strike called off

Oil prices plunge after Nigeria strike called off Reuters, London Oil prices fell sharply on Tuesday after a general strike in Nigeria was called off, removing concerns over possible supply disruption from the two million-barrels-per-day OPEC producer. Benchmark Brent crude oil in London was down 46 U.S. cents to US$27.36 a barrel, while U.S. light crude futures had dropped 43 U.S. cents to $29.70 a barrel, losing ground for the second consecutive day.

Jakarta's pollution

Jakarta's pollution From Warta Kota Air pollution in Jakarta gives cause for serious concern. In the Gunung Sahari area of Central Jakarta, for instance, lots of public transport vehicles foul the air and the smell of their exhaust fumes spreads widely. As I waited there for a bus, standing for 20 minutes was enough to make me feel dizzy. I was sure that my headache resulted from inhaling the polluted air.

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_________________________________________________________________________________________ Rupiah Rates July 8 _________________________________________________________________________________________ Banknote rates TT rates Selling Buying Selling Buying Australian dollar 1 5,885.65 5,204.90 5,574.95 5,515.37 Brunei dollar 1 4,950.75 4,378.88 4,689.40 4,640.07 Canadian dollar 1 6,449.34 5,705.49 6,108.89 6,045.82 Swiss franc 1 6,333.77 5,603.29 5,999.42 5,937.52 Danish krone 1 1,324.43 1,171.71...

Unasked questions in Sukhoi countertrade controversy

Unasked questions in Sukhoi countertrade controversy Mari Pangestu, Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), Jakarta Countertrade, as its name suggests, is the international exchange of goods and services based on barter or some form of reciprocity. Countertrade undertaken in the private sector is easily understood as taking place directly between buyers and sellers, or more usually through a third party, which earns margins as the intermediary between buyers and sellers.

Illegal fishing boats seized

Illegal fishing boats seized PONTIANAK: A marine patrol caught a Malaysian boat fishing illegally in Indonesian waters near Badas island, Pontianak, West Kalimantan. Five fishermen were detained. The incident was the first time a Malaysian-flagged boat had been seized in several years. Most boats seized in the waters around West Kalimantan are Thai or Vietnamese-flagged. Separately, an Indonesian boat was stopped when it sailed near Kubu beach in Karangasem district, Bali, on Tuesday.

Journalists questioned over `RCTI'

Journalists questioned over `RCTI' A'an Suryana and Tiarma Siboro, The Jakarta Post, Lhokseumawe/Jakarta North Aceh Police summoned on Tuesday journalists, who met with RCTI reporter Ersa Siregar and others on Sunday at a separatist Free Aceh Movement (GAM) base at Peureulak district, North Aceh, in an apparent move to place criminal charges against Ersa. The journalists were questioned as witnesses in a case built against Ersa, following a report from Lt. Col.

Legislator punches minister

Legislator punches minister Tiarma Siboro, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Legislator Djamal Doa punched State Minister of Cooperatives and Small and Medium Enterprises Alimarwan Hanan in the stomach on Tuesday for allegedly blocking the lawmaker's bid for a post on the central executive board of the religious-based United Development Party (PPP). The incident, in front of a number of journalists, took place inside the compound of the official residence of Vice President Hamzah Haz on Jl.

FPI leader can't stomach prison food

FPI leader can't stomach prison food JAKARTA: The Central Jakarta District Court adjourned a court session to hear the prosecutors' sentence request against the absent Islam Defenders Front (FPI) chairman Habib Rizieq Shihab, as he was suffering from symptoms of food poisoning. "We ask the court to take the defendant out of prison so he can be hospitalized," prosecutor Hasan Basrie made his appeal to the panel of judges on Tuesday.

JP/5/across9

JP/5/across9 Protected park looted for timber BENGKULU, Bengkulu: Ten percent of the protected Kerinci Seblat National Park in Bengkulu had been deforested and used for horticultural plantations, provincial forestry office head Hidayat Syahid said on Tuesday. Hidyat said more than 19,000 hectares of the 203,000-hectare forest had been converted to commercial crops in several districts across North Bengkulu Regency.

5,000 shoe workers protest for better pay

5,000 shoe workers protest for better pay SURABAYA: Around 5,000 workers of shoe company PT Fortune Mate Indonesia (FMI) staged a demonstration here on Tuesday to demand better conditions. The protesters, mostly women, urged the management to fire the company's human resources development head, Kusnardi, whom they blamed for reducing their allowances. "Kusnardi has failed to protect us," one protester said.

RI's degraded forest area doubles in one year

RI's degraded forest area doubles in one year Moch. N. Kurniawan, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Illegal logging and forest fires have exacerbated the environmental destruction in the country, with degraded forest areas increasing at an alarming level, a government official says. Head of Research and Development at the Ministry of Forestry Agus Sarsito said on Tuesday that degraded forest areas had reached at total of 54.6 million hectares in 2002, up from 23.9 million hectares in 2001.

Candra Naya owner, operator warned

Candra Naya owner, operator warned JAKARTA: The city administration's culture and museums agency warned both the owner and operator of the Candra Naya mansion on Jl. Gajah Mada, West Jakarta, for destroying some parts of the three-centuries-old building. Agency head Nurhadi Sastrapraja said on Tuesday that the owner and operator of the building had been ignoring their obligations to protect the site.

Indonesia's automotive market has had a good

Indonesia's automotive market has had a good start to the year with favorable sales so far. The first half of the year saw car manufacturers introducing new sedans to the market. Based on data from the Indonesian Automotive Association (Gaikindo), over 140,000 cars were sold in the first five months of the year. The figure is 8 percent higher than that of sales during the same period last year. Out of a total of 140,769 cars sold in the January-May period, 13,000 cars were sedans.

The automotive sector in Indonesia has seen a good

The automotive sector in Indonesia has seen a good sign with favorable total sales in the first five months this year, while various carmakers keep introducing new sedans to the audience. Based on the data from the Indonesian Automotive Association (Gaikindo), over 140,000 cars were sold in the first five month this year, up by 8 percent compared from the corresponding period last year. Out of the total 140,769 cars sold in the January-May period this year, 13,000 units were sedans.

Preservation of Asia's forests: A global hurdle

Preservation of Asia's forests: A global hurdle Takeshi Toma, Senior Scientist, t.toma@cgiar.org, Greg Clough, Communications Specialist Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR), Bogor, g.clough@cgiar.org "Think global, act local" is an oft-heard marketing catchphrase. But it applies just as well to a recent joint Japanese-Indonesian initiative to improve sustainable forest management in Asia. Governments across Asia face many challenges in their forestry sectors.

S'pore commercial crime team completes probe into APP

S'pore commercial crime team completes probe into APP Dow Jones, Singapore Singapore's commercial crime investigators have finished a lengthy probe into troubled Asia Pulp & Paper, which remains embroiled in controversy after stopping nearly all payments on its US$13.9 billion debt two years ago.

Parking fee hike a headache for employees

Parking fee hike a headache for employees Zakki Hakim, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta "You thief," a senior government official yelled at Nita, a parking attendant at a five-star hotel in Central Jakarta, and refused to pay a single rupiah. After a bit more verbal abuse he finally "paid" his bill by throwing the money into her face. The official apparently felt he was the victim of a corruption scam as he had to pay double the amount of the previous fee Rp 1,000 (approximately 12 U.S.

Violence against journalists down

Violence against journalists down BANDUNG: The number of incidents of violence against Indonesian journalists has fallen as the public has become more aware of how to resolve disputes through the courts, an expert said. "People now realize they have the opportunity to resolve disputes through legal channels, instead of attacking journalists physically," the chairman of the Southeast Asia Press Alliance, Lukas Luwarso, said on Tuesday.

Rivers not fit to be used for transportation, experts say

Rivers not fit to be used for transportation, experts say Bambang Nurbianto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Officials and experts have expressed pessimism about the city administration's plan to incorporate Jakarta's rivers into an integrated urban transportation system, saying the administration would face too many technical problems.

Govt mulls lifting ban on sand exports to Malaysia

Govt mulls lifting ban on sand exports to Malaysia Haidir Anwar Tanjung and Adianto P. Simamora, The Jakarta Post, Pekanbaru/Jakarta The government is considering lifting the six-month ban on sand exports from Riau to Malaysia, but it will maintain the ban on sand exports to Singapore until the outstanding maritime border issues with the latter are settled, an official has said.

IBRA opens bidding for nonperforming loans

IBRA opens bidding for nonperforming loans The Jakarta Post, Jakarta The Indonesian Bank Restructuring Agency (IBRA) opened on Tuesday the bidding for some Rp 35.5 trillion (US$4.33 billion) worth of bad loans. The agency said the winning bidders would be announced on Sept. 5. IBRA took over about Rp 350 trillion worth of nonperforming loans (NPLs) from the ailing banking sector in the wake of the late 1990s financial crisis.

Poor breeders get Australian cattle

Poor breeders get Australian cattle KUNINGAN, West Java: Some 700 underprivileged people in the West Java town of Kuningan have been given 1,400 cattle worth Rp 5.5 billion by Australia. The cattle, which were handed over on Tuesday by the Ministry of Social Affairs in cooperation with the Kuningan regency administration, are aimed at helping empower poor villagers in the area.

3. Environment ( 1 x 40 )

3. Environment ( 1 x 40 ) RI's degraded forest area doubles in one year PKB Alwi Shihab wins party battle 5. PPP ( 1x30) Legislator punches minister

Seven regencies face water shortages as springs dry

Seven regencies face water shortages as springs dry Nana Rukmana, The Jakarta Post, Cirebon, West Java Seven regencies in West Java are facing water shortages due to severe environmental damage around Mount Ciremai and the dry season. Kuningan Regency development planning agency head Imam Suwangka said there were at least 430 springs around Mount Ciremai in 1998, but springs now only numbered 156. "During the five-year period, the number of water sources on Mount Ciremai decreased by 274 ...

Feb. 7, 2002: Minister of Industry and Trade Rini MS

Feb. 7, 2002: Minister of Industry and Trade Rini MS Soewandi, together with top military leaders, visit Riau to inspect sand mining activities. She deplores the environmental damage caused by sand mining and the low price paid by Singapore for Indonesian sand exports. Feb. 15, 2002: Government issues a decree temporarily banning sand exports to allow a government team to explore a better sand mining and export system.

IMT launches lifestyle services

IMT launches lifestyle services JAKARTA: Wireless content services company PT Indonesia Media Technologies has launched Astaga Mobile Channel (www.astaga.com/mobile) which offers a variety of mobile applications and content on lifestyle. The holding company of two lifestyle websites -- www.astaga.com and www.kafegaulcom -- has five mobile services in the new Astaga Mobile Channel, namely Astaga celebrities, Astaga Info, Astaga Mystery, Astaga Fun and Astrology.

JP/5/CAP09

JP/5/CAP09 Antara TEMPLE MAINTENANCE: Four officials of the local archeological office clean up weeds among stones scattered on the ground in the Prambanan Temple complex, Yogyakarta. The activity, conducted on Tuesday, was part of preservation efforts to protect the temple.

4 X 11

4 X 11 Susilo warns Papuans over separatist flag raising JP/5/SPRING 2 x 25 Seven regencies face water shortages as springs dry JP/5/monyet 2 x 19 Thousands of monkeys run wild in Banyumas JP/mob 2 x 18 Mob torches police station in S. Sumatra

GM wants a greater piece of the action

GM wants a greater piece of the action General Motors (GM) plan to "aggressively" secure a 10 percent share of the new car market in Indonesia from its current 1 percent share within 10 years, GM president director Harold K.J. Koh says.

1. INSIGHT: 1 x 50

1. INSIGHT: 1 x 50 Unasked questions in Sukhoi countertrade controversy 2. ERSA: 1 x 35 Journalists questioned over 'RCTI' 3. UI: 1 x 37 UI admission program causes confusion 4. BATAM: 2 x 27 World's first intelligence academy to open in Batam 5. CHILD: 1 x 55 Government told to eradicate child labor within four years

UI admission program causes confusion

UI admission program causes confusion Damar Harsanto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta The announcement of the controversial special admission program at the University of Indonesia (UI) has confused parents and would-be students as most do not have a clear picture of the procedures and requirements of the program, except that it is for people who can afford tens of millions of rupiah as "down payments".

Walkout mars Hamzah's reelection as PPP chief

Walkout mars Hamzah's reelection as PPP chief Kurniawan Hari, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta A further split has cast a shadow over the United Development Party (PPP), the nation's largest Muslim-based party, as a walkout spoiled the finale of its four-day congress on Friday. With his reelection as party chairman a foregone conclusion, Hamzah Haz would now need to reconcile with his solitary contender, Bachtiar Chamsyah, who walked out of the meeting to form the party's new board of executives.

JP/5/across9

JP/5/across9 Protected park looted for timber BENGKULU, Bengkulu: Ten percent of the protected Kerinci Seblat National Park in Bengkulu had been deforested and used for horticultural plantations, provincial forestry office head Hidayat Syahid said on Tuesday. Hidyat said more than 19,000 hectares of the 203,000-hectare forest had been converted to commercial crops in several districts across North Bengkulu Regency.

We, the undersigned, Legal Lawyers & Advisors office, YAN

We, the undersigned, Legal Lawyers & Advisors office, YAN JUANDA SAPUTRA & PARTNERS, Domiciled in Wijaya Graha Puri, Blok D-11, Jalan Wijaya II, Kebayoran Baru - South Jakarta - Indonesia, acting for and on behalf of BRITTANY INVESTMENT PRIVATE LIMITED, in this matter choosing a legal domiciled at its Proxy's office as mentioned above, pursuant to the special power of attorney signed by J.P Simonneaux dated 14th April 2003.

Mob torches police station in S. Sumatra

Mob torches police station in S. Sumatra The Jakarta Post, Jakarta An angry mob set fire to a police station in South Sumatra province in protest against the police's failure to curb a series of crimes, leaving one person wounded, an officer said on Tuesday. The attack took place on Monday night when around 300 residents of Karangjaya subdistrict, Musirawas, South Sumatra, demonstrated against a string of unsolved crimes, local police spokesman Abu Sopah told AFP.

[b]Public money wasted

Public money wasted on overseas junkets From Tempo Indonesian officials maintain the practice of comparative studies abroad. Junior officials usually go to ASEAN countries such as Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand while senior ones choose to visit Europe, the U.S. or at least Australia. With their limited English-speaking capability, they have difficulty in making meaningful diplomatic contact or exploring business cooperation.

RI team to take on Japanese amateurs

RI team to take on Japanese amateurs Arya Abhiseka, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta The Indonesian soccer team is all set for a win against Japan in a friendly match at the Bung Karno stadium in South Jakarta on Friday, even without the services of star striker, Bambang Pamungkas, the coach says. The national team head coach, Bulgarian Ivan Venkov Kolev, said on Tuesday that he would not opt to recruit another striker to replace Bambang for Friday's match, leaving Kurniawan D.

House set to endorse bill on legislative bodies

House set to endorse bill on legislative bodies Kurniawan Hari, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta The House of Representatives is expected to bring the bill on the status and composition of legislative bodies, the fourth bill needed for the elections, to a plenary meeting for endorsement on Wednesday. The bill will be the fifth of 41 bills the House promised to endorse in the current 72-day sitting period. The House will go on recess on Thursday and convene again on Aug. 14.

Toyota and Honda continue to dominate passenger car market

Toyota and Honda continue to dominate passenger car market Hendarsyah Tarmizi The Jakarta Post Jakarta Japanese car makers Toyota, Honda and Suzuki continue to dominate the local passenger car market despite growing competition from several new rivals particularly those from neighboring South Korea.

1. HDI: 2 x 27

1. HDI: 2 x 27 Despite progress, RI still ranks low in human development 2. TWINS: 1 x 42 Iranian twins die after historic surgery 3. ACEH: 3 x 20 Aceh war endures bloodiest day, as 18 rebels killed

Gus Dur already forming Cabinet

Gus Dur already forming Cabinet JEMBER: One of the hopefuls for the 2004 presidential election, Abdurrahman "Gus Dur" Wahid, said on Tuesday he had already prepared a list of people who would sit in his Cabinet if he was elected president. Gus Dur, who was president before being ousted in favor of Megawati Soekarnoputri, included on the list former East Java Army commander Maj. Gen. (ret) Haris Sudarno, who held that position in the last days of former president Soeharto's administration.

Aceh war endures bloodiest day, as 18 rebels killed

Aceh war endures bloodiest day, as 18 rebels killed A'an Suryana and Nani Farida, The Jakarta Post, Banda Aceh/Lhokseumawe Despite the military's recent claim of territorial control over Aceh, the war between the military and the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) peaked on Tuesday when 18 rebels were killed and several more soldiers were injured in separate clashes. The clashes occurred in Bireuen, North Aceh, East Aceh and South Aceh regencies, according to Aceh martial law administration spokesman Col.

`Why not use the money to help the poor?'

`Why not use the money to help the poor?' The government's reregistration program for civil servants nationwide has its pros and cons. Many have questioned the Rp 11 billion budget allocated for the program, while others have called on the government to use the money to improve the civil servants' welfare. The Jakarta Post interviewed a few civil servants on the issue. Tri Winarno, 40, is a teacher at a state-run junior high school in Tangerang.

* Headlines: Batam, Sentul to have intelligence academy 2

* Headlines: Batam, Sentul to have intelligence academy 2 * National: Legislator punches minister 4 * Archipelago: Susilo warns Papuans over flag raising 5 * Opinion: Islam, yes, Islamic party, no: An apt call 7 * City: Rivers unsuited for transportation system 8 * Sports: Clutch playoff birdie earns Lunke Open win 9 * World: Sudan plane crash kills 115, toddler sole survivor 11 * Business: Oil prices plunge after Nigeria strike ended 15 * Features: Serena leaves mark on tennis history 20

Susilo warns Papuans over separatist flag raising

Susilo warns Papuans over separatist flag raising Nethy Dharma Somba, The Jakarta Post, Jayapura, Papua Chief security minister Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono renewed the government's warning against separatists in the province of Papua on Tuesday. He said separatists would face tougher action from security forces should they go ahead with their secessionist campaign.

BP Migas, Lemhanas to adopt new security concept

BP Migas, Lemhanas to adopt new security concept Evi Mariani, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Oil and Gas Implementing Body (BP Migas) and the National Defense Institute (Lemhanas) have agreed in principle to adopt a new concept aimed at boosting community participation in protecting the assets of oil and gas companies operating in the country. The new concept will be first applied at the Tangguh liquefied natural gas (LNG) plant in Papua, which is being operated by Anglo-American energy giant BP PLC.

House OK's Bank Lippo divestment

House OK's Bank Lippo divestment Dadan Wijaksana, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta The House of Representatives approved on Tuesday the government's plan to sell a majority stake in publicly listed Bank Lippo. The approval was given during a meeting between House Commission IX for financial affairs and Minister of Finance Boediono and State Minister for State Enterprises Laksamana Sukardi.

Islam, yes, Islamic party, no: A relevant call

Islam, yes, Islamic party, no: A relevant call if not enough space: Islam, yes, Islamic party, no: An apt call Rozi Ali New Straits Times Kuala Lumpur 2. Nation -- Being the hand that feeds is not enough 1 x 45 Being the hand that feeds is not enough Thepchai Yong The Nation Asia News Network Bangkok 3. Dyer -- The Chechen quagmire 2 X 21 Links between Chechens and al-Qaeda questioned Gwynne Dyer Columnist London

Unasked questions in Sukhoi countertrade controversy

Unasked questions in Sukhoi countertrade controversy Mari Pangestu Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) Countertrade, as its name suggests, is the international exchange of goods and services based on barter or some form of reciprocity. Countertrade undertaken in the private sector is easily understood as taking place directly between buyers and sellers, or more usually through a third party, which earns margins as the intermediary between buyers and sellers.

Indonesia steps up Vitamin A supplementation

Indonesia steps up Vitamin A supplementation Tantri Yuliandini, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta What can equal the joy of seeing dew drops sparkling in the morning sun, or witnessing a rainbow across a lake of blue? Such things may be trivial to the sighted, but some 10 million under-fives in Indonesia may never get to see them and experience such joy.

Islam, yes, Islamic party, no: A relevant call

Islam, yes, Islamic party, no: A relevant call Rozi Ali, New Straits Times, Kuala Lumpur Cak Nur, as he is popularly called, is a respected thinker. Observers of the Islamic revivalism in this region would have remembered Cak Nur for his slogan in the early 1970s, one which the likes of Pas would find blasphemous, "Islam, Yes. Islamic Party, No".

U.S. Embassy and its wall

U.S. Embassy and its wall I am writing to clarify the position of my embassy concerning our request to construct a wall in front of our chancery on Jl. Medan Merdeka Selatan. As residents of Jakarta are well aware, since last September two lanes of traffic in front of the embassy have been closed, unsightly barriers and barbed wire have been erected and over 100 police have been deployed on a round-the-clock basis.

Protected park looted for timber

Protected park looted for timber BENGKULU, Bengkulu: Ten percent of the protected Kerinci Seblat National Park in Bengkulu had been deforested and used for horticultural plantations, provincial forestry office head Hidayat Syahid said on Tuesday. Hidyat said more than 19,000 hectares of the 203,000-hectare forest had been converted to commercial crops in several districts across North Bengkulu Regency.

Banks pledge to cut down lending rates

Banks pledge to cut down lending rates The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Local banks are to cut their lending rates, albeit cautiously, to follow the central bank's aggressive slashing of its benchmark interest rate, with Bank Internasional Indonesia (BII) and Bank Lippo being the latest to express such commitment.

Stock prices on the Jakartra Stock Exchange (in rupiah) on July 8, 2003

Stock prices on the Jakartra Stock Exchange (in rupiah) on July 8, 2003 ___________________________________________________________________________ Shares Close Change Trading Volume ____________________________________________________________________________ Abdi Bangsa Tbk 275 0 0 Ades Alfindo Tbk 850 0 0 Adindo Foresta 50 0 0 AGIS Tbk 100 15 2,094,000 Akbar Indo Makmur 130 0 0 Alakasa Industrindo 105 0 0 Alfa Retailindo Tbk 675 0 0 Alter Abadi Tbk 10 0 0 Alumindo Light 140 0 0 Andhi Chandra...

Unasked questions in Sukhoi countertrade controversy

Unasked questions in Sukhoi countertrade controversy Mari Pangestu Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) Countertrade, as its name suggests, is the international exchange of goods and services based on barter or some form of reciprocity. Countertrade undertaken in the private sector is easily understood as taking place directly between buyers and sellers, or more usually through a third party, which earns margins as the intermediary between buyers and sellers.

1. VITA: 1 LINE, 38 COUNTS

1. VITA: 1 LINE, 38 COUNTS RI intensifies Vitamin A supplementation 2. DIABET, 2 LINES, 24 COUNTS FDA approves new device to manage diabetes 3. DONYA: 1 LINE, 35 COUNTS Kids need basic knowledge about death 4. QA: 1 LINE, 36 COUNTS Eating out can stimulate kids' appetite

Flag-raising ceremonies

Flag-raising ceremonies From Suara Karya The intention of the central board of the Indonesian Civil Servants Corps (Korpri) to reintroduce monthly flag-raising ceremonies in government institutions deserves a positive response. Without such formalities, there is fear that solidarity and solidity among civil servants will fade away. Based on Presidential Instruction No.

ILO and FHI hold HIV/AIDS training

ILO and FHI hold HIV/AIDS training JAKARTA: The International Labor Organization (ILO) and Family Health International (FHI) are holding a two-day training course for HIV/AIDS prevention in the workplace. Being held on July 8 and July 9 in Cipanas, West Java, the course involves government officials and major trade unions.