Green Bogor faces parched earth, locals fear thirst Theresia Sufa, The Jakarta Post, Bogor Bogor has been known as the city of rain. The city has always been blamed for "sending floods" to Jakarta. Now, fogs and rainclouds, that usually covered the area from Puncak to Bogor city, are nowhere to be found. Ironically, residents have started to scream demanding water. The dry season, that has come since April, has damaged crops in villages around Bogor and emptied residents wells.

PDI Perjuangan reshuffle its leaders JAKARTA: Roy Janis' days as House's faction chairman are numbered. He will be replaced by Tjahjo Kumolo, the incumbent secretary of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) faction, sources at the party said.

Malaysian consumer prices up 1% KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysian consumer prices rose 1.0 percent in July from a year earlier and were up 0.2 percent from June, the Statistics Department said on Wednesday. For the seven months to July, the consumer price index (CPI) was up 1.1 percent year-on-year. According to data released earlier, inflation in June rose 0.8 percent year-on-year and 0.1 percent from May.

Honda raises 2003 KL sales target KUALA LUMPUR: Japanese automaker Honda said on Wednesday it has raised its sales target in Malaysia this year to 18,000 units, up by half from the earlier 12,000 forecast, driven by strong demand for new models and competitive pricing. But Honda officials ruled out any sharp reduction in car prices when Malaysia liberalizes its auto market in 2005 under the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Free Trade Area (AFTA).

Govt to shoulder higher fuel subsidy in 2003 budget The Jakarta Post, Jakarta The government would have to allocate a much greater amount of money to cover the fuel subsidy this year because of higher prices of oil in the international market, says a senior government official. This could threaten the 2003 state budget deficit target.

U.S. urges int'l community to help RI fight terrorism Agence France-Presse, Sydney, Australia U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage on Wednesday urged the international community to assist Indonesia on the road to economic and political reform so it can help rid Southeast Asia of terrorism. In a speech to the Asia Society in Sydney, he also called on Australia to play a leading international role in the fight against terrorism.

Fair environmental control Henry Heyneardhi Business Watch Indonesia, Surakarta, Central Java heyneardhi@watchbusiness.org The government's proposal to allow 22 mining corporations to resume operations in 11.4 million hectares of protected forest (The Jakarta Post, July 19) has sparked criticism from various organizations and even government agencies. The proposal contradicts the new forestry law that bans open pit mining in protected forest areas.

Riding a motorbike without a helmet, that's freedom Residents are busy gearing up for the country's 58th anniversary of its independence that falls on Aug. 17. Many residents expressed their indifference to the festivities calling it meaningless. The Jakarta Post spoke to several people about what independence means to them. Ismail, 29, is a shop attendant at a shopping center in Kalibata, South Jakarta. He lives nearby with friends: I don't think that we are living in an independent country.

ign tourists queue up at Ngurah Rai Airport's immigration office in Denpasar, Bali. To many, the tourists' arrival on Wednesday will be further proof of the recovery of the tourism industry on the resort island, which was rocked by a series of fatal bombings in October last year which killed 202 people, many of whom were foreigners.

W. Java suspends principals' overseas tour after protests Yuli Tri Suwarni, The Jakarta Post, Bandung The West Java education office has decided to suspend the controversial overseas study tour for officials and state teachers amid growing concerns over the high cost of education in Indonesia. The decision came on the heels of mounting protests from parents and councillors against the planned visit to Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand, which was scheduled for Aug. 20 to Aug. 27.

Fierce competition in the lucrative MPV market T. Hidayat, Contributor, Jakarta The national automotive industry is thriving. The last two years have seen significant growth in the sales of vehicles, as recorded by the Association of Indonesian Automotive Manufacturers (Gaikindo). The 2001 sales figure of 299,560 units -- already much higher than previous years -- was overtaken by an all-time high sales performance in 2002, at 318,000 units.

Regent fired as PDI Perjuanganteam leader Agus Maryono, The Jakarta Post, Cilacap, Central Java The Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) has dismissed Cilacap Regent Probo Yulastoro as the party's local election victory team leader because of a scandal over civil servants and students being required to purchase T-shirts and books with the party's symbol.

1. MORATORIUM: 48 pt, 3 cols, 3 x 18 Govt to suspend elections of 93 regional heads 2. BOMBING: 36 pt, 4 cols, 2 x 30 Police finish preliminary reconstruction of bombing 3. AUTONOMY: 32 pt, 3 cols, 2 x 24 Central Government set to revise regional autonomy law 4. AWARD: 28 pt, 4 cols, 1 x 40 Mega to award medals of honor to 16 figures 5. ASABA: 28 pt, 5 cols, 1 x 50 Navy investigator says marine killed businessman

Woman braves 'end of the world' toward light Zakki Hakim, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Sari Puspita was lying unconscious on the floor of the Sailendra Restaurant. When she finally woke up, she could not believe what she saw -- total darkness and thick black smoke. "This must be a dream," was her first thought. Reality could not be that horrible, the 36-year-old mother of two told herself while still crouched on the ground.

Saving water not the solution This year's dry season arrived earlier than predicted and could develop into a disaster if it becomes prolonged. It prompted the government to appeal to the public, particularly in Jakarta, to avoid wasting water and to be prepared for sacrifices now that the country is feeling the full heat of the dry season.

;JP;RLT; ANPAk..r.. editorial-water JP/6/14 Solution to water crisis? This year's dry season arrived earlier than predicted and could develop into a disaster if the dry season became prolonged. It prompted the government to appeal to the public, particularly in Jakarta, to avoid wasting water and to be prepared for sacrifices now that the country was feeling the full heat of the dry season.

Megawati enacts Constitutional Court Law The Jakarta Post Jakarta President Megawati Soekarnoputri endorsed the Constitutional Court Law on Wednesday, to enable the establishment of the court before Aug. 17 as stipulated by the amended 1945 Constitution. Minister of Justice and Human Rights Yusril Ihza Mahendra said after meeting the President that the law came into force immediately after the signing. The House of Representatives endorsed the bill on Aug.

Navy investigator says marine killed businessman A'an Suryana, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta After a two-week investigation, Navy investigators have apparently found the culprits in the assassination of PT Asaba computer firm president director Budi Hartono Angsono and his Army bodyguard Second. Sgt. Edi Siyep. Navy spokesman First Adm. Adyaman A.S. told a press conference on Wednesday that four marines had admitted their involvement in the murder.

BP, Sinopec plan $260m gas station deal SHANGHAI: British oil giant BP and China's Sinopec are awaiting government approval of a US$260 million gas station joint venture in the eastern province of Zhejiang, state press reported on Wednesday.

Drought may cause forest fires JAKARTA: An academic has refuted the forestry ministry's claim that forest fires will not break out this year. Bambang Hero Saharjo of the Bogor Institute of Agriculture said on Wednesday that smoke had been observed in several forests in Riau, Jambi and some parts of Kalimantan. "The current drought and the authority's failure to be consistent in preventing possible fires is the best combination to spread forests fire like those that occurred in May," he warned.

Farmers protest police intimidation PADANG, West Sumatra: Dozens of farmers from Kapa village in West Sumatra filed a police report on Wednesday, complaining about alleged intimidation against them by security personnel. The farmers say they were victims of intimidation when asked to move from their ancestral lands. Zulkifli, one of the protesters, said the farmers asked West Sumatra Police Chief Brig. Gen. Adang Firman to investigate the involvement of his subordinates in the case.

Corruptors guilty, get slap on wrist Muninggar Sri Saraswati, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Two former executives from the now-defunct Bank Ficorinvest were found guilty by the South Jakarta District Court on Wednesday for misappropriating the Bank Indonesia Liquidity Support Fund (BLBI). Supari Dhirdjoprawiro, the former president director of the bank, and S. Soemeri, the bank's director, were found guilty of misusing Rp 319 billion (about US$37.1 million) of bank bail out funds in 1998.

Bogor lost Ciliwung river to Jakarta's interest or Ciliwung river drained to help Jakartans Theresia Sufa The Jakarta Post Bogor Bogor has been known as the city of rain. The city has always been blamed for "sending floods" to Jakarta. Now, fogs and rainclouds, that usually covered the area from Puncak to Bogor city, are nowhere to be found. Ironically, residents have started to scream demanding water.

Malaysian ship attacked, captain and crew kidnapped: The captain and two crew-members of a Malaysian-owned ship have been kidnapped after the vessel was boarded by armed pirates in Indonesian waters, marine police officials said on Wednesday. The M.T. Penrider, which was carrying 1,000 tons of fuel oil from Singapore to Penang in northern Malaysia, was attacked and robbed on Sunday by unidentified gunmen in the Malacca Strait, marine police spokesman Chief Inspector Fauzi Abdul Rauf said.

KPEN proposes list of must-do actions to govt The Jakarta Post, Jakarta The National Economic Recovery Committee (KPEN), an influential business lobby, has recently sent to the government a list of actions the latter must do to speed up the pace of the country's economic recovery. The proposed actions are basically aimed at improving the investment and business climate at home, which in turn should help push economic growth.

Growth target of 5% far too optimistic: Economists The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Economists challenged the government's growth target of 5 percent for 2004, calling it too optimistic, especially as next year there will be general elections and the economy will no longer be getting IMF economic assistance. Fauzi Ichsan, StanChart economist, told The Jakarta Post on Wednesday that the economy would probably grow at a lower range of between 4 percent and 4.5 percent next year.

"Good for business, good for family trips" Lukas Subagio, Contributor, Jakarta A number of analysts and observers say the Indonesian economy is gradually recovering -- at least, in the macroeconomic sense -- from the worst effects of the 1997 economic crisis. Among the various indicators that make many manufacturers and business people sigh with relief is the strengthening of consumers' purchasing power, especially of those living in the country's major cities.

Riau Islands, W. Irian Jaya still lack election commissions Moch. N. Kurniawan and Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Minister of Home Affairs Hari Sabarno has sent a letter to the General Elections Commission (KPU) instructing it to establish provincial election commissions or KPUDs in the newly established but troubled West Irian Jaya and Riau islands provinces. "We received his letter last week.