Govt to buy back debts, issue more bonds: Boediono The Jakarta Post, Jakarta The government plans to repurchase part of its domestic debts in early September in a bid to reduce its interest payments, Minister of Finance Boediono said on Tuesday. He added that the government would also issue more bonds to help plug the wider-than-projected deficit in this year's state budget.

Utomo sworn in as East Java governor SURABAYA: Minister of Home Affairs Hari Sabarno swore in Imam Utomo on Tuesday as East Java governor to serve another five-year term until 2008. Around 600 people attended the inauguration ceremony, including local councillors, politicians and officials, as well as Minister of Manpower and Transmigration Jacob Nuwa Wea and Minister of Agriculture Bungaran Saragih.

2003 deficit widens on higher subsidy The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Minister of Finance Boediono said that the 2003 state budget deficit was expected to widen to 2 percent of gross domestic product (GDP) due to rising expenditures and falling revenues. He told legislators during a budget hearing on Tuesday that the deficit would hover around Rp 35.1 trillion (about US$4.23 billion), instead of the Rp 34.4 trillion as hoped for when last year's budget was being planned.

UGM demands 'voluntary' donation My younger brother passed the selection test to join Gajah Mada University (UGM) held in Senayan, Jakarta. Before taking the test, my brother did not fill in the column on the registration form specifying the amount he would give as a voluntary donation. He comes from a poor family and would never be able to afford to pay a voluntary donation ranging between Rp 2 million and Rp 10 million.

Mars closest to Earth on Wednesday JAKARTA: For three days beginning on Wednesday Jakartans will be able to see Planet Mars from the Taman Ismail Marzuki arts center's planetarium. Another viewing site will be Boscha Observatory in Bandung, planetarium chairman Haryadi said on Tuesday. Or else wait for another 200 years, he said, when the planet will be close to Earth again. Close means more than 34 million miles away. Viewing time at both places will be 8 p.m.

'More JI attacks likely despite Hambali's arrest' Agence France-Presse, Jakarta The Jamaah Islamiyah (JI) terror group "remains active and dangerous" and is likely to mount more attacks despite the arrest of leading operative Hambali, an international research group warned on Tuesday. No one member is indispensable and the Southeast Asian network probably has thousands of members in Indonesia where it is based, the International Crisis Group (ICG) says in a report.

Cricket Jakarta Cricket Association (JCA) Sunday's matches Ceylon CC bt Senayan CC 126 / 6 - 125 / all out Perkasa CC bt Rebels CC 206 / 6 - 132 / all out

Clashes between Papuans claim three lives Netty Dharma Somba, The Jakarta Post, Jayapura, Papua Clashes between Papuans for and against the formation of Central Irian Jaya province -- that started on Saturday -- have killed three people and injured more than 50 others, hospital staff said Tuesday. Two of the dead, identified as Jemi Kibak and Teris Murib were opponents of the new province, while the other, a supporter was identified as Tinus Mom.

Pressure up for government to recant Papua division The Jakarta Post, Jayapura/Jakarta Pressure mounted on Tuesday for the administration of President Megawati Soekarnoputri to retract its decision to partition Papua into three provinces, following deadly clashes between opponents and supporters of the move. Speaker of the House of Representatives (DPR) Akbar Tanjung called on the government to refrain from dividing up the province before implementing fully law No.

Former 'TVRI' president Sumita questioned as a suspect in graft case Damar Harsanto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Former president director of cash-strapped state-owned television station TVRI, Sumita Tobing was questioned by the National Police on Wednesday over her alleged involvement in the graft of Rp 14.5 billion (US$1.7 million).

TV Program: Wednesday, August 27, 2003 .TB.30" 1.00" TVRI .TB.30" .90" 6:00 a.m. News: Berita Pagi 7:00 Cartoon 8:00 Quiz 9:00 Business Magazine 10:00 TV Drama 12:00 p.m. News: Berita Siang 1:00 Talk Show: Konsultasi Keluarga 2:00 Film 3:00 City News 4:00 Student's Quiz 5:00 Quiz: Ekspresi Gaya Pelajar 6:00 English News Service 7:00 News 9:00 News: Dunia Dalam Berita 9:30 Music: Dangdut Pro 11:30 Sports: Arena dan Juara TPI 5:00 a.m.

Vanuatu recognizes Aceh From Media Indonesia On our Independence Day, Aug. 17, this year we were caught by surprise when reading a report that the government of Vanuatu -- a small nation in the South Pacific -- had formally recognized the Free Aceh state, with the legitimate rulers being what we know as the Free Aceh Movement (GAM). Diplomatic relations have therefore been established between the Republic of Vanuatu and the State of Aceh.

Ministry demands compensation for Perhutani to stop logging Moch. N. Kurniawan The Jakarta Post Jakarta The Ministry of Forestry is lobbying the government on behalf of of state-owned forestry firm Perhutani to give the company monetary compensation, if it is required to stop cutting down Javanese forests to mitigate ever-worsening weather extremes, including the severe drought across Java at present.

3 X 12 NGOs reveal rights abuses in Bulukumba JP/5/jail 1 X 41 Terrorists to serve time on Nusakambangan JP/5/sweep 2 x 24 Surabaya police question Muslim group at seaport JP/5/empang 1 x 41 Villagers use dirty water for daily needs

Pertamina posts profit of $314m Fitri Wulandari, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta State-owned oil and gas firm Pertamina announced on Tuesday that it had posted a net profit of Rp 2.61 trillion (US$314.46 million) for the first six months of this year. Pertamina finance director Ainun Naim did not give comparative figures for the same period last year, but said the firm expected to book a Rp 13 trillion in consolidated profit this year, lower overall than the level in 2002.

Police arrest 40 asylum seekers in Malaysia Agencies, Jakarta Ignoring appeals to end a crackdown on asylum seekers, Malaysian police arrested nearly 40 more Indonesians on Tuesday, as they were approaching a United Nations office to seek protection, according to UN officials.

Maria Endah Hulupi The Jakarta Post Jakarta To throw a private party successfully requires not only good organizing prowess but also flair to create the desired ambience through essential elements like good food, impeccable table setting and interior decoration, seating arrangement and well- chosen guests to ensure pleasant conversation. With proper planning you can ensure that the party you host will be an unforgettable moment for your guests.

Editor asks court to acquit him JAKARTA: The chief editor of Indonesian daily newspaper Rakyat Merdeka asked the South Jakarta District Court to acquit him of defaming Golkar party leader Akbar Tandjung. In response to prosecution demands for a five-month jail term for publishing a caricature of the disgraced politician, lawyers acting for Karim Papulungan told the court Tuesday that their client was innocent.

NGOs reveals rights abuses in Bulukumba M. Taufiqurrahman, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta A coalition of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) here on Tuesday revealed that the police had committed human rights abuses when they violently quelled a recent riot in Bulukumba regency, South Sulawesi. Police claimed to have shot dead only two people during the July 21 incident, but the NGOs said the death toll reached five.

Date set for terrorism summit JAKARTA: Indonesia will host a regional ministerial conference on combating terrorism in February next year, Foreign Minister Hassan Wirayuda said Tuesday. The conference will be attended by foreign ministers, justice ministers, police and intelligence officers from Southeast Asian countries, China, Japan, South Korea, the United States and the European Union, Hassan said.

Military bombards Aceh again Nani Farida and Teuku Agam Muzakir, The Jakarta Post, Banda Aceh/Lhokseumawe For the second reported time, the Indonesian Military (TNI) dropped bombs and fired rockets at suspected rebel positions in two days of air strikes in Aceh with its Falcon F-16 and OV-10 Bronco bombers, claiming the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) commanders were under siege.

India ONGC plans to invest in RI NEW DELHI: India's state-owned petroleum exploration firm Oil & Natural Gas Corp. plans to invest more than 60 billion rupee (US$1.3 billion) annually, through its unit ONGC Videsh Ltd., to buy stakes in overseas oil and natural gas fields, the Press Trust of India (PTI) news agency reported on Tuesday. "This figure may go up depending upon the investment requirement for developing a particular field," the PTI quoted ONGC Chairman Subir Raha as saying.

Questionable proposals for 2003 budget Bambang Nurbianto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Administration officials are reportedly proposing several "unclear" proposals which are likely aimed to take advantage of the planned Rp 500 billion (US$58 million) increase in revenues of the 2003 city budget.

Surabaya police question Muslim group at seaport Ainur R. Sophiaan, The Jakarta Post, Surabaya Police here checked the identity of 148 men wearing traditional white Islamic robes and claiming to be members of the so-called Dakwah Islam (Islamic Propagation) group, as they arrived at the Tanjung Perak port in the East Java capital of Surabaya on Tuesday. The group arrived at the port at 8:30 a.m. aboard a Rinjani passenger ferry.