Bombing suspects show defiance Wahyoe Boediwardhana The Jakarta Post Denpasar, Bali Key Bali bombings suspect Abdul Azis alias Imam Samudra sparked anger among the panel of judges trying another suspect Ali Imron on Monday as he opted to remain silent when called on to testify. Samudra simply replied, "I don't know", in response to the judges' questions.

ASEAN cut fare for members SINGAPORE: Countries that belong to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) have introduced a new fare to encourage people to fly within the 10-nation group, a tourism association said Monday. Aimed at travelers flying to more than one city, the fare is 99 U.S. dollars for each leg of a journey as long as passengers fly three to six legs, the ASEAN Tourism Association said. Fliers can save, in some instances, as much as 50 per cent.

PDIP fights against other factions to save Megawati M. Taufiqurrahman, The Jakarta Post,Jakarta The Reform faction at the People's Consultative Assembly on Monday demanded an independent probe into the business dealings of President Megawati Soekarnoputri's family and associates, comparing her tactics to those conducted by former dictator Soeharto.

PT DI president rejects suspension delay The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Employees of state-owned aircraft manufacturer PT Dirgantara Indonesia pack a state administrative courtroom in Bandung, which heard on Monday a lawsuit against the company's president director over the suspension of their work.

RI still recognizes Iraq embassy JAKARTA: The government still recognizes the Iraqi embassy as a symbol of the diplomatic relations between Indonesia and Iraq despite the fact that the leadership of President Saddam Husein is over. "In principle we recognize the status of the Iraqi embassy in Indonesia even if the leadership of Saddam Husein has ended," the spokesman of the ministry of foreign affairs Marty Natalegawa was quoted by Antara as saying Monday.

Blend of Asian and Western music Sri Wahyuni, The Jakarta Post, Yogyakarta Little may be known in Indonesia about American composer Vincent McDermott, currently a visiting senior Fulbright scholar teaching at Yogyakarta's Indonesian Institute of the Arts (ISI). In his homeland, he is well known for his multicultural compositions and his interest in Asian music, particularly gamelan.

Gus Dur awarded the 2003 World Peace Prize The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Former president Abdurrahman Wahid, popularly known as Gus Dur, will receive the 2003 World Peace Prize from the World Peace Prize Awarding Council. "The award is expected to be handed to Gus Dur on Aug. 20 in South Korea," his spokesman, Adhie M. Massardie, told Antara at the Cipto Mangunkusumo Hospital (RSCM) in Jakarta on Monday. Gus Dur has been in the hospital since early Friday for high blood pressure.

Five hotels reported to tax arrears Bambang Nurbianto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Stepping up its move against tax evaders, the Jakarta administration has reported five hotels to the Jakarta Prosecutor's Office for failing to clear their tax arrears. However, the administration has yet to decide if it will seize the hotels or ask the hotel management to be "held hostage" for evading tax.

Bali Bombing suspects show defiance Wahyoe Boediwardhana, The Jakarta Post, Denpasar, Bali Key Bali bombings suspect Abdul Azis alias Imam Samudra sparked anger among the panel of judges trying another suspect Ali Imron on Monday as he opted to remain silent when called on to testify. Samudra simply replied, "I don't know", in response to the judges' questions.

SIA, JAS set up joint venture SINGAPORE: Singapore Airlines' (SIA) engineering arm will set up a joint venture with an Indonesian partner to provide aircraft line maintenance services at airports in Indonesia, the carrier said Monday. Mainboard-listed SIA Engineering Co. will take a 49 percent stake in PT Jas Aero-Engineering Services while its partner PT Jasa Angkasa Semesta (PT JAS) will hold the remaining 51 percent, SIA said in a statement.

Searching for meaning As Indonesia's Independence Day on Aug. 17 draws near, a huge number of people, mostly ordinary citizens, many of whom are still struggling to keep their heads above the "economic water", are asking each other: Where is the Golden Bridge promised by the founders of this republic and the idealistic leaders of the birth of the nation?

160 RI migrant workers arrested in Malaysia Associated Press, Kuala Lumpur Police said on Monday they detained more than 160 Indonesian migrant workers and were hunting for a gang leader after three men were stabbed to death during weekend clashes between rival groups at a Malaysian construction site. Two gangs of migrant laborers at a building site in Klang, 40 kilometers west of Kuala Lumpur, clashed twice on Saturday, state police chief Abu Bakar Mustafa said.

Great sale close to sales target Zakki Hakim, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta The seventh Jakarta Great Sale was officially closed on Monday by Governor Sutiyoso, with sales slightly missing the target of Rp 4 trillion (US$470.6 million). The month-long sale program, which started on June 14, coincided with the city's 476th anniversary. Sales reached Rp 3.9 trillion. Sutiyoso said that the program was successful in terms of sales, total participants and promotion.

Sutiyoso proposes Rp 597.44 billion additional budget Bambang Nurbianto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Governor Sutiyoso proposed an additional Rp 597.44 billion (US$70.3 million) for the 2003 city budget, causing the budget total to jump to Rp 11.65 trillion. The proposal was conveyed during his speech on the budget revision to a City Council plenary session on Monday.

Oldest nature reserve near Jakarta in danger Bambang Parlupi, Contributor, Jakarta Forests across Indonesia are under grave threat. Nature reserves, national parks -- whatever they are called and wherever they may be -- are being threatened by illegal logging and human encroachment. Pancoran Mas Nature Reserve, a unique forest just on the southern outskirts of Jakarta, is no exception. Its survival is threatened by poor management and aggravated by population pressure.

Communism is dead, corruption a bigger threat: Observer Tiarma Siboro and A'an Suryana, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Rights activists called on politicians on Monday to have an open mind on Communism, saying the ideology was no longer a threat to the country for the time being. Noted rights activist Todung Mulya Lubis said countries that embraced Communism as their ideology had collapsed, and that "Indonesian politicians are overreacting in viewing the ideology".

Acehnese want peace From Koran Tempo Indonesians must be grateful to God that the separatist Free Aceh Movement (GAM) has now lost much of its strength. It is only a matter of time before the entire secessionist movement is completely crushed. GAM members are really cowards as they dare not face the Indonesian military in an armed contact. They only bully unarmed civilians and have forced civilian Acehnese to supply them with foods.

Acehnese traumatized by conflict Tertiani ZB Simanjuntak, The Jakarta Post, Lhokseumawe, Aceh Faudiah, 42, is still recovering from the traumatic experience of witnessing a murder in 2001. The memory came back to haunt her when she was told that six of her neighbors in Rambot village, Lhok Sukon district, were killed in an armed clash recently. "I cannot even stand to see my neighbor slap her naughty child. It's like witnessing torture. I cried and shouted.

Infrastructure development on the up this year Evi Mariani, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta The National Association of Indonesian Consultants (Inkindo) sees a rebound in the development of infrastructure projects in the country this year after the government announced plans to revive a number of stalled projects. "I think this year is the beginning of the infrastructure rebound," Inkindo president Kristiya Kartika told a press conference on Monday.

Citibank's behavior This is about the way Citibank displayed its arrogance in its attempt to pressure a person for payment. My son, who is already over 30, applied a few years ago for a Citibank credit card at their Surabaya branch, without my knowledge nor seeking my confirmation as personal guarantor. He failed to fulfill his repayments on his account (now already settled).