Indonesian Political, Business & Finance News

Archive: 1 September 2003

80 articles found

NGOs warns against 'Singapore issues' at WTO meeting

NGOs warns against 'Singapore issues' at WTO meeting Evi Mariani, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Indonesian non-governmental organizations warned that developed countries were likely to bring again the controversial "Singapore issues" to the negotiation table during the incoming World Trade Organization (WTO) ministerial summit in Cancun, Mexico.

Distinct segmentation to match consumers' needs

Distinct segmentation to match consumers' needs Hasan Aula Contributor Jakarta Compared with Singapore or Malaysia, the market for mobile phones in Indonesia is far less developed. However, with its huge population -- over 200 million -- the Indonesian mobile phone market has great potential and opportunities for further growth. It is no wonder, then, that many of the world's major mobile phone manufacturers and service providers have put Indonesian consumers on their priority list.

;JP;

;JP; ANPAc..r.. Sports-home-exercises checked by Rich JP/7/Sunday Home exercise becoming more popular Sudibyo M. Wiradji Contributor Jakarta An increasing number of busy people now prefer working out at home to stay fit, rather than going out to a sports club or gym. Exercising at home means schedule flexibility most of all, allowing people to do it anytime they want, whether it is early in the morning, or the middle of the night.

Winning through better value propositions

Winning through better value propositions Agus W. Soehadi Contributor Jakarta In the past decade the number of cell phone users in Indonesia has increased sharply. Compared with 33,000 in 1992, last year's figure was above 11 million. If each subscriber's bill reaches an average of Rp 130,000 a month, the monthly revenue reaped by service providers could total a staggering Rp 1.4 trillion (about US$165 million).

TNI lost war to win hearts in Aceh

TNI lost war to win hearts in Aceh Tiarma Siboro, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta A little Acehnese boy eyed us calmly when a group of armed rebels inspected our belongings one by one. His mother was hanging out clothes to dry while men riding bicycles threw us a cheerful smile and the Muslim greeting assalamualaikum.

Huge potential for cellular operators in Indonesia T. Hidayat Contributor Jakarta Among the businesses in the country, the telecommunications industry is enjoying some of the most rapid growth. It survived the economic crisis that hit the country in 1997. Its irrefutably enduring quality has made this strategic industry one of the businesses with the most potential in Indonesia.

'A third of Indonesians unsure who they want for president'

'A third of Indonesians unsure who they want for president' The Jakarta Post, Jakarta More than a third of Indonesians have not made up their minds about who they believe would be the best president for the next term, a national survey reveals.

Two more Sukhoi to touch down today

Two more Sukhoi to touch down today The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Two more Sukhoi SU-30 jets from Russia are expected to arrive at the Iswahyudi air base in Madiun, East Java, on Monday after a day's delay due to technical problems. "We are in the process of assembling the SU-27 jet fighters which arrived earlier. The assembly is being done by Russian technicians," Indonesian Air Force spokesman Brig. Gen. Sagom Tamboen said here on Sunday.

JP/17/Marketing Perspective

JP/17/Marketing Perspective Huge potential for cellular operators in Indonesia T. Hidayat Contributor Jakarta Among the businesses in the country, the telecommunications industry is enjoying some of the most rapid growth. It survived the economic crisis that hit the country in 1997. Its irrefutably enduring quality has made this strategic industry one of the businesses with the most potential in Indonesia.

NGOs warns against 'Singapore issues' at WTO meeting

NGOs warns against 'Singapore issues' at WTO meeting Evi Mariani The Jakarta Post Jakarta Indonesian non-governmental organizations warned that developed countries were likely to bring again the controversial "Singapore issues" to the negotiation table during the incoming World Trade Organization (WTO) ministerial summit in Cancun, Mexico.

Factories worried over possible blackouts

Factories worried over possible blackouts Fitri Wulandari, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta The dry season became potentially more painful for footwear businessman Djimanto when he heard warnings of possible power shortages in Java and Bali as a result of the drought there. "That is terrible. It (a power shortage) could cut our production by half," Djimanto told The Jakarta Post over the weekend. "Electricity is vital for our office and factory.

Exhausting ordeal when worms attack!

Exhausting ordeal when worms attack! Vishnu K. Mahmud, Contributor, Jakarta vmahmud@yahoo.com The past few weeks have been exhausting for IT departments in Indonesia. After the recent enactment of the Indonesian Intellectual Property law, which caused many corporations to scramble to ensure compliancy, an Internet worm attacked computers worldwide. The "MSBlast" worm, which reached its peak on Aug. 15, caused many PCs and servers to be rendered practically useless.

Please refer to computer column counting

Please refer to computer column counting You have four heads below: 1. DISCOURSE: 1 x 48 Civil society has to say 'enough' to corruption 2. WTO: 2 x 29 NGOs warn RI against 'Singapore issues' at Cancun 3. ACEH: TNI loses war to win hearts in Aceh 4. SPRATLEY: 1 x 40 China wants joint oil project in Spratlys

Ex-minister gets honorary doctorate

Ex-minister gets honorary doctorate JAKARTA: Indonesia must maintain religious harmony or risk the disintegration of the nation, former religious affairs minister Tarmizi Thaher said. Tamizi said religious harmony was the "superglue" holding all of the country's ethnic and religious groups together. He made the statement after receiving an honorary doctorate from the Syarif Hidayatullah State Islamic University here on Saturday.

Disappointed by BNI credit card

Disappointed by BNI credit card As a holder of BNI's MasterCard since 1998, I have never been late in making payments, nor have I ever breached the terms and conditions of this credit card. I was satisfied with the MasterCard service until August 2003, when the over-limit facility was halted. I was even more disappointed when BNI launched a bonus program from April to July, during which I secured 2146 credit points.

Tribal war over Papua split faces uneasy truce

Tribal war over Papua split faces uneasy truce Nethy Dharma Somba, The Jakarta Post, Jayapura, Papua The deadly clashes between opponents and supporters of the creation of Central Irian Jaya province has come to an uneasy truce, after it turned into a tribal war upon the local "eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth" principle. The issue first flared up on Aug.

Seven killed in car accident

Seven killed in car accident CIANJUR, West Java: At least seven people were killed and six others injured, including a two-year-old infant, in a single car accident in Cikalong Kulon subdistrict, Cianjur regency, West Java on Sunday. The seven fatalities were identified as Aep Seafudin, 63, Uka bin Atang, 52, Bubun bin Mamad, 38, Cucu, 40, Umi, 40, Omad, 29, and Ade.

Wibowo strides between two worlds

Wibowo strides between two worlds T.Sima Gunawan, Contributor, Jakarta The problems of the Chinese in Indonesia are quite complicated. It seems the Chinese are doing well here as some of them have managed to develop business empires and even become conglomerates. But the anti-Chinese riots in 1998, which later forced president Soeharto to step down, provide clear evidence that things are actually not as good as they look.

Megawati ends trip, stops over in Singapore

Megawati ends trip, stops over in Singapore Agencies, Jakarta President Megawati Soekarnoputri wrapped up her four-day official visit to Malaysia and Thailand, strengthening cooperation with the two countries to fight terrorism. Speaking in a press conference at the end of her visit in Chiang Mai, Thailand, Megawati disclosed that the form of cooperation would be in sharing intelligence information. "As we are talking about intelligence matters, I cannot go into details.

Two more Sukhoi to arrive in Indonesia

Two more Sukhoi to arrive in Indonesia The Jakarta Post Jakarta Two more Sukhoi SU-30 jets from Russia are expected to arrive at the Iswahyudi air base in Madiun, East Java, on Monday after a day's delay due to technical problems. "We are in the process of assembling the SU-27 jet fighters which arrived earlier. The assembly is being done by Russian technicians," Indonesian Air Force spokesman Brig. Gen. Sagom Tamboen said here on Sunday.

* Headlines:Papua split blamed on political elite 2

* Headlines:Papua split blamed on political elite 2 * National:Hamzah still pooh-poohs terror 4 * Archipelago: Tribal war over Papua split faces uneasy peace 5 * Opinion: Kelly inquest: Blair off the hook for now 7 * City: City council to retain $1m for world tour 8 * Sports: Top seeds make it through bizarre day at US Open 9 * World: Afghan, U.S.

Program to bridge IT gap wins grant

Program to bridge IT gap wins grant Tantri Yuliandini, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta The Bandung-based LPM Indonesia (Sutera Foundation), has recently been named one of 15 winners of this year's Samsung DigitAll Hope awards, and has be awarded a grant of about US$57,000.

City to oust more illegal vendors

City to oust more illegal vendors Zakki Hakim, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta The city administration is apparently getting outfoxed by a group of Senen street vendors as evidenced by the illegal sellers' return to business two weeks ago after being forcefully evicted last month. However, the administration is not losing its will to fight on as they plan to do some more forceful evicting in the very near future.

Pattern of political coalitions in 2004

Pattern of political coalitions in 2004 Muhammad Qodari, Director of Research Indonesian Survey Institute, (LSI), Jakarta qodari@hotmail.com Political coalitions will be inevitable for political parties in the 2004 elections and afterwards. It is also a political necessity for the president and vice president, who seek to win and remain in office until 2009. What would be the possible pattern of political coalitions in the 2004 presidential election?

Private ports blamed for Medan smuggling

Private ports blamed for Medan smuggling Apriadi Gunawan, The Jakarta Post, Medan, North Sumatra The Medan customs office in North Sumatra has admitted to being powerless to stop the rampant smuggling cases to and from the province. The office blamed its poor performance on the growing number of small seaports across the province, which are operated by private companies.

Tax hikes trigger uproar in Vietnam

Tax hikes trigger uproar in Vietnam Agence France-Presse, Hanoi A series of tax hikes aimed at encouraging foreign-invested auto manufacturers in Vietnam to increase local content ratios has left the industry seething and predicting impending closures. From Monday, import duties on complete knocked down (CKD) component kits for vehicles with 15 seats or less increase to 25 percent from the previous 20 percent.

PDI-P leader supports caretaker plan

PDI-P leader supports caretaker plan JAKARTA: Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) deputy chairman Arifin Panigoro has expressed support for the executive board's plan to appoint somebody to take over the day-to-day running of the party from President Megawati Soekarnoputri. He said whoever was appointed would play an important role as the party dealt with internal frictions. "The party is in a difficult situation.

TV host Indra Safera dies at 35

TV host Indra Safera dies at 35 The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Indonesian artists were in tears on Sunday as popular TV host Indra Safera, who often touched their hearts during his talk shows, died of liver and kidney failure at the Gatot Subroto Army Hospital, Central Jakarta. He was 35. According to his brother Fajar, Indra who was unmarried, had been hospitalized for three weeks at Mitra Keluarga hospital to treat a liver ailment and was moved to the Army hospital last Thursday.

RI legend Taufik wins Indonesia Open

RI legend Taufik wins Indonesia Open Musthofid, The Jakarta Post, Batam, Riau The decision to skip the Singapore Open paid dividends for Taufik Hidayat, as the Indonesian star put on an impressive performance throughout to win his first title of the season at the Indonesia Open here on Sunday. In front of a sell-out crowd at the 4,000-seat Temenggung Abdul Jamal Indoor Hall, Taufik dominated China's Chen Hong, who came into the tournament fresh off his Singapore Open championship.

Rp 5.1 million

Rp 5.1 million per councillor? From Suara Karya Several members of the Jakarta legislature have reportedly demanded a budget for official suits at Rp 5.1 million per councillor. If this is true, the respectable members of the City Council should feel ashamed for buying expensive suits amid the difficult lives faced by most citizens under the protracted economic crisis.

Fuel prices unchanged in September

Fuel prices unchanged in September The Jakarta Post, Jakarta State oil and gas company Pertamina said on Sunday that fuel prices in September would remain unchanged from those in August. The prices of premium gasoline at the pumps remains unchanged at Rp 1,810 per liter, while the price of kerosene is still Rp 1,800 per liter.

'Spore's growth prospect gloomy'

'Spore's growth prospect gloomy' SINGAPORE: Private sector economists are gloomier about Singapore's growth this year due to a poorer manufacturing outlook, a survey of forecasters showed on Saturday. The latest survey conducted by the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) found the median gross domestic product (GDP) forecast falling to 0.8 percent compared with 1.5 percent in June. Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong predicted a zero to 1 percent range earlier in August.

Terrorism, a common enemy

Terrorism, a common enemy From Media Indonesia Acts of terrorism in Indonesia not only have claimed lives and material losses, but have also spoiled the nation's good name, while creating a negative image of the country -- that it is an unsafe place to visit. The failure to learn from every incident means that terror threats are always anticipated too late.

Filipinos urged to foil coup attempts

Filipinos urged to foil coup attempts PHILIPPINES: One month after foiling a military rebellion, President Gloria Arroyo on Sunday called on Filipinos to remain vigilant and help her frustrate what she described as attempts to bring down the government. Arroyo blamed these efforts, as well as "speculators" who she did not name, for the fall of the local currency.

Mitsubishi, Anhui Xingma tie up

Mitsubishi, Anhui Xingma tie up TOKYO: Japan's Mitsubishi Fuso Truck and Bus Corp. is expected to tie up with Anhui Xingma Auto Co. of China to produce large trucks in China, news reports said on Saturday. The Japanese truckmaker will initially outsource the production of trucks with load capacities of 10 tons or more to the Chinese partner before jointly establishing production within two or three years, the Nihon Keizai Shimbun said.

RI rivers among dirtiest in world

RI rivers among dirtiest in world MEDAN, North Sumatra: State Minister for Research and Technology M Hatta Rajasa said on Saturday some rivers in Indonesia, particularly those in Java, were among the dirtiest in the world as a result of the uncontrolled dumping of industrial waste. He was speaking at a seminar on environmental management technology at the University of North Sumatra.

Singapore struggling to find niche amid fierce competition

Singapore struggling to find niche amid fierce competition Agence France-Presse, Singapore After achieving First World status in just one generation, tiny Singapore finds itself squeezed between western rivals and emerging Asian players as it seeks to find a niche in a globalized economy.

Road map to improved access to HIV/AIDS therapy in poor countries

Road map to improved access to HIV/AIDS therapy in poor countries Debbie A. Lubis, Contributor, Yogyakarta Life seems quite unfair for Yanti (quoted with her permission). After surrendering her husband to AIDS last year, the mother of two children has to go on with her battle to fight HIV in her own and her second son's bodies. Worst still, she lost her job because her colleagues were terrified of being infected by the deadly virus.

* Headlines:Papua split blamed on political elite 2

* Headlines:Papua split blamed on political elite 2 * National:Hamzah still pooh-poohs terror 4 * Archipelago: Tribal war over Papua split faces uneasy peace 5 * Opinion: Kelly inquest: Blair off the hook for now 7 * City: City council to retain $1m for world tour 8 * Sports: Top seeds make it through bizarre day at US Open 9 * World: Afghan, U.S.

Damage threatens

Damage threatens national heritage From Kompas The Kota railway station in Jakarta, built by the Dutch in 1828, is in bad repair. Its annex, used by the colonial government as an office to provide railway-related services, has lost its original form. Within the station, besides its office and ticket sale rooms, many spaces have been rented out to private firms, so that they have been modified over the last 10 years.

UI accepts 212 'special' students

UI accepts 212 'special' students JAKARTA: The University of Indonesia announced on Saturday that it had accepted 212 undergraduate students through a special admissions test, representing 6 percent of its 3,553 undergraduate students this year. "So it's not true that we are 'selling' seats since only 212 students were accepted from 1,021 candidates (who joined the special tests)," university rector Usman Chatib Warsa said after an inauguration ceremony at its campus in Depok.

Rights group probes Garut arrests

Rights group probes Garut arrests The Jakarta Post, Jakarta/Bandung The National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) is investigating possible human rights abuses in the arrests of more than 600 villagers during police raids on forest settlers in Garut regency, West Java. The commission sent a three-member team, comprising Saafroedin Bahar, Taheri Noor and Amidhan, to Garut on Friday for the three- day investigation.

Rights body offers mediation for evicted residents

Rights body offers mediation for evicted residents Tertiani ZB Simanjuntak, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta While several non-governmental organizations have demanded the establishment of a special team to investigate allegations of rights abuses in the eviction of residents, a member of one rights body has offered to arbitrate a settlement between evicted residents and the administration. Zoemrotin K.

JP/17/Marketing Perspective

JP/17/Marketing Perspective Winning through better value propositions Agus W. Soehadi Contributor Jakarta In the past decade the number of cell phone users in Indonesia has increased sharply. Compared with 33,000 in 1992, last year's figure was above 11 million. If each subscriber's bill reaches an average of Rp 130,000 a month, the monthly revenue reaped by service providers could total a staggering Rp 1.4 trillion (about US$165 million).

China wants joint oil project in Spratlys

China wants joint oil project in Spratlys P. Parameswaran, Agence France-Presse, Manila China's number two leader Wu Bangguo on Sunday proposed joint oil exploration and development in the disputed Spratlys area of the South China Sea in what has been termed a breakthrough in easing tensions in a potential regional flashpoint.

4 x 12

4 x 12 Tribal war over Papua split faces uneasy peace JP/5/hutan 1 x 32 Rights group probes Garut arrests JP/5/medan 1 x 40 Private ports blamed for Medan smuggling

JP/17/Marketing Perspective

JP/17/Marketing Perspective Distinct segmentation to match consumers' needs Hasan Aula Contributor Jakarta Compared with Singapore or Malaysia, the market for mobile phones in Indonesia is far less developed. However, with its huge population -- over 200 million -- the Indonesian mobile phone market has great potential and opportunities for further growth.

Investment chief cries fault

Investment chief cries fault Instead of wooing foreign investors to return to Indonesia, now that the macroeconomic, political and security conditions have become relatively stable, chief of the Investment Coordinating Board (BKPM) Theo F. Toemion is crying fault, thereby validating the foreign businesspeople's threats to pull out of the country amid what they see as an increasingly inimical condition for doing business.

Photos show many facets of Muslim life

Photos show many facets of Muslim life David Kennedy, Contributor, Yogyakarta d_kenn@yahoo.com A woman dressed in black Muslim clothing wearing a cadar, a veil covering everything but her eyes, pushes a scooter. A young student wearing a Muslim headscarf or jilbab, her chin pierced with a silver stud, stands alone by a Coca-Cola sign. A young Muslim woman walking in the street wears a pair of jeans and a jumper and her head is uncovered. What do they have in common?

Retno wins Srikandi Cup in playoff

Retno wins Srikandi Cup in playoff The Jakarta Post Jakarta Taking the sole lead from the first two days Retno Mustari, was forced to win the prestigious Srikandi Cup in playoff against Ani Iman, in the 25th Indonesia Ladies Amateur Open Golf Championships in Palembang, South Sumatra on Saturday. Retno playing for Jakarta, ended the final round on Saturday with a poor 7-over 79 for a three-day total of 266 (68 79 79). Ani carded an identical aggregate score of 266 (75 74 77).

* Headlines:Papua split blamed on political elite 2

* Headlines:Papua split blamed on political elite 2 * National:Hamzah still pooh-poohs terror 4 * Archipelago: Tribal war over Papua split faces uneasy peace 5 * Opinion: Kelly inquest: Blair off the hook for now 7 * City: City council to retain $1m for world tour 8 * Sports: Top seeds make it through bizarre day at US Open 9 * World: Afghan, U.S.

Bali summit attracts huge interest

Bali summit attracts huge interest The Jakarta Post, Jakarta About 1,000 businessmen from ASEAN countries, as well as Japan, China, India and South Korea are expected to attend the first ASEAN Business and Investment Summit on the popular resort island of Bali on from Oct. 5 to Oct. 7, according to the organizer. The event will be held in conjunction with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) leaders summit.

The controversial division of Indonesia's province of Papua

The controversial division of Indonesia's province of Papua has finally been postponed. The decision was made during a meeting on political and security affairs chaired by Coordinating Minister for Political and Security Affairs Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono. Unfortunately, the decision to postpone the division of Papua into several provinces was made after several Papuans have fallen victim to the creation of Central Irian Jaya province late last week.

Candra, Halim upbeat on new partnership

Candra, Halim upbeat on new partnership Musthofid The Jakarta Post Batam Candra Wijaya and Halim Heryanto who, as a fledgling doubles team, made it to the semifinals of the Sanyo Indonesia Open, are seeking to improve their teamwork when they compete in the upcoming Malaysia Open. "We have come to the Indonesia Open, simply content with a place in the semifinals. We are not by any means complacent with merely semifinal run, mind you.

NGOs warns against 'Singapore issues' at WTO meeting

NGOs warns against 'Singapore issues' at WTO meeting Evi Mariani The Jakarta Post Jakarta Indonesian non-governmental organizations warned that developed countries were likely to bring again the controversial "Singapore issues" to the negotiation table during the incoming World Trade Organization (WTO) ministerial summit in Cancun, Mexico.

1. PAPUA: 48 pt, 3 cols, 3 x 18

1. PAPUA: 48 pt, 3 cols, 3 x 18 Controversial split in Papua blamed on political elite 2. MEGAWATI: 28 pt, 4 cols, 1 x 40 Megawati ends trip, stops over in Singapore 3. BOMB: 36 pt, 3 cols, 2 x 24 Consistency sought in police statements on hotel bombing I-box Statements made by police officials and sources 4. ODD WORLD: 28 pt, 3 cols, 1 x 30 Singaporeans reserve space for afterlife or Families reserve space for afterlife

Despite all the outrages, VP still pooh-poohs terror

Despite all the outrages, VP still pooh-poohs terror Yuli Tri Suwarni, The Jakarta Post, Bandung, West Java Apparently irritated by a recent U.S. warning against visiting Indonesia, Vice President Hamzah Haz warned the U.S. government on Saturday to be more rational in issuing statements as it would hurt the country's economy and business recovery. "We expect America to be more rational.

Council to OK budget, retain US$1m for world tour

Council to OK budget, retain US$1m for world tour Bambang Nurbianto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta After three weeks of closed-door discussions, the City Council is scheduled to approve the revised 2003 city budget on Monday, which includes Rp 9.6 billion (US$1.1 million) to pay for overseas trips for councillors. Councillor Audi I.Z. Tambunan of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) confirmed on Sunday the Rp 9.6 billion would be included in the budget.

Civil society has to say enough to corruption

Civil society has to say enough to corruption Good governance and public accountability are major issues for Indonesia, one of the most corrupt countries in the world. Prof. Graeme Hodge from the Privatization and Public Accountability Center at Monash University in Australia spoke with The Jakarta Post's Fabiola Desy Unidjaja about these issues, as well as a program he is leading to help teach civil servants here about good governance.

River embankment collapses

River embankment collapses TANGERANG: People in five villages in Kemiri district, Tangerang regency, are worried that they will be flooded out as the Cimanceuri river embankment in the Kelebet village near their homes has collapsed, despite being built last year by the government's contractor. "The Cimanceuri river always overflows in the rainy season. With the collapsed embankment, the water will definitely inundate these five villages," said Legok village chief Madkusin on Saturday.

Another child goes missing

Another child goes missing The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Three-year-old Anisa Inggar Lestari has been missing since Aug. 11 from her parents' house at Jl. Mangga Dua VIII no. 36 in Ancol, Pademangan, North Jakarta. Anisa's mother, Lasmiati, 23, told The Jakarta Post on Saturday that she had reported her daughter missing to the Pademangan Police three hours after she went missing and again 24 hours later.

Calls rise for Maluku status review

Calls rise for Maluku status review AMBON, Maluku: Coordinating Minister for the Economy Dorodjatun Kuntjoro-Jakti promised on Saturday convey a recommendation to the government that the civilian emergency status in Maluku province be lifted soon. Dorodjatun said it was time for the government to revoke the status, as the security condition in the province, which was once shaken by three years of interreligious fighting since January 1999, was increasingly improving.

'Plating statue is wasting money'

'Plating statue is wasting money' The city administration plans to coat the Arjuna Wijaya statue with bronze. The bronze plating will cost around Rp 4 billion (US$470,588), and will be sponsored by NISP bank. Some residents shared their views on the subject with The Jakarta Post. Suharyanto, 42, is a shop attendant at a supermarket in West Jakarta. He lives in Cempaka Baru, Central Jakarta, with his wife and son: What is it for? What's the purpose of such a ridiculous project?

JP/14/Brief

JP/14/Brief Mitsubishi, Anhui Xingma tie up TOKYO: Japan's Mitsubishi Fuso Truck and Bus Corp. is expected to tie up with Anhui Xingma Auto Co. of China to produce large trucks in China, news reports said on Saturday. The Japanese truckmaker will initially outsource the production of trucks with load capacities of 10 tons or more to the Chinese partner before jointly establishing production within two or three years, the Nihon Keizai Shimbun said.

Civil society has to say 'enough' to corruption

Civil society has to say 'enough' to corruption Good governance and public accountability are major issues for Indonesia, one of the most corrupt countries in the world. Prof. Graeme Hodge from the Privatization and Public Accountability Center at Monash University in Australia spoke with The Jakarta Post's Fabiola Desy Unidjaja about these issues, as well as a program he is leading to help teach civil servants here about good governance.

UGM demands 'voluntary' donation

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.

JP/4/AIDS

JP/4/AIDS Road map to improved access to HIV/AIDS therapy in poor countries Debbie A. Lubis Contributor Yogyakarta Life seems quite unfair for Yanti (quoted with her permission). After surrendering her husband to AIDS last year, the mother of two children has to go on with her battle to fight HIV in her own and her second son's bodies. Worst still, she lost her job because her colleagues were terrified of being infected by the deadly virus.

JP/17/Marketing Perspective

JP/17/Marketing Perspective Distinct segmentation to match consumers' needs Hasan Aula Contributor Jakarta Compared with Singapore or Malaysia, the market for mobile phones in Indonesia is far less developed. However, with its huge population -- over 200 million -- the Indonesian mobile phone market has great potential and opportunities for further growth.

Consistency sought in police statements on hotel bombing

Consistency sought in police statements on hotel bombing The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Conflicting statements made by police officials regarding the progress of the JW Marriott Hotel bombing investigation have received different responses from experts. Eko Dahana, a police observer and a University of Indonesia lecturer, said on Saturday that police tended to make conflicting statements, particularly in big cases, due to the officials' various interests in the investigation.

Antara/Jo Seng

Antara/Jo Seng TRAVEL EXCHANGE: A government official paints a billboard to greet participants of the upcoming tourism event, Travel Exchange BIMP-EAGA II. BIMP-EAGA, which stands for Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines-East ASEAN Growth Area, is a scheme designed to promote growth in the neighboring areas of the fourth ASEAN countries. The event will take place in Pontianak, West Kalimantan from Sept. 6 to Sept. 9.

PDI-P leader supports caretaker plan

PDI-P leader supports caretaker plan JAKARTA: Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) deputy chairman Arifin Panigoro has expressed support for the executive board's plan to appoint somebody to take over the day-to-day running of the party from President Megawati Soekarnoputri. He said whoever was appointed would play an important role as the party dealt with internal frictions. "The party is in a difficult situation.

JP/17/Marketing Perspective

JP/17/Marketing Perspective Distinct segmentation to match consumers' needs Hasan Aula Contributor Jakarta Compared with Singapore or Malaysia, the market for mobile phones in Indonesia is far less developed. However, with its huge population -- over 200 million -- the Indonesian mobile phone market has great potential and opportunities for further growth.

Good targeting essential in emergency aid programs

Good targeting essential in emergency aid programs Alex Arifianto, The SMERU Research Institute, Jakarta Coordinating Minister for People's Welfare Jusuf Kalla has proposed a new crash program designed to help around 250,000 farmers across Java, currently experiencing crop failure due to the ongoing drought.

Malaysia and China onslaught hits RI's plywood exports

Malaysia and China onslaught hits RI's plywood exports Rendi A. Witular, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Exports of plywood from Indonesia plunged by 15 percent in the first semester of this year as China and Malaysia flooded the export market with cheaper products. Indonesian Wood Panel Association (Apkindo) chairman Martias told The Jakarta Post that for the first half of the year, the country's plywood exports dropped to 2.7 million cubic meters from 3.2 million in the same period last year.

Indonesia to ask for higher haj quota

Indonesia to ask for higher haj quota MATARAM: Indonesia will ask the Saudi Arabian government to increase its quota of haj pilgrims for next year's pilgrimage, according to a minister. Minister of Religious Affairs Said Agil Siradj Al Munawar said the current haj quota of 205,000 pilgrims was no longer sufficient to meet the growing demand among Muslims here.

Critical land

Critical land in Java main priority for forest policy 2. Hamzah ( 2 x 24) Despite all the outrages, VP still pooh-poohs terror 3. Sukhoi ( 2 x 18) Two more Sukhoi jets to touch down today 4. Kontras ( 2 x 27) Families of missing persons demand justice, retribution 5. Aids (1 x 50) Access to HIV/AIDS therapy needs to be improved

Families of missing demand justice

Families of missing demand justice M. Taufiqurrahman, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta More than five years after the loss of their loved ones, families of activists who went missing in 1997 and 1998 met here Saturday to renew their call for the government to bring those responsible to justice. At least 12 pro-democracy activists have been missing since late 1997 and early 1998, with police apparently having giving up trying to find out what happened to them.

Critical land in Java main priority for forest policy

Critical land in Java main priority for forest policy Sri Wahyuni and Muninggar Sri Saraswati, The Jakarta Post, Yogyakarta/Jakarta Replanting Java's critical woodland has become the main priority for the government's reforestation program this year after drought has devastated several rice-producing regencies across the island.

Controversial split in Papua blamed on political elite

Controversial split in Papua blamed on political elite Kurniawan Hari and Syaiful Amin, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta/Yogyakarta The controversial division of Papua, which sparked deadly violence in Mimika regency last week, has been blamed on the political elite in Jakarta, particularly those in the two largest parties, and the Indonesian Military (TNI).

Tiger kills illegal logger in Riau

Tiger kills illegal logger in Riau PEKANBARU, Riau: A Sumatran tiger killed an illegal logger in a protected forest in Siak regency, Riau province, a survivor of the attack said on Saturday. Willy, the 21-year-old survivor, said his friend Yudi, 19, was mauled to death by the tiger. The incident took place on Thursday when Willy, Yudi and another unidentified illegal logger, who was injured in the attack, were cutting down trees in the Zamrud forest conservation.