Indonesian Political, Business & Finance News

Archive: 19 September 2003

76 articles found

* Headlines: BIN can't wait for intelligence law 2

* Headlines: BIN can't wait for intelligence law 2 * National: Visas misused to fan separatism, Yusril says 4 * Archipelago: Dengue fever kills 10 in North Sumatra 5 * Opinion: Inul and Judas Iscariot 6 * City: Mega Kuningan entrance charge opposed 8 * Sports: Inter, Juve give Italians great start 10 * World: Detained Suu Kyi undergoes surgery 11 * Business: Ex-Merrill Lynch bankers indicted over scandal 16 * Features: Foreign film industries try to woo Bollywood 17

ASEAN urged to speed up electronic linkage

ASEAN urged to speed up electronic linkage Agence France-Presse, Singapore ASEAN must accelerate plans to wire up the region electronically, Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong said on Thursday, but spelled out formidable challenges the 10-nation regional bloc must overcome. Goh, speaking before Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) information and communication ministers, said electronic linkage will be a "powerful catalyst" for the group's ambitions to establish a common regional market.

GS commercials to be evaluated

GS commercials to be evaluated From Kompas In response to the letter from Puspita R of Jl. Makian Cideng, Central Jakarta, titled GS car battery commercial (Kompas, Sept. 3), we would like to inform the public that we have received a lot of comments on this commercial, either in favor of or against it. We wish to emphasize here that we did not have any intention of promoting violence with this commercial. Therefore, we will study all of the comments about this commercial and re-evaluate it.

Bomb hoax causes panic

Bomb hoax causes panic JAKARTA: A bomb scare at the Bank BNI Card Center caused panic among arriving employees at the Wisma BNI office building on Jl. Jend. Sudirman, Central Jakarta, on Thursday at around 7 a.m. A hoax caller claimed that a bomb had been planted on the 38th floor. However, after an hour spent searching this and other floors, the police bomb squad found nothing untoward in the 46- floor building where 108 companies have their offices.

Undeterred by earlier criticisms and oblivious to the sad fate

Undeterred by earlier criticisms and oblivious to the sad fate of a long-suffering tourist industry, the Indonesian government for professed reasons of reciprocity, mutual benefit or security announced its intention to discontinue its "visa-on-arrival" facilities. With the exception of 10 countries where Indonesian nationals already enjoy visa-free entry privileges, only 23 other countries have been shortlisted for the maintenance of "visa-on-entry" facilities.

Director moved to Salemba Prison

Director moved to Salemba Prison JAKARTA: Private-owned airline Star Air's director Ale Sugiarto was moved from city police detention to Salemba penitentiary, Central Jakarta, on Thursday as his case, involving alleged drug use and possession, was ready for trial. Head of criminal case prosecution at Jakarta Prosecutors' Office, Andi Rachman, said that police investigators had completed the dossier and had handed it to prosecutors.

TNT opens airport express facility

TNT opens airport express facility The Jakarta Post, Jakarta International forwarder TNT Express opened on Thursday an express depot at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport in Banten, as part of its efforts to improve the speed and efficiency of its service.

Visas misused to fan separatism: Yusril

Visas misused to fan separatism: Yusril A'an Suryana, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Minister of Justice and Human Rights Yusril Ihza Mahendra said on Thursday the change in the visa policy was prompted by the gross misuse of the visitor's stay permit that undermined the country's territorial integrity.

National Customers Day

National Customers Day From Bisnis Indonesia The report on the National Customers Day carried in Bisnis Indonesia, Sept. 2, 2003, amazed me. President Megawati Soekarnoputri officially inaugurated the day on Sept. 4 by signing a first day cover for new National Customers Day 2003 stamps, a picture of which was published on the front page of the same paper on Sept. 5.

Three subdistrict heads questioned over Gunawan's fake IDs

Three subdistrict heads questioned over Gunawan's fake IDs Damar Harsanto The Jakarta Post Jakarta Three subdistrict heads have been questioned by the city administration over their alleged knowledge of the issuance of false identification (ID) cards used by Gunawan Santosa, the alleged mastermind of the murder of PT Asaba president director Boedyharto Angsono.

RI wants OPEC to maintain output

RI wants OPEC to maintain output JAKARTA: Indonesia will ask the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), to maintain its current output despite softer crude prices, Mines and Energy Minister Purnomo Yusgiantoro said on Thursday. OPEC's basket crude price is currently hovering between 25- US$26 a barrel, which is still between OPEC's price band of between 22-$28/bbl, he told reporters. "Indonesia will propose OPEC to maintain output in a meeting later this month," he said.

Press council's main task to guard press freedom

Press council's main task to guard press freedom Renowned as a critical political observer, former rector of Yogyakarta-based Gadjah Mada University Ichlasul Amal was elected the chairman of the Indonesian Press Council last month. Admitting to a limited experience of the press, he held the Association of Indonesian Student Press (IPMI) Yogyakarta branch's top post between 1968 and 1970.

Central Java council gets rotten eggs

Central Java council gets rotten eggs SEMARANG: Dozens of students pelted rotten eggs and Rp 100 coins at the Central Java legislative council on Thursday in a protest against an overseas trip by 19 of its members. The 19 councillors from Commission B left for Syarjah, United Arab Emirates, on Thursday afternoon in a trip being paid for from the provincial budget. The three-day visit is aimed at observing an exhibition there to promote commodities from Central Java.

RI wants OPEC to maintain output

RI wants OPEC to maintain output JAKARTA: Indonesia will ask the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), to maintain its current output despite softer crude prices, Mines and Energy Minister Purnomo Yusgiantoro said on Thursday. OPEC's basket crude price is currently hovering between 25- US$26 a barrel, which is still between OPEC's price band of between 22-$28/bbl, he told reporters. "Indonesia will propose OPEC to maintain output in a meeting later this month," he said.

21,000 workers duped by insurers

21,000 workers duped by insurers JAKARTA: A labor observer warned the government of an emerging crisis from after some sort of tacit permission was granted to three unauthorized private companies to run an insurance scheme for workers employed overseas. So far, the three companies have collected Rp 3.4 billion (US$400,000) from at least 21,000 workers who paid Rp 160,000 each in premiums.

City has new prison for drug abusers

City has new prison for drug abusers JAKARTA: Governor Sutiyoso and National Police deputy chief Comr. Gen. Kadaryanto jointly inaugurated the city detention center for drug traffickers at the city police headquarters on Thursday. Construction of the new four-floor detention center, which comprises 94 cells, was funded by the administration and cost Rp 15 billion (US$1.77 million).

21,000 workers duped by insurers

21,000 workers duped by insurers JAKARTA: A labor observer warned the government of an emerging crisis from after some sort of tacit permission was granted to three unauthorized private companies to run an insurance scheme for workers employed overseas. So far, the three companies have collected Rp 3.4 billion (US$400,000) from at least 21,000 workers who paid Rp 160,000 each in premiums.

Police to get new antiterrorist powers

Police to get new antiterrorist powers A'an Suryana, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Anyone planning or persuading other people to commit acts of terrorism will in future be classified as a terrorist and thus could be arrested, a government official said on Thursday.

Advertorial:

Advertorial: Imperial Aryaduta & Country Club combines business and leisure There are times when fathers attend a meeting, conference or seminar in a hotel and want to share the excitement of staying in the plush surroundings with their families or partners. The Imperial Aryaduta Hotel & Country Club, which covers five hectares of land, is among the few hotels providing superb facilities specially designed to meet the needs for corporate meetings or training and family fun.

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_________________________________________________________________________________________ Rupiah Rates Sept.18 _________________________________________________________________________________________ Banknote rates TT rates Selling Buying Selling Buying Australian dollar 1 5,973.23 5,304.44 5,668.75 5,608.68 Brunei dollar 1 5,137.22 4,562.86 4,875.36 4,824.57 Canadian dollar 1 6,577.60 5,840.83 6,242.31 6,175.85 Swiss franc 1 6,507.10 5,780.79 6,175.41 6,112.36 Danish krone 1 1,363.93 1,211.61...

ASEAN must tackle cyber attacks

ASEAN must tackle cyber attacks SINGAPORE: Southeast Asia should develop a "common and sustained" approach to protect telecommunications and computer networks from viruses and hackers, Singapore Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong said on Thursday. Goh said attacks by three computer viruses worldwide last month had cost an estimated US$800 million in damage. These attacks and the recent massive power blackout in the U.S. underscored the challenges facing modern technological societies.

Fighting fires all in the family for Ishak

Fighting fires all in the family for Ishak Ishak Sulaiman was born in 1951 in the Jakarta Fire Department dormitory. He has been a fireman since 1968. Both his grandfather and father were firemen. Both his parents were also born in the dormitory. Ishak is the oldest of 10 children. All four of his brothers are also firemen, while four of his sisters are married to firemen. Only his youngest sister is married to an "outsider", an employee of state-run telecommunications company PT Telkom.

BRI receives $480m subscriptions

BRI receives $480m subscriptions JAKARTA: Bank Rakyat Indonesia on Thursday priced its US$150 million international subordinated bond at a yield-to-maturity of 7.78 percent, a source close to the deal said. The source told Dow Jones Newswires that the state-owned bank received a total of $480 million in subscriptions for the bond. UBS AG is the lead underwriter.

Fighting dirty money

Fighting dirty money Those who still don't believe that foreign, rather than domestic, pressures are often more effective to force the Indonesian government to pursue reform measures, simply look at the speed and urgency in which the House of Representatives had acted to strengthen the antimoney laundering (AML) law of 2002.

TV Today: Friday, September 19, 2003

TV Today: Friday, September 19, 2003 .TB.30" .90" TVRI .tb .30" .90" 6:00 a.m. News: Berita Pagi 7:00 Magic Show 8:00 Travel 9:00 Religious Teachings 10:00 Quiz: Dibisikin 11:30 Music 12:00 p.m. Talk Show: Konsultasi Keluarga 1:00 News: Berita Siang 2:00 TV Drama 3:00 City News 3:30 Documentary 4:30 Music 5:00 Comedy Drama 6:00 English News Services 7:00 News 9:00 News: Dunia Dalam Berita 10:30 Talk Show: Bincang Malam 11:30 Music TPI 6:00 a.m.

Agency calls for speedy debate of intelligence bill

Agency calls for speedy debate of intelligence bill Tiarma Siboro, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta National Intelligence Agency (BIN) director A.M. Hendropriyono demanded on Thursday that the deliberation of the much-criticized bill on state intelligence be speeded up, saying the country urgently needed it to be passed into law so as to prevent terrorism.

Mega Kuningan entrance fee opposed

Mega Kuningan entrance fee opposed Bambang Nurbianto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta The City Council clamped down on Thursday against a plan to apply an entrance fee for motorists entering the Mega Kuningan complex in South Jakarta, where several embassies and businesses are located, including the JW Marriott Hotel, the site of a terrorist bombing last month.

Walhi files lawsuit against Japan

Walhi files lawsuit against Japan JAKARTA: A Tokyo court accepted last week a lawsuit filed by the Indonesian Forum of Environment (Walhi) on behalf of local villagers against the Japanese government in connection with the construction of a controversial hydropower project in the Riau district of Koto Panjang. Lawyer Johnson Panjaitan said on Wednesday that the court approved the case, and said it was deemed legitimate to represent the victims.

'We can't totally blame the evicted people'

'We can't totally blame the evicted people' Police and public order officers again swept through a neighborhood on Wednesday, evicting thousands of residents of Kampung Baru, Cengkareng, West Jakarta. About 1,500 houses built on land owned by state-run Perum Peumnas were destroyed, and 25 people were injured in clashes between the officers and residents. The Jakarta Post discussed the issue with several people. Alvi, 29, works at a private company in South Jakarta.

TNT opens airport express facility at Soekarno-Hatta airport

TNT opens airport express facility at Soekarno-Hatta airport The Jakarta Post Jakarta International forwarder TNT Express opened on Thursday its express depot located at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport in Banten as part of its efforts to improve the speed and efficiency of its service.

Inul and Judas Iscariot

Inul and Judas Iscariot Kornelius Purba, Staff Writer, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta, korpur@yahoo.com For the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan), Inul Daratista with her "drill"-style dance is more irreplaceable than anyone in the Cabinet, especially those with the potential to be a Judas, with their ambitions to rival the incumbent President in next year's elections.

Antam finance in $200m note issue

Antam finance in $200m note issue The Jakarta Post, Jakarta State-owned mining company PT Aneka Tambang (Antam) announced on Thursday that its Mauritius-based subsidiary, Antam Finance Ltd., had agreed to issue seven-year notes worth US$200 million, in a bid to fund the company's ferronickel expansion project. The company said that the notes would carry a 7.37 percent coupon rate, with a yield to maturity of 7.87 percent. The notes are payable semi-annually twice yearly?

.TB2.30" 3.88" 5.00" 5.76"

.TB2.30" 3.88" 5.00" 5.76" City's firefighting facilities Ideal Current Condition Fire post 224 81 Fire pump truck 534 138 Snorkel ladder truck 43 5 Fire motorcycle 86 8 Ambulance 43 4 Fire rescue truck 43 3 Hydrant 32,000 943 Fire Dept.

Subdistrict heads questioned over Gunawan's IDs

Subdistrict heads questioned over Gunawan's IDs Damar Harsanto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Three subdistrict heads have been questioned by the city administration over their alleged knowledge of the issuance of false identification (ID) cards used by Gunawan Santosa, the alleged mastermind of the murder of PT Asaba president director Boedyharto Angsono.

Body of last landslide victim found

Body of last landslide victim found BANDUNG: The body of Entang, 60, the last person missing after a landslide swept through Wangonjaya village in Cikalong Wetan subdistrict, Bandung, West Java, was found on Thursday, officials said. The discovery of the body by rescue workers and local residents brings the death toll from Monday's landslide to nine. Entang's body was found in the Cisomang River, some seven kilometers from the scene of the landslide, at about 10 a.m.

Indosat in bond issue to refinance unit's debts

Indosat in bond issue to refinance unit's debts Rendi A. Witular, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Telecommunication company PT Indonesian Satellite Corp. (Indosat) is offering bonds worth Rp 1.75 trillion (US$208 million) to settle the debts of its cellular unit PT Satellite Palapa Indonesia (Satelindo).

_________________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________ Rupiah Rates Sept.18 _________________________________________________________________________________________ Banknote rates TT rates Selling Buying Selling Buying Australian dollar 1 5,973.23 5,304.44 5,668.75 5,608.68 Brunei dollar 1 5,137.22 4,562.86 4,875.36 4,824.57 Canadian dollar 1 6,577.60 5,840.83 6,242.31 6,175.85 Swiss franc 1 6,507.10 5,780.79 6,175.41 6,112.36 Danish krone 1 1,363.93 1,211.61...

Non-Olympic JVC banks on prizes as attraction

Non-Olympic JVC banks on prizes as attraction Musthofid, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta With the event being deprived of Olympic points, the cash prizes on offer are expected to lure Asia's best players to the JVC Asian Badminton Championships in Jakarta next month. "With cash prizes of US$150,000, hopefully the participating countries will send their top players," chairman of the organizing committee Sulistiyanto told a media conference here on Thursday. The tournament will run from Oct.

Court upholds sentence for JI S'pore head

Court upholds sentence for JI S'pore head Haidir Anwar Tanjung, The Jakarta Post, Pekanbaru, Riau The Riau High Court upheld the conviction of Mas Slamet Kastari, the alleged Singapore head of the Jamaah Islamiyah terrorist group, it was announced on Thursday. Kastari was sentenced to 18 months in jail by the Dumai District Court in Riau province on June 30, 2003, for immigration offenses. Riau lies next to Singapore. Prosecutors had sought a two-year jail term for Kastari.

Jusuf Kalla readies for VP candidacy

Jusuf Kalla readies for VP candidacy BANDAR LAMPUNG: Coordinating Minister for People's Welfare Jusuf Kalla said on Thursday that he was ready to compete in the Golkar Party convention series with an on the vice president's position. Kalla said that he would accept whatever decision made by Golkar, including an offer for a vice presidential nomination. "I have decided to take part in Golkar's conventions, and I hope they nominate me for vice president," he said.

Evictees seeks help from right body

Evictees seeks help from right body The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Dozens of evicted local people who had been living on disputed land at Kampung Baru, Cengkareng Timur in West Jakarta, filed a complaint on Thursday with the National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) following their violent eviction on Wednesday. They brought with them evidence of the violence including helmets of the public order officers, batons, sharp weapons and a blood-tainted riot shield.

State stands to lose Sukarno's historic house

State stands to lose Sukarno's historic house M. Taufiqurrahman, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta An official from the National Library revealed on Thursday that the state might lose a house of historical value belonging to Indonesia's first president Sukarno, if it failed to acquire the building which is now up for sale.

City has new prison for drug abusers

City has new prison for drug abusers JAKARTA: Governor Sutiyoso and National Police deputy chief Comr. Gen. Kadaryanto jointly inaugurated the city detention center for drug traffickers at the city police headquarters on Thursday. Construction of the new four-floor detention center, which comprises 94 cells, was funded by the administration and cost Rp 15 billion (US$1.77 million).

Ruling on Dewi Sukarno lawsuit delayed

Ruling on Dewi Sukarno lawsuit delayed JAKARTA: South Jakarta District Court postponed on Thursday the ruling on a lawsuit filed by Dewi Sukarno -- the wife of late founding president Sukarno -- since two of the three-member panel of judges were absent. "Presiding Judge Zoeber Djayadi is in Yogyakarta to take a test at the Gadjah Mada University, while panel member Ridwan Toro is also in Yogyakarta due to family matters," the only panel member present, Ida Bagus Putu Madeg, told the court.

Disputed water bill stays unchanged

Disputed water bill stays unchanged Fabiola Desy Unidjaja Muninggar Sri Saraswati, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Despite considerable public opposition, the House of Representatives began on Thursday to review the controversial bill on water resources but early indications appear as if there is little commitment to make significant changes into the bill.

China not a military threat: KL

China not a military threat: KL MALAYSIA: Malaysia's leader urged Southeast Asian nations not to fear China's military might, but said an international group should be set up to defuse conflicts and boost trade with the Asian economic giant. "We do not think that China would indulge in military adventures," Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad said in a speech, read out Thursday by Defense Minister Najib Razak at a forum for Chinese and Malaysian officials and businessmen.

Riza Sihbudi

Riza Sihbudi Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI) Jakarta 2. Gozal -- Indonesian transition to democracy and the relevance of Indian 1 x 48 Indonesia should learn from India on democracy Baladas Ghoshal Professor, International Relations Universiti Utara Malaysia and Jawaharlal Nehru University School of Graduate Studies, UUM, Kedah, Malaysia 3. Korea -- Cairo, Yalta and Beijing 1 x 30 Cairo, Yalta and Beijing Lee Kyong-hee Editor-in-chief The Korea Herald Asia News Network Seoul

Navy to buy two submarines

Navy to buy two submarines The Jakarta Post, Jakarta The government is planning to purchase two submarines within the next ten years as part of a US$1.95-billion defense project for the country's impoverished Navy, an official says. Director General for Defense Strength in the Ministry of Defense Rear Marshal Lambertus Siloy told House of Representatives Commission I for defense that each submarine would cost about US$220 million.

~Advertorial (2): KUTAI KARTANEGARA -- Sept 19

~Advertorial (2): KUTAI KARTANEGARA -- Sept 19 Kutai Kartanegara offers more than oil, gas, gold and coal The implementation of regional autonomy has made Kutai Kartanegara one of the richest regencies in the country. Kutai Kartanegara -- commonly called Kutai or Kukar -- is the main producer of oil in Indonesia. On Monday, President Megawati inaugurated a US$551 million oil project handled by foreign oil company, Total, in Kutai.

No fiscal stimulus from govt: Minister

No fiscal stimulus from govt: Minister The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Coordinating Minister for the Economy Dorodjatun Kuntjoro- Jakti said the government would not provide fiscal stimulus to boost investment, as this would have a negative impact on the overall economy. "The only real way to provide stimulus is by increasing the (state budget) deficit.

Dengue fever kills 10 in North Sumatra

Dengue fever kills 10 in North Sumatra Apriadi Gunawan, The Jakarta Post, Medan, North Sumatra An outbreak of dengue fever has hit several regencies in North Sumatra this year, leaving at least 10 people, mostly children, dead and 280 others hospitalized, it was reported on Thursday. They said the disease, carried by Aedes aegepty mosquitoes, started to spread last January, but the 10 deaths were just recorded between March and September.

IDI elects new chairman

IDI elects new chairman JAKARTA: Former health minister Farid Anfasa Moeloek, was elected as new chairman of the Indonesian Doctors Association (IDI) to replace M. Ahmad Djojosugito. The inauguration will take place in Bukittinggi in October, Farid told The Jakarta Post on the sidelines of the International Meeting on Respiratory Care Indonesia (Respina) 2003 in Jakarta on Thursday.

Remorse helps Bali bomber avade death sentence

Remorse helps Bali bomber avade death sentence Wahyoe Boediwardhana and I Wayan Juniartha, The Jakarta Post, Denpasar, Bali The remorse shown by key Bali bombing suspect Ali Imron earned dividends on Thursday, as the Denpasar District Court sentenced him to life imprisonment. The sentence, however, was heavier than the penalty sought by prosecutors, who had demanded 20 years in jail for Imron, the third main Bali bombing suspect to have been sentenced.

Introducing Starbucks DoubleShot Iced Shaken Espresso

Introducing Starbucks DoubleShot Iced Shaken Espresso A Singularly Intense Experience For Coffee Lovers Customers in Indonesia can now enjoy a total taste experience with the introduction of Starbucks DoubleShot Iced Shaken Espresso. A distinctly unique ice cold coffee experience, Starbucks DoubleShot is hand-shaken and hand-crafted with a difference -- a special treat for customers seeking a singularly bold infusion of espresso.

Govt defends appointment of Pertamina board

Govt defends appointment of Pertamina board Fitri Wulandari, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta The government is defending its decision to reshuffle the board of management of state oil and gas company Pertamina, saying the new board is considered the best choice to lead the firm after it has become a limited liability company.

New visa policy

New visa policy Undeterred by earlier criticisms and oblivious to the sad fate of a long-suffering tourist industry, the Indonesian government for professed reasons of reciprocity, mutual benefit or security announced its intention to discontinue its "visa-on-arrival" facilities. With the exception of 10 countries where Indonesian nationals already enjoy visa-free entry privileges, only 23 other countries have been shortlisted for the maintenance of "visa-on-entry" facilities.

Matori's health improving

Matori's health improving Kurniawan Hari, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta The health of defense minister Matori Abdul Djalil is slowly improving at Mt. Elizabeth Hospital, Singapore, a government official has said. "Pak Matori was moved from the intensive care unit yesterday (Wednesday), indicating that his state of health has improved," defense ministry's Secretary-general Rear Marshal Suprihadi told House of Representatives Commission I for defense on Thursday. Matori suffered a stroke on Aug.

One of three stories prepared for the Kutai Page

One of three stories prepared for the Kutai Page checked EJK Erau Festival expected to boost tourist industry The Regency of Kutai Kartanegara in East Kalimantan is holding a grand party. This will be no ordinary affair as the event -- the Erau Festival 2003 -- will involve thousands of artists and performers, beginning on Saturday and lasting for 10 days. The Zapin International Festival will also be held in conjunction with Erau.

House delays amendment of BI law yet again

House delays amendment of BI law yet again Evi Mariani, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Amendment of the central bank law faces another setback, as the government and Bank Indonesia continue to disagree on key issues. Because of this, a special committee of the House of Representatives decided on Thursday to extend the timetable for deliberations on the amendment bill.

Remorse spares Bali bomber from death sentence

Remorse spares Bali bomber from death sentence Wahyoe Boediwardhana and I Wayan Juniartha The Jakarta Post Denpasar, Bali The remorse shown by key Bali bombing suspect Ali Imron earned dividends on Thursday, as the Denpasar District Court sentenced him to life imprisonment. The sentence, however, was heavier than the penalty sought by prosecutors, who had demanded 20 years in jail for Imron, the third main Bali bombing suspect to have been sentenced.

JP/7/TOLL

JP/7/TOLL Traffic jams near vihara On Sept. 11, 2003, while in a taxi from Grogol, we took the toll road heading toward the Ancol Barat/Mangga Dua exit. We could see from the toll road that the road before the Ancol Barat exit, which lies in front of the Buddhist Vihara Indonesia, was jammed with the parked cars of temple visitors. The vehicles occupied two lanes, starting from only a few meters from the exit of the toll road, right up to the vihara.

3 x 14

3 x 14 Court upholds sentence for JI S'pore head JP/5/dengue 1 x 38 Dengue fever kills 10 in North Sumatra JP/5/graft 1 x 34 Top officials charged in ship scam

Australians to deploy police to Papua New Guinea

Australians to deploy police to Papua New Guinea Neil Sands, Agence France-Presse, Sydney, Australia Australia announced plans to send hundreds of police to restore order in Papua New Guinea (PNG) on Thursday but denied interfering in the internal affairs of its troubled former colony.

Fire in the city: Blue Knights' blues

Fire in the city: Blue Knights' blues The Jakarta Fire Department has warned about a possible increase in fires across the capital. A total of 566 fires have already broken out in the first half of this year, compared to a total of 837 fires in 2002. The Jakarta Post's Zakki Hakim spent several days with the department to report on the condition of its men and facilities, and the possible budget cut by the city administration.

'BIN supplies information to Police'

'BIN supplies information to Police' The Jakarta Post, Jakarta The national intelligence agency admitted on Thursday that it had supplied information and other important data for the police in the recent arrest of 15 Muslim terror suspects who have allegedly been linked to a spate of recent terrorist attacks. But, National Intelligence Agency (BIN) Chief A.M.

Probosutedjo's generosity

Probosutedjo's generosity Businessman Probosutedjo handed over a plot of land on Jl. Pintu Besar, downtown Jakarta, with a building on it to the Jakarta administration. The large property is located adjacent to the Wayang Museum. Aid from businesspeople to the government is normal. But, handing over such a property is very rare nowadays. Usually there is something behind a businessperson's generosity.

Indonesian should learn from India on democracy

Indonesian should learn from India on democracy Baladas Ghoshal, Professor, International Relations, Universiti Utara Malaysia, Kedah The forceful resignation of Soeharto and the consequent downfall of the New Order regime were both an opportunity and a challenge for Indonesia.

Top officials charged in ship scam

Top officials charged in ship scam Andi Hajramurni, The Jakarta Post, Makassar, South Sulawesi The South Sulawesi Prosecutor's Office announced on Thursday that Selayar Regent Muhammad Akib Patta and the speaker of the regency's legislative council, Ince Langke, were suspects in a corruption case. The director of PT Selayar Utama Corporation, Salewang Syamsu Alang, was also named a suspect in a case involving the procurement of the passenger ferry KM Takabonerate.

Deutsche Bank suspended from bond auctions

Deutsche Bank suspended from bond auctions Dow Jones, Jakarta Deutsche Bank AG Thursday said the Indonesian finance ministry has banned it from participating in the next three government bond auctions, citing its failure to pay for previous securities purchases. Deutsche Bank said in a statement that it was unable to make the payment for Rp 683 billion (US$80.4 million) worth of treasury bonds it successfully bid in a Sept.

Body of last landslide victim found

Body of last landslide victim found BANDUNG: The body of Entang, 60, the last person missing after a landslide swept through Wangonjaya village in Cikalong Wetan subdistrict, Bandung, West Java, was found on Thursday, officials said. The discovery of the body by rescue workers and local residents brings the death toll from Monday's landslide to nine. Entang's body was found in the Cisomang River, some seven kilometers from the scene of the landslide, at about 10 a.m.

JP/13/Asia

JP/13/Asia Asia to remain world's fastest-growing region: IMF Takeshi Takeuchi Dow Jones Washington Asia's 2003 economic prospects have dimmed only slightly as a result of SARS, with the region excluding Japan still on track to post the world's strongest growth this year, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) said on Thursday. The IMF, in its World Economic Outlook, also urged Asian governments to focus on boosting domestic demand and nudged them toward letting their currencies move more freely.

Asia to remain world's fastest-growing region: IMF

Asia to remain world's fastest-growing region: IMF Takeshi Takeuchi, Dow Jones, Washington Asia's 2003 economic prospects have dimmed only slightly as a result of SARS, with the region excluding Japan still on track to post the world's strongest growth this year, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) said on Thursday. The IMF, in its World Economic Outlook, also urged Asian governments to focus on boosting domestic demand and nudged them toward letting their currencies move more freely.

~Advertorial -- Sept 19

~Advertorial -- Sept 19 The glory of Kutai dates back to 4th century Kutai is believed to be one of the oldest inhabited areas of Indonesia. History reveals that a Hindu Kutai kingdom existed in the fourth century, more than 500 years before the magnificent Borobudur Temple in Central Java was built. In the fourth century, historical records in India referred to Kutai as Quetaire, meaning forest.

Probosutedjo's generosity

Probosutedjo's generosity Businessman Probosutedjo handed over a plot of land on Jl. Pintu Besar, downtown Jakarta, with a building on it to the Jakarta administration. The large property is located adjacent to the Wayang Museum. Aid from businesspeople to the government is normal. But, handing over such a property is very rare nowadays. Usually there is something behind a businessperson's generosity.

1. DISCOURSE: 48 pt, 7 cols, 1 x 42

1. DISCOURSE: 48 pt, 7 cols, 1 x 42 'Press Council's main task to guard press freedom' 2. PERTAMINA: 36 pt, 3 cols, 2 x 22 Govt defends appointment of new Pertamina board 3. PNG: 32 pt, 3 cols, 2 x 25 Australia plans to deploy police to Papua New Guinea 4. SUSUL: 28 pt, 4 cols, 1 x 40 Heavy casualties in attack on U.S. convoy

BRI receives $480m subscriptions

BRI receives $480m subscriptions JAKARTA: Bank Rakyat Indonesia on Thursday priced its US$150 million international subordinated bond at a yield-to-maturity of 7.78 percent, a source close to the deal said. The source told Dow Jones Newswires that the state-owned bank received a total of $480 million in subscriptions for the bond. UBS AG is the lead underwriter.