Indonesian Political, Business & Finance News

Archive: 12 January 2004

70 articles found

Badawi's visit to S'pore spurs hopes for resolving squabbles

Badawi's visit to S'pore spurs hopes for resolving squabblesAssociated Press, Kuala Lumpur Malaysian leader Abdullah Ahmad Badawi's first visit to Singapore since becoming prime minister might brighten prospects for settling stubborn disputes that have blemished the two countries' relations,...

House may block planned sale of Permata stake

House may block planned sale of Permata stakeThe Jakarta Post, Jakarta The House of Representatives may block the planned sale of the government's majority stake in Bank Permata unless the Indonesian Bank Restructuring Agency clears the way of all potential stumbling blocks, including the...

TV Program: Monday, January 12, 2004

TV Program: Monday, January 12, 2004TVRI .TB.30" .90" 6:00 a.m. News: Berita Pagi8:00 TV Drama10:30 Quiz: Dibisikin11:30 Singing Contest: Konteswara 12:30 p.m. Music1:00 News: Berita Siang1:30 Documentary2:00 Music2:30 English News Service3:00 Comedy Drama4:00 News4:30 Film5:30 TV Drama6:00...

People told to stay optimistic

People told to stay optimistic JAKARTA: A non-governmental organization, the Partnership for Governance Reform, and the Elections Supervisory Committee (Panwaslu), expressed optimism that the 2004 elections would help speed up reform.

Riau legislator supports ban on sea sand exports

Riau legislator supports ban on sea sand exportsPEKANBARU, Riau: A top Riau provincial legislator said on Saturday sea sand exports from the region must be stopped because the disadvantages of the trade far outweighed its advantages.

Biometrics systems means security at your fingertips

Biometrics systems means security at your fingertipsZatni Arbi, Columnist, Jakarta, zatni@cbn.net.id I remember the first time I visited a secure office almost two decades ago. The door had a pass card security lock mechanism and every employee had to swipe their ID card to gain entry to the office.

Yamaha to set up firm in China

Yamaha to set up firm in China TOKYO: Japan's second largest motorcycling maker, Yamaha Motor Co., will set up a firm in Shanghai to oversee motorcycle and scooter sales in China, the Nihon Keizai Shimbun newspaper said Sunday.

Save the country from ruin

Save the country from ruinFrom Suara KaryaMembers of the political elite in responsible positions are holders of a public mandate who should bring about improvements for the nation. Their policies should therefore benefit the interests of the public at large.

* Headlines: Busway drivers still not used to their wheels 2

* Headlines: Busway drivers still not used to their wheels 2 * National: government tightens rules adoption 4 * Archipelago: Violence, death threats, ahead of poll 5 * Opinion: More civilized approach needed for evictions 6 * City: Jakarta has no money to build superdump 8 * Sports: Valencia back...

RI, Malaysia to sign MOU

RI, Malaysia to sign MOU JAKARTA: Indonesia and Malaysia will sign in the near future a much-awaited Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on the employment of Indonesian migrant workers in the neighboring country, Minister of Manpower and Tranmigration Jacob Newa Wea says.

Turkish Cypriots form coalition: Two Turkish Cypriot parties on

Turkish Cypriots form coalition: Two Turkish Cypriot parties on Sunday agreed to form a coalition government with a pledge to work towards a deal reuniting the divided Mediterranean island before Cyprus joins the European Union (EU) on May 1.

Sjahril, Suta suspects in graft cases

Sjahril, Suta suspects in graft casesAbdul Khalik and Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta For Sjahril Sabirin, even after his retirement as the governor of Bank Indonesia jail continues to haunt him; while for former Indonesian Bank Restructuring (IBRA) chairman, the controversial I...

Councillors pocket allowances for empty homes

Councillors pocket allowances for empty homesMulta Fidrus, The Jakarta Post, Tangerang Up to 39 of the 45 members of the Tangerang Municipal Council appear to be accepting a Rp 1 million (US$118) monthly maintenance allowance for their official residences despite the fact that the houses are not...

Residents demand national park

Residents demand national park MEDAN, North Sumatra: People from Mandailing Natal regency demanded late on Friday the North Sumatra provincial administra tion turn Batang Gadis forest into a national park, an official has said.

Government toughens adoption regulations

Government toughens adoption regulationsMuninggar Sri Saraswati, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta The government plans to issue a regulation tightening the conditions and criteria for adopting a child, including a six- month probation period for prospective adoptive parents.

Overusing technology won't make you happy

Overusing technology won't make you happyVishnu K. Mahmud, Contributor, Jakarta, vmahmud@yahoo.com By nature, I am a tech junkie. Whenever the latest hi-tech product comes out, be it a PDA, laptop computer or MP3 player, I've just got to have it.

Better communication needed to promote digital banking

Better communication needed to promote digital bankingMahendra Gautama, Contributor, Jakarta For many bank customers, digital banking is no longer a strange or unfamiliar term. Digital banking involves transactions using the latest communications technology, like the internet or mobile phones.

Coalition to plot strategies in KL

Coalition to plot strategies in KLMALAYSIA: Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi has summoned top government leaders for a meeting this week to debate preparations for a snap general election, news reports said on Sunday.

Violence, death threats, ahead of polls

Violence, death threats, ahead of pollsSuherdjoko and Apriadi Gunawan, The Jakarta Post, Semarang/Medan Concerns about violence ahead of the upcoming legislative and presidential elections have already become a reality in North Sumatra.

'Pemahayu Jagat' held to purify Bali island

'Pemahayu Jagat' held to purify Bali islandWahyoe Boediwardhana, The Jakarta Post, Kuta, Bali The Bali provincial administration organized on Friday a purification ceremony to restore the island's harmony and peace, believed to have been upset by an earthquake a week ago.

Practice makes perfect for rookie busway drivers

Practice makes perfect for rookie busway driversUrip Hudiono, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Busway driver Ronny Sugiarto was guided in maneuvering his bus a little to the right, releasing the gas pedal and approaching the shelter in front of Al-Azhar Mosque, South Jakarta, on Saturday evening.

KPU urged to summon alumina producers

KPU urged to summon alumina producersMoch. N. Kurniawan, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta A monopoly watchdog has called on the General Elections Commission (KPU) to summon all alumunium producers that supply raw materials to two consortiums producing ballot boxes to avoid any pricing conspiracy.

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Page 5 Photo captionJP/Tarko SudiarnoREGREENING: A woman plants hardwood tree seedlings on her land in Gunung Kidul regency, Yogyakarta. The government has distributed three million seedlings to regreen 3,000 hectares of unused land in the drought-prone regency.

Government urged to teach SMEs about healthy food

Government urged to teach SMEs about healthy foodEva C. Komandjaja, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta The Indonesian Food and Beverages Producers Association (Gapmmi) admitted that most unhealthy snack foods sold in schools across the country were produced by small or home industries.

Potter's latest installment creates hysteria among fans

Potter's latest installment creates hysteria among fansAbdul Khalik, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta A strange sight was to be seen in Jakarta from Saturday midnight into the early hours of Sunday morning: dozens of cars packed with adults and children chasing three blue vans along Jl.

People's lack of trust poses big challenge in online banking

People's lack of trust poses big challenge in online bankingRudijanto, Contributor, Jakarta Transferring funds to one's bank account by a few clicks of the computer mouse or some touches on a mobile phone's buttons using today's sophisticated IT and cellular network system, with its layers of...

KL may scale back dam project

KL may scale back dam project KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia may scale back plans to build Southeast Asia's largest hydroelectric dam in Sarawak state on Borneo island due to insufficient demand for energy, a weekly newspaper said Sunday.

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

1. BUSWAY: 48 pt, 3 cols, 3 x 18 Practice makes perfect for Busway drivers 2. FERRY: 36 pt, 4 cols, 2 x 28 Asian activists converge for anti-globalization meet 3. POTTER: 32 pt, 3 cols, 2 x 24 Potter's latest installment creates hysteria among fans 4.

No strong grounds to riot during polls: Psychologist

No strong grounds to riot during polls: PsychologistA. Junaidi, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta A psychologist dismissed on Saturday the possibility of mass riots prior to, or during, the upcoming elections, saying that there were no strong grounds for violence.

World champion Chrisjon gets windfall for his boxing feat

World champion Chrisjon gets windfall for his boxing featSuherdjoko, The Jakarta Post, Semarang Newly-declared world champion Christian John, who is more popularly known as Chrisjon, has been awarded Rp 97.5 million (around US$11,700) in cash bonuses.

Thousands rally against dump plan

Thousands rally against dump plan BOGOR: Thousands of residents living in the vicinity of a dump planned by the Jakarta administration at Bojong, Klapanunggal, Bogor, staged a rally in front of the site on Sunday to protest against the plan.

Heavily tarnished BNI strives to come back with new strategies

Heavily tarnished BNI strives to come back with new strategies The discovery of a Rp 1.7 trillion (US$203 million) fraud case at state Bank Negara Indonesia (BNI) has hurt the publicly listed bank just as it was beginning to get back on its feet after the 1997-1998 financial crisis.

Two men identified as Palopo bombers

Two men identified as Palopo bombersAndi Hajramuni, The Jakarta Post, Makassar, South Sulawesi Police have identified two men believed to have been responsible for the bombing in Palopo, some 400 kilometers north of Makassar, which killed four people on Saturday.

Where to go in Jakarta: Monday, January 12, 2004

Where to go in Jakarta: Monday, January 12, 2004Exhibitions* Puppet Wayang Menak, Bentara Budaya Jakarta, Jl. Palmerah Selatan No. 17, Central Jakarta (Tel. 5483008 ext. 7910/7911), until Jan. 15. * Installation, Painting, Drawing by Awan Simatupang and Okky Arfie Hutabarat, Lontar Gallery, Jl.

Check your passport!

Check your passport! On Nov. 21, we a family of five traveled abroad for a holiday. Everything seemed fine during our departure.When we returned on Dec. 9, after surrendering all our five passports to the immigration counter the officer by the name of Ida returned my wife's passport and requested...

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Page 5 Photo captionJP/Tarko SudiarnoREGREENING: A woman plants hardwood tree seedlings on her land in Gunung Kidul regency, Yogyakarta. The government has distributed three million seedlings to regreen 3,000 hectares of unused land in the drought-prone regency.

U.S. beef confiscated in Mataram

U.S. beef confiscated in Mataram MATARAM, West Nusa Tenggara: The Mataram office of the Food and Drug Monitoring Agency (BPOM) has seized 326 kilograms of beef that originated from the United States, where a case of mad-cow disease was revealed recently.

Parties not to intimidate newsmen

Parties not to intimidate newsmen BANJARMASIN, South Kalimantan: Representatives of 23 political parties in South Kalimantan signed on Saturday a memorandum of understanding (MOU) that bans intimidation and violence toward the media while journalists were covering election events.

No fun at the fair as legal dispute continues

No fun at the fair as legal dispute continuesM. Taufiqurrahman, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta The high-profile legal dispute between business tycoons Edward Soeryadjaya and Hartati Murdaya over the management of the Jakarta Fairground in Kemayoran, Central Jakarta, has reached an illegal impasse.

Military kill eight more rebels

Military kill eight more rebels BANDA ACEH, Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam: Eight members of the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) have reportedly been killed in separate gunfights with the military troops across the province, a military spokesman said on Sunday.Spokesman for the military operation in Aceh. Lt.

Amien eyeing Susilo as running mate

Amien eyeing Susilo as running mate SURABAYA: Presidential candidate Amien Rais said on Saturday he would take into consideration a suggestion that he pick Coordinating Minister for Political and Security Affairs Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono as his running mate in the presidential election.

S. Sulawesi wants $400m to build railway

S. Sulawesi wants $400m to build railway MAKASSAR, South Sulawesi: The South Sulawesi provincial administration is seeking US$400 million (more than Rp 4 trillion) for the construction of a 145-kilometer railway connecting Makassar and Pare-pare starting in 2015 as part of the effort to accelerate...

To dump or not to dump?: Jakarta weighs its options

To dump or not to dump?: Jakarta weighs its optionsDamar Harsanto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta The Jakarta administration has yet to decide whether it will start operating the 104-hectare Bantar Gebang dump again following an offer by Bekasi municipality to allow the capital to resume dumping its...

Forki proposes 10 athletes for 'Indonesia Rises' program

Forki proposes 10 athletes for 'Indonesia Rises' programZakki Hakim, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta The Indonesian Karate-do Association (Forki) has proposed ten athletes to be included in the 'Indonesia Rises' program, an association official said over the weekend.

High school seniors 'kidnap' juniors

High school seniors 'kidnap' juniors BOGOR: Four third-year students of SMUN 7 state high school in Bogor allegedly kidnapped a junior after a final examination on Friday afternoon.The junior, Vanya Meri Adam, was abducted in front of the school and was forced to get into a Toyota Kijang van at...

WB plans first yuan bonds in China: report

WB plans first yuan bonds in China: report The World Bank plans to issue yuan-denominated bonds to raise funds for development projects in China, the Japanese daily, Yomiuri Shimbun said Sunday.The Bank has already begun talks with the government and the People's Bank of China with an aim to start...

Councillor supports ban on sea sand export

Councillor supports ban on sea sand export PEKANBARU, Riau: A top Riau provincial legislator said on Saturday sea sand exports from the region must be stopped because the disadvantages of the trade far outweighed its advantages.

No money for super dump in 2004 city budget

No money for super dump in 2004 city budgetBambang Nurbianto and Damar Harsanto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Although the city administration has repeatedly said the capital would be provided with high technology treatment facilities for solid waste as recommended by most experts, no funds for the...

JICT, Koja criticized for monoply practices

JICT, Koja criticized for monoply practicesSari P. Setiogi, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta The Jakarta chapter of the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Kadin Jakarta) has accused the Jakarta International Container Terminal (JICT) and Koja Container of acting as a monopoly, resulting in high...

Afghan hunger strikers admitted to hospital

Afghan hunger strikers admitted to hospitalLuh Putu Trisna Wahyuni, The Jakarta Post, Mataram, West Nusa Tenggara Two more people joined on Saturday a hunger strike staged by illegal Afghan immigrants at a refugee camp in Mataram, making the total number of hunger strikers nine.

Sudibyo M. Wiradji, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Sudibyo M. Wiradji, The Jakarta Post, JakartaGolf clubs catering to Asians gain popularity New golf club models with Asian specifications are gaining popularity among Indonesian golfers because they can better accommodate Asian postures compared with those built to American specifications.

More civilized approach needed for evictions

More civilized approach needed for evictionsSirojudin Abbas, Lecturer, State Islamic University (UIN), Jakarta, sirojudinabbas@yahoo.ca The Jakarta administration is about to restart the highly controversial eviction program for illegal settlers in Jakarta and street vendors at the end of January...

Theft commonest crime in Depok

Theft commonest crime in Depok DEPOK: Depok Police recorded that theft was the crime most frequently committed in the municipality last year, with 802 cases reported, followed by autotheft (749), fraud (369), gambling (116), burglary (105), drug abuse (80) and rape (14 cases).

Pope urges action against terrorism

Pope urges action against terrorismVATICAN: Denouncing a growing scourge of terrorism, Pope John Paul II urged on Saturday political action to combat terror attacks, contending that "brutal measures" of repression alone were not sufficient.

Residents doubt apartment chances

Residents doubt apartment chancesP.C. Naommy, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Some residents of Karet Tengsin subdistrict, Central Jakarta, are happy with the Jakarta Housing Agency's recent plan to build another 267 low-cost apartments in the area as they have been promised one since 1993, but many are...

Govt temporarily bans rice imports

Govt temporarily bans rice importsP.C. Naommy, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta The Ministry of Industry and Trade has issued a decree temporarily banning rice imports during the upcoming harvest season in a bid to help protect farmers' incomes.Antara said that Ministerial Decree No.

KPU urged to get tough on premature electioneering

KPU urged to get tough on premature electioneeringKurniawan Hari, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Demands are growing for the General Elections Commission (KPU) to ban the display of party symbols prior to the official start of the election campaign.

Youths donate books to children

Youths donate books to childrenDewi Santoso, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Concern that deprived children have limited access to knowledge encouraged nine youths to form the 1001buku community in January last year, with as its main goal the provision of as many books as possible for such children.

Fate of migrant workers

Fate of migrant workersFrom Warta KotaThe year 2003 saw as many as 20 Indonesian female migrant workers in Singapore fall to their deaths from high-rise apartments where they worked, as was revealed by Fachry Sulaiman, a high-ranking official at the Indonesian Embassy there.

FOR SPOT LIGHT MONDAY

FOR SPOT LIGHT MONDAY;JP; ANPAc..r.. Spot-light-KabelvisionJP/16/Spotlight KabelvisionVALUE ADDED SERVICE: As part of its commitment to improve its services, PT Broadband Multimedia (Kabelvision) signed an agreement with PT Indosat recently on the use of Value Added Service-Short Message Service...

Problematic beef

Problematic beef Beef from the United States has been permitted to enter Indonesia, despite the possibility that it is contaminated with mad-cow disease.The mass entry of imported beef from the U.S. could mean that the public might be faced with a lot of problematic beef in markets across the...

Australia to hold 'Mercuri '04' exercise

Australia to hold 'Mercuri '04' exerciseAUSTRALIA: Australia will hold a major counterterrorism exercise in March to ensure its security forces are prepared for any potential terrorist attack, federal Attorney General Philip Ruddock said on Sunday.

'Can entertainers make good legislators?'

'Can entertainers make good legislators?' As the deadline on Jan. 19 approaches, some 24 political parties have been struggling to meet the 30-percent quota for women candidates in the general election on April 5.

Beddu Amang arrested after brief spell on the lam

Beddu Amang arrested after brief spell on the lamKurniawan Hari, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Police arrested former State Logistics Agency (Bulog) head Beddu Amang on Sunday, just one day after he was declared a fugitive from justice, and immediately started questioning him over his role in a scam...

Estrada seeks alternatives for trip

Estrada seeks alternatives for tripPHILIPPINES: Deposed Philippine president Joseph Estrada will likely travel to either Japan, France or Canada to seek medical treatment if the United States rejects a visa request, his lawyer said on Sunday.

Cease-fire no threat to RI sovereignty: Observers

Cease-fire no threat to RI sovereignty: ObserversMuninggar Sri Saraswati, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta The government and the Indonesia Military (TNI) have been told to support a cease-fire with the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) in a bid to release RCTI cameraman Fery Santoro and other civilian hostages in...

JP/7/LET81.LEI

JP/7/LET81.LEIHelping migrant women workersFrom Kompas We have read reports about the plight of Indonesian migrant women workers in Saudi Arabia and some other countries. I believe the government and the Indonesian labor recruitment companies are fully responsible for this matter.

RI may become net oil importer in 10 years: BP Migas

RI may become net oil importer in 10 years: BP MigasFitri Wulandari, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Indonesia could become a net oil importer in 10 years if there are no new finds and the public continues its lavish consumption of fuel oil, a senior official at a governmental agency warned.

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Page 5 Photo captionJP/Tarko SudiarnoREGREENING: A woman plants hardwood tree seedlings on her land in Gunung Kidul regency, Yogyakarta. The government has distributed three million seedlings to regreen 3,000 hectares of unused land in the drought-prone regency.

Biometrics: A new technology to secure ATM transactions

Biometrics: A new technology to secure ATM transactionsMohamad Nazirwan, Contributor, Jakarta The rapid development of banking technology has changed the way people conduct their banking transactions. For many people, the automatic teller machine (ATM) has now become a necessity.