Indonesian Political, Business & Finance News

Archive: 25 November 2004

69 articles found

'It's anticlimactic to return to work'

'It's anticlimactic to return to work' Many approached the post-Ramadhan holiday of Idul Fitri as a time to ask for forgiveness from family, friends and colleagues, while others took the chance to take a long holiday and get away from the stresses of life and traffic in the capital.

Three W. Sumatrans die from diarrhea

Three W. Sumatrans die from diarrhea PADANG, West Sumatra: Three people have died and 97 others have been hospitalized for acute diarrhea over the past three weeks in Lima Puluh Kota regency, West Sumatra.

Stop treating TKI inhumanly

Stop treating TKI inhumanly I would like to bring to attention the unprofessional and inhuman treatment of returning migrant workers (TKI) at the airport, which the Ministry of Manpower and Transmigration is in charge of organizing.

Reflections on the near-term economic outlook in Indonesia

Reflections on the near-term economic outlook in IndonesiaDavid Jay Green, Jakarta National elections and a change in government are a wonderful time for reflection and stocktaking and Indonesia's recent set is no exception.

Govt plans roadshow for bonds next year

Govt plans roadshow for bonds next year JAKARTA: The Indonesian government will hold a non-deal roadshow early next year to market a planned- global bond offering worth up to US$2 billion, a government official said on Wednesday.

Susilo backs probe into Munir's death

Susilo backs probe into Munir's deathFabiola Desy Unidjaja, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has agreed to establish an independent team to investigate rights campaigner Munir's death and that rights' activists design the duties and structure of the team.

Stock prices on the Jakarta Stock Exchange (in rupiah) on Nov.24, 2004

Stock prices on the Jakarta Stock Exchange (in rupiah) on Nov.24, 2004 ____________________________________________________________________________ Shares Close Change Trading Volume ____________________________________________________________________________ Abdi Bangsa Tbk 225 0 0 Ades Alfindo...

Monorail would be 'more efficient than subway' for Jakarta

Monorail would be 'more efficient than subway' for Jakarta On the sidelines of the Asian Network of Major Cities (ANMC) meeting in Jakarta on Tuesday, the popular but controversial Tokyo Governor Shintaro Ishihara shared his experience in developing Tokyo, an experience the Jakarta administration...

The bank scandal in Medan was the third after two other bank

The bank scandal in Medan was the third after two other bank scandals that rocked Bank BNI. Last year, the state-owned Bank BNI lost Rp 1.7 trillion (US$200 million) due to fraud that involved its employees.

Bekasi expects surge in migrant job seekers

Bekasi expects surge in migrant job seekers The Bekasi municipal administration predicts that 10,000 people will have arrived in the city to seek jobs by the end of this month."A big increase in job seekers usually occurs after the Idul Fitri holiday, because residents usually bring along their...

Council to look into SMP Jeruk Purut's plea

Council to look into SMP Jeruk Purut's pleaThe Jakarta Post, Jakarta Teachers, parents and students of state junior high school SMP 56 in Jeruk Purut, South Jakarta, has asked for support from City Council amid fears that the protracted legal dispute over their old school on Jl.

TV Today: Friday, November 26, 2004

TV Today: Friday, November 26, 2004 .TB.30" .90"TVRI .tb .30" .90" 5:30 a.m. Religious Teachings6:00 News: Berita Pagi7:00 Documentary7:30 Health8:30 Music: Asik-Asik 10:30 Religious Teachings1:00 p.m. News: Berita Siang2:00 Music3:00 English News Service4:30 Documentary5:00 Children Drama6:00 TV...

No more freebies for legislators

No more freebies for legislators JAKARTA: The government will no longer allocate free seats for House of Representatives legislators and other state officials who want to go on the haj pilgrimage, for the sake of fairness.

JP;KAN;CD;

JP;KAN;CD; ANPAa..r.. Mosquito-convention-yogyakarta Yogyakarta hosts convention on mosquito spirals JP/4/mosquito Mosquito coil firms convene in Yogyakarta YOGYAKARTA: Over 100 delegations from Indonesia and foreign countries will attend the biennial convention of International Mosquito Spiral...

Riau Islands to resume sand export

Riau Islands to resume sand exportFadli, The Jakarta Post, Batam Riau Islands provincial government is planning to lobby Minister of Trade Mari Elka Pangestu to allow local businessmen to resume exporting sand from the sea, a top government official said on Wednesday.

IMO to hold meeting in Jakarta

IMO to hold meeting in Jakarta SINGAPORE: Warning of widespread and far-reaching detrimental effects from any closure of the straits of Malacca and Singapore, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) plans a conference in Jakarta next year focusing on threats to the waterways.

KPK wants amendment of anticorruption law

KPK wants amendment of anticorruption lawM. Taufiqurrahman, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) said on Wednesday that existing anti-graft regulations were inadequate to enable full-fledged prosecution of corruption cases.

Six cities to go ahead with Asian jet project

Six cities to go ahead with Asian jet projectYuli Tri Suwarni and Damar Harsanto, Bandung, Jakarta Half of the 12 members of the Asian Network of Major Cities 21 expressed their commitment on Wednesday to go ahead with the development of jet-engine passenger planes during their visit to state...

Govt appeals to U.S. Supreme Court in KBC case

Govt appeals to U.S. Supreme Court in KBC caseThe Jakarta Post, Jakarta The government has filed an appeal with the U.S. Supreme Court to seek the release of funds frozen in American banks, in another twist in the legal saga between state oil and gas firm PT Pertamina and U.S.

Bali hailed as holiday destination

Bali hailed as holiday destination DENPASAR: Bali still radiates charm -- or at least it did at the recent World Travel Mart in London on Nov.6.After being absent for several years for a variety of reasons, Bali again participated in the prestigious event.

Bali students to be in AIDS campaign

Bali students to be in AIDS campaign DENPASAR: Hundreds of Bali students will take part in Dance4Life, the youth arm of the World AIDS campaign, to be held at the Bajra Sandhi Museum, Renon, at 7 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 27.The activity is to be held in conjunction with upcoming World AIDS day on Dec.

Pension funds to up investment in stocks

Pension funds to up investment in stocksRendi A. Witular, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Indonesian pension fund managers are likely to invest more money into the stock market next year amid strong gains in the soaring equity market, according to a pension industry association executive.

City unveils plans for dam to ease flooding

City unveils plans for dam to ease floodingDamar Harsanto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta As part of its flood-fighting efforts, the Jakarta administration announced on Wednesday it planned to build a dam on the Ciliwung River on a 100-hectare plot of land in Cibogo hamlet, Ciawi, West Java.

Bilateral FTAs and economic blocs

Bilateral FTAs and economic blocs At the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum's ministerial meeting held in Santiago, Chile, last week, the attending ministers issued a statement of intent to work through expanded bilateral free trade agreements to support World Trade Organization trade...

Aburizal's subterfuge

Aburizal's subterfuge The tactics used by Coordinating Minister of the Economy Aburizal Bakrie in his attempt to reach an amicable, out-of-court settlement in the government's dispute with Mexican cement firm, Cemex, over its investment in state-owned PT Semen Gresik is utterly ill-advised and...

Bureaucrats hopefuls get mystical in job search

Bureaucrats hopefuls get mystical in job search The lengths to which civil servant hopefuls will go to pass the recruitment test know no bounds, including spiritual.In Surabaya, several civil servant applicants said they had sought hocus-pocus blessings from witch doctors for help passing the test.

Fitch may upgrade Malaysian, Thai, RI bank ratings

Fitch may upgrade Malaysian, Thai, RI bank ratingsStephanie Phang and Kate Mayberry, Bloomberg, Singapore Banks in Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia may have their ratings raised by Fitch Ratings Ltd. as the region's financial systems recover from the Asian financial crisis and stronger economies...

TV Program: Thursday, November 25, 2004

TV Program: Thursday, November 25, 2004 .TB.30" .90"TVRI 5:00 a.m. Religious Teachings6:00 News: Berita Pagi7:00 Documentary8:00 Talk Show8:30 Music: Asyik-Asyik10:00 Talk Show: Wirausaha11:00 Singing Contest: Konteswara12:00 p.m.

Residents allowed back into Ciremai

Residents allowed back into CiremaiNana Rukmana, The Jakarta Post, Kuningan Bowing to public pressure, the Kuningan regental government has conceded to allow thousands of residents who live on the slopes of Mt. Ciremai to seek a living in the area, which was designated a national park.

Mandiri profit rises 19% on credit demand

Mandiri profit rises 19% on credit demandBloomberg, Jakarta PT Bank Mandiri, Indonesia's biggest lender by assets, said profit rose 19 percent in the nine months to Sept. 30 as lower interest rates encouraged companies and consumers to borrow more and the cost of funds fell.Profit rose to Rp 4.

ASEAN urged to speed up single-market formation

ASEAN urged to speed up single-market formationZakki P. Hakim, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Indonesia joined Singapore and Thailand calling for the Association for Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to accelerate full regional economic integration earlier than 2020, a senior official said.

South Korea, ASEAN to start trade talks

South Korea, ASEAN to start trade talksAgence France-Presse, Seoul South Korea will begin negotiating a free trade agreement with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) next year, Foreign Minister Ban Ki-Moon said on Wednesday.

The Ismail Marzuki Arts Center (TIM) seems to have been

The Ismail Marzuki Arts Center (TIM) seems to have been forgotten now. While in the past this arts center was always associated with quality performances from the regions and other countries, today it is only a place where people have their lunch, make love in their cars or see a movie.

Bank clerks go on trial for graft

Bank clerks go on trial for graft MEDAN, North Sumatra: A trial of two Bank Danamon employees opened on Wednesday, on charges of embezzling funds from the bank's Medan branch early this year.Usriadi, 32, head of the bank teller section, and his subordinate Mirwan Nasution, 28, were accused of...

BRI 9-month profit soars 48%

BRI 9-month profit soars 48% PT Bank Rakyat Indonesia (BRI), the nation's fourth-largest lender, said profit rose 48 percent in the nine months ended Sept. 30 on rising demand for credit in an economy growing at its fastest pace in four years.Profit rose to Rp 2.

Over four million line up to take civil servant test

Over four million line up to take civil servant testThe Jakarta Post, Jakarta Over 4.5 millions candidates faced various challenges on Wednesday to take part in the civil service recruitment examination, the first to be held simultaneously throughout the country by all the recruiting government...

1. DISCOURSE: 1 LINE, 49 COUNTS

1. DISCOURSE: 1 LINE, 49 COUNTS Monorail would be 'cheaper than subway' for Jakarta 2. CITIES: 4 LINES, 10 COUNTS Six cities to go ahead with Asian jet project 3. TEST: 1 COL, 10 COUNTS Bureaucrat hopefuls get mystical in job search 4. DEFENSE: 1 LINE, 28 COUNTS RI seeks self-reliance in arms 5.

Court jails captain for timber smuggling

Court jails captain for timber smugglingMuninggar Sri Saraswati, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta A district court dealt the government's fight against illegal logging a big blow on Wednesday, handing out a lenient sentence to a Vietnamese boat skipper caught red-handed smuggling logs from an offshore...

Poisoning of an activist a test case for Susilo

Poisoning of an activist a test case for SusiloAboeprijadi Santoso, Amsterdam The arsenic poisoning of the Indonesian human rights champion, Munir, has aroused so much attention that he is even more "present" in death than he was in life.

Eradicating corruption

Eradicating corruption From Koran Tempo Corruption is a chronic social ill in Indonesia. However, it is not enough for the government just to find the right way to eradicate it. It is more important for the government to look for its root causes.

Amanda's murder trial begins

Amanda's murder trial begins BOGOR: The trial of the murder of Trisakti University student Amanda Devina, 22, who was killed by boyfriend Ronald Johannes, started on Tuesday at Cibinong District Court.Reading the indictment, prosecutor Tony Spontana charged Ronald under Article 340 of the Criminal...

Five people missing after Bojong protest

Five people missing after Bojong protestThe Jakarta Post, Bogor/Bandung/Jakarta Five residents of Bojong village, Klapanunggal district, West Java, are still missing after a violent protest on Monday against the planned trial of a waste processing facility.

I Wayan Jana explores eroticism in sculpture

I Wayan Jana explores eroticism in sculptureSusi Andrini, Contributor, Denpasar Art exhibitions in Bali are dominated by paintings, so it is refreshing to see sculptures created by I Wayan Jana, 36, who is currently displaying some of his work at Griya Santrian, Sanur, through to Dec. 3.

Australia, New Zealand welcomed by ASEAN after Mahathir exit

Australia, New Zealand welcomed by ASEAN after Mahathir exitIan Mader, Associated Press, Vientiane Many in Southeast Asia say Australia is too Western to join the region's core club of nations. But Canberra has been given a guest pass for the region's annual conference this week, and the promise of...

Handout row overshadows NU's national congress

Handout row overshadows NU's national congressBlontank Poer, The Jakarta Post, Surakarta Days before the Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) begins a national congress, many would-be participants complained on Wednesday that they had not received official invitations from the steering committee.

Where to go in Bali for Thursday, November 25, 2004

Where to go in Bali for Thursday, November 25, 2004.TB.30" 1.0" Exhibitions* Arts Exhibition From Tension to Oneness by Antonius Kho, at Ganesha Gallery, Four Season Resort Bali, Jimbaran Bay, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., until Dec. 17. * Sculpture Objects of Life by I Wayan Jana, Griya Santrian Gallery, Jl.

Rupiah Rates Nov. 24

Rupiah Rates Nov. 24 Banknote rates TT rates Selling Buying Selling Buying Australian dollar 1 7,452.50 6,664.65 7,095.19 7,021.83 Brunei dollar 1 5,776.02 5,164.23 5,499.09 5,441.00 Canadian dollar 1 8,000.34 7,153.69 7,616.76 7,537.07 Swiss franc 1 8,200.12 7,329.71 7,806.96 7,722.

Six detained for attacking lawyer

Six detained for attacking lawyer JAKARTA: South Jakarta Police detained on Wednesday six people for attacking lawyer Petrus Balla Pattyona in the courtroom.South Jakarta District Court spokesman Johanes Suhadi said that the six were probably thugs hired by the lawyer of the opposing party in the...

PGN maintains income forecast

PGN maintains income forecast JAKARTA: PT Perusahaan Gas Negara, Indonesia's state- controlled gas distributor, expects profit to grow 15 percent as sales rise and a stronger local currency helps narrow foreign exchange losses, President Director W. Simandjuntak said.Net income was Rp 519.

Deficit could expand to 1.5% of GDP

Deficit could expand to 1.5% of GDPUrip Hudiono and Leony Aurora, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta The 2004 budget deficit could increase slightly to 1.5 percent of the gross domestic product (GDP), as fuel subsidy costs remain under pressure from soaring oil prices, the finance minister said.

Corruption-free agencies

Corruption-free agenciesFrom Koran Tempo Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's administration is prioritizing the eradication of corruption in its first 100-day program. In this context, the first thing to do must be to put law-enforcement agencies -- the prosecutors, the judges and the police -- in order, to...

S'pore govt buys Proton stake

S'pore govt buys Proton stake KUALA LUMPUR: The Government of Singapore Investment Corp Pte Ltd (GIC) has emerged as a substantial shareholder in Malaysia's national car-maker Proton with a 5.04 percent stake, Proton Holdings said.GIC owned 27.

Returning maids face big cleanup job

Returning maids face big cleanup jobYuli Tri Suwarni, The Jakarta Post, Bandung The mounds of laundry accumulated over the holiday are decreasing, day by day; dust is swept away and the sink is relieved of dirty dishes: The housemaids are back in town.

There seems to be no better example than the present

There seems to be no better example than the present administration under the newly elected president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono -- at least outwardly -- to jump into immediate action when a crisis arises, responding almost as thought it were a public relations exercise.

House to probe toll road pileup

House to probe toll road pileup JAKARTA: The House of Representatives agreed on Wednesday to set up an investigation team that would carry out a probe into the deadly Nov. 17 pileup on the Jagorawi toll road, which killed six people and injured dozens.

BMW and Chevrolet highest in 2004 sales satisfaction index

BMW and Chevrolet highest in 2004 sales satisfaction indexThe Jakarta Post, Jakarta German carmaker BMW and the American manufacturer, Chevrolet, recently shared top place in the 2004 Indonesian Sales Satisfaction Index (SSI) Study carried out by Singapore-based marketing information firm J.D.

Six die when passengers boat capsizes in Maluku

Six die when passengers boat capsizes in MalukuM. Azis Tunny, The Jakarta Post, Ambon Six people died when a fully loaded passenger boat capsized off the coast of Southeast Maluku regency on Sunday.Spokesman for the Maluku Police, Comr.

KPK members yet to receive salaries

KPK members yet to receive salaries JAKARTA: The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) chairman and his four deputies have been working without proper salaries since they took office in December 2003.

Jakarta mulls Rp 2.5t for education

Jakarta mulls Rp 2.5t for educationBambang Nurbianto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Jakarta will likely allocate some 18 percent, or about Rp 2.5 trillion (US$277.78 million) of its 2005 budget, to the education sector as the City Council and the administration have nearly reached agreement on the...

Police arrest four, Azahari slips away

Police arrest four, Azahari slips awayTony Hotland, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Police announced on Wednesday the arrest of four suspects in the bombing outside the Australian Embassy in Jakarta over two months ago, but said the country's most wanted fugitive had again slipped through their fingers.

1. Terror (50) - 60 pts 4cols 2line (2x16)

1. Terror (50) - 60 pts 4cols 2line (2x16) Police arrest four terrorist suspects2. Test (40) - 36 pts 2cols 3lines (3x16)Millions of hopefuls line up to take civil servant test3. Munir (45) - 36 pts 4cols 1line (1x28) Susilo backs probe into Munir's death 4.

Government concludes Buyat Bay polluted

Government concludes Buyat Bay pollutedFabiola Desy Unidjaja and Tony Hotland, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta After long and exhaustive tests carried out by a number of local and international teams, the government concluded on Wednesday that Buyat Bay, North Sulawesi, was indeed polluted and vowed to...

Exports tipped to reach $65b this year

Exports tipped to reach $65b this yearLeony Aurora, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Following months of steady growth, Indonesia's exports would hit a record US$65 billion worth this year, up 6.5 percent from last year, due to soaring oil prices and increasing export volumes, a government official says.

Women activists start anti-violence campaign

Women activists start anti-violence campaignTiarma Siboro, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta The suspicious death of rights campaigner Munir and threats against his widow, Suciwati, have inspired her along with dozens of women's groups to declare war against all forms of violence.

Indonesia seeks self-reliance in arms

Indonesia seeks self-reliance in armsFabiola Desy Unidjaja, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has raised a call for the country to become self-reliant in supplying its defense forces with arms, munitions and equipment through close collaboration among the armed forces,...

Transportation, ICT industries to get special directorate general

Transportation, ICT industries to get special directorate generalZakki P. Hakim, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Following the division of the ministry of industry and trade into two ministries, the government will form a new directorate general at the Ministry of Industry to supervise the booming...

Yogya to host international convention on mosquito coils

Yogya to host international convention on mosquito coilsSri Wahyuni, The Jakarta Post, Yogyakarta The International Mosquito Spiral Manufacturer Association (IMSMA) is set to hold a four-day biennial convention on mosquito coils here, starting on Thursday.

Lawmaker calls for replacement of Da'i

Lawmaker calls for replacement of Da'i SEMARANG: Chairman of the Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI-P) faction at the House of Representatives Tjahyo Kumolo asked the President on Wednesday to immediately replace National Police chief Gen. Da'i Bachtiar for the sake of regeneration.

* In Jakarta, monorail would be 'cheaper than subway' Page 2

* In Jakarta, monorail would be 'cheaper than subway' Page 2 * KPK wants amendment to anti-graft law Page 4 * Riau Islands to resume sand exports Page 5 * Economic significance of observing thanksgiving Page 7 * City unveils plans for 100-hectare dam to ease flooding Page 8 * Goosen seizes lead at...