Indonesian Political, Business & Finance News

Archive: 9 November 2004

69 articles found

EU-India summit starts in The Hague

EU-India summit starts in The Hague THE NETHERLANDS: Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh arrived on Monday in The Hague for a summit with the Dutch EU presidency and EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana, intended to firm up the strategic partnership between the European Union and India. Counterterrorism efforts and trade were also key issues of the fifth EU-India summit.

Riau Panwaslu dissolved

Riau Panwaslu dissolved PEKANBARU, Riau: The regental and municipal Election Supervisory Committee (Panwaslu) in Riau have completed their election work, and have now been dissolved. The disbanding of the supervisory committee was made official during a ceremony in Hotel Pangeran, Pekanbaru on Monday. Fifty- five chairmen and hundreds of members of regental and municipal Panwaslu branches have ended their one year contract. Panwaslu began its election monitoring and supervisory task last year.

Government to set up holding company for SOEs

Government to set up holding company for SOEs Rendi A. Witular, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta As part of an effort to help restructure and revitalize state- owned enterprise (SOEs), which are mostly in bad shape, the new government is planning to form a holding company that it is hoped will be more efficient in overseeing SOEs, a senior government official said.

Bush is back and it's time to expand, says RI envoy

Bush is back and it's time to expand, says RI envoy Yenni Djahidin, Washington, D.C. Indonesian Ambassador to United States, Soemadi D. M. Brotodiningrat followed the U.S. elections closely. He spoke recently with The Jakarta Post correspondent Yenny Djahidin in Washington about the elections and the bilateral relation between the two countries. The following is the excerpts of ther interview. Question: What do you think about the U.S. elections and the outcome?

Rupiah Rates Nov.8

Rupiah Rates Nov.8 Banknote rates TT rates Selling Buying Selling Buying Australian dollar 1 7,261.47 6,494.95 6,915.03 6,841.11 Brunei dollar 1 5,773.00 5,166.11 5,497.58 5,441.45 Canadian dollar 1 7,973.41 7,135.57 7,593.01 7,515.88 Swiss franc 1 8,089.74 7,238.43 7,703.79 7,624.22 Danish krone 1 1,663.41 1,487.70 1,584.05 1,566.99 Euro 1 12,359.95 11,060.54 11,770.27 11,650.04 Poundsterling 1 17,690.18 15,828.45 16,846.20 16,672.07 Hong Kong dollar 1 1,227.43 1,098.59 1,168.87 1,157.14...

JP/5/BLAST

JP/5/BLAST Grenade explodes in Wajo, one dead and two injured Andi Hajramurni The Jakarta Post/Makassar A hand grenade exploded on Monday morning in Wajo regency, South Sulawesi province, killing one person and injuring two others. The incident happened as Samin, 17, a resident of Awo subdistrict, Wajo regency, was playing with the grenade with his brother Sapri, 15. Samin and Sapri were apparently unaware that the grenade was still live.

New study indicates arsenic in Buyat Bay

New study indicates arsenic in Buyat Bay Muninggar Sri Saraswati, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta The study of a joint team involving 14 government agencies has found indications that Buyat Bay in North Sulawesi has high levels of arsenic, prompting the government to warn residents around the bay not to consume water from wells and to reduce fish consumption.

Indonesia waives the rules?

Indonesia waives the rules? Everywhere Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (SBY) goes the skeletons of the past rattle like hell, and they will cause him enormous problems. The tight web of corruption, which has efficiently engulfed all walks of life, has virtually left no one who can say, hand on heart, "I am Mr. Clean". You don't get anything in Indonesia for nothing, and that has been the case for a long while now.

Police raid ecstasy factory in West Jakarta

Police raid ecstasy factory in West Jakarta Evi Mariani, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta The Jakarta Police said on Monday they had discovered and raided an ecstasy and shabu-shabu (crystal methamphetamine) factory hidden in a two-story shop-house on Jl. Bedugul, Blok IA, in Cengkareng, West Jakarta. City police chief Insp. Gen. Firman Gani said two men were arrested at the factory and 82,570 ecstasy pills were confiscated during the raid on Friday.

Police confirm arrest of two terror suspects

Police confirm arrest of two terror suspects Tony Hotland and Theresia Sufa, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta/Bogor The National Police confirmed on Monday the arrest of two men by the force's antiterror squad in Leuwilang district, Bogor regency, last week. National Police spokesman Insp. Gen. Paiman said that two men had been arrested late on Friday by the police antiterror squad Detachment 88, or Den 88, led by Brig. Gen. Pranowo Dahlan.

d;

d; *Police confirm arrest of two terror suspects Page 2 *Susilo to approach Badawi over RI worker on death row Page 4 *Deadly fish virus spreads to West Sumatra Page 5 *Social accountability more than just being responsible Page 6 *North Jakarta to evict squatters from riverbanks Page 8 *Montella strikes again as Roma stalls AC Milan Page 10 *Nuclear watchdog says nuclear terrorism a real threat Page 11 *Govt may issue US$1.5b global bond in March Page 13 *RI's volcano power could light up...

Bapepam imposes fine on Indofarma

Bapepam imposes fine on Indofarma JAKARTA: Publicly listed pharmaceutical firm Indofarma was fined Rp 28.9 billion (some US$3.1 million) on Monday, for failing to apply the proper accounting practices in the drawing up of its 2001 financial report. The Capital Market Supervisory Agency (Bapepam) said that, after a lengthy inquiry, it had found the company guilty of overstating the value of its assets -- in the form of its goods supply -- by Rp 28.9 billion.

'I have the chance to reflect'

'I have the chance to reflect' Idul Fitri will be celebrated by Muslims around the world on Nov. 14 and Nov. 15. It is a time to ask forgiveness from family, friends and colleagues, to give and receive new clothes and to eat traditional dishes. The Jakarta Post talked to some city residents about the meaning of those days to them. Mala Aprilia, 22, is a student at the University of Indonesia in Depok.

Unocal wins oil rights in disputed waters

Unocal wins oil rights in disputed waters Jakarta, Associated Press Unocal Corp., a U.S. oil and natural- gas company, was awarded rights by Indonesia to explore for oil and gas in waters off Borneo island that are also claimed by Malaysia, a government official in Jakarta said. Unocal bid for the rights to explore in the East Ambalat block and will be issued a letter of guarantee by Indonesia's government, said Iin Arifin Takhyan, Indonesia's director general of oil and gas.

Minibus driver shot dead in latest Central Sulawesi attack

Minibus driver shot dead in latest Central Sulawesi attack Agencies, Jakarta Local police said unidentified gunmen shot dead the driver of a public minibus on Monday in the troubled regency of Poso, Central Sulawesi, where sporadic attacks have continued despite a 2002 peace deal between Muslim and Christian leaders. The victim was identified as Tomy Sanjaya, alias Imbo, 40, Antara reported. He was killed around 10 a.m. by two gunmen on a motorcycle in Tegalrejo subdistrict.

Nabire regent ready to face graft probe

Nabire regent ready to face graft probe NABIRE, Papua: Nabire Regent A.P. Youw said on Monday that he had not received a summons from the police, although President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono had given the green light for prosecutors to try graft suspects. Youw said he was ready to face the questioning as he was convinced that he was not guilty. Separately, Sr. Comr. M.

Govt, House told to debate border law

Govt, House told to debate border law JAKARTA: The National Resilience Institute (Lemhannas) will organize a seminar on border issues in a bid to raise the need for the government and the House of Representatives to deliberate legislation on border areas. "Problems in border areas continue to emerge because we do not have any legislation that protects our territory.

Industrial output in Malaysai up

Industrial output in Malaysai up KUALA LUMPUR: Industrial production in Malaysia grew 9.8 percent year-on-year in September, supported by growth in all sectors, Statistics Department data showed on Monday. Month-on-month, output edged up 1.7 percent. In August, output rose 10.6 percent year-on-year but fell 3.2 percent from July. In September, manufacturing rose 11.5 percent year-on-year, with electricity up 8.8 percent and mining up 0.3 percent.

Govt may issue $1.5b global bond in March

Govt may issue $1.5b global bond in March The Jakarta Post, Jakarta The government is likely to issue up to US$1.5 billion in overseas bonds during the first quarter in an effort to finance the 2005 state budget, a senior finance official has said. Mulia Nasution, the finance ministry's Director General for Treasury, told reporters on Monday that the issue, which would be the nation's third global bond issue, would be worth $1 billion to $1.5 billion.

GE sells Indian outsourcing arm

GE sells Indian outsourcing arm Uttara Choudhary, Agence France-Presse, New Delhi General Electric Co., a pioneer in business processing in India, said on Monday it has sold a majority stake in its Indian outsourcing arm, GE Capital Services, to two U.S. private equity investment firms for US$500 million. The buyers are General Atlantic Partners and Oak Hill Capital Partners, two companies based in the United States.

Govt 'must act now to up investment'

Govt 'must act now to up investment' Leony Aurora, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta The government should not wait for the House of Representatives to settle their ongoing internal conflict to take measures deemed crucial to revive foreign investment, an economist and a business figure said.

Beggars bad for tourism

Beggars bad for tourism From Kompas A Dutch friend of mine came to Indonesia on holiday several months go and visited several cities like Jakarta, Denpasar, Yogyakarta and Bandung. While admiring the beauty of Indonesia and its culture, she also wondered why there were so many beggars around, particularly in Bandung, where you come across beggars almost everywhere.

[b]

Right way to deal with insults to Islam M. Ali Manchester, UK 2. Nation -- Thai freedom of expression is now dead 1 x 48 Freedom of expression in Thailand is now dead Kavi Chongkittavorn The Nation Asia News Network Bangkok 3. Asahi -- "Mother" links tradition and modern times 2 X 21 Tradition and modernity in Indonesian democracy Kazuo Ogoura The Asahi Shimbun Tokyo

1. DISCOURSE: 1 LINE, 49 COUNTS

1. DISCOURSE: 1 LINE, 49 COUNTS Bush is back and it's time to expand, says RI envoy 2. ARAFAT: 2 LINES, 21 COUNTS Palestinian leaders to see Arafat, despite wife's fury 3. IRAQ: 1 LINE, 32 COUNTS Allawi OKs U.S.-led attack on Falluja 4. THAI: 2 LINES, 24 COUNTS Thaksin shrugs off call for apology over Muslim deaths 5. LIBYA: 1 LINE, 32 COUNTS Qaddafi's son to visit Indonesia

Mobile clinic serves poor in Yogyakarta province

Mobile clinic serves poor in Yogyakarta province Tarko Sudiarno, The Jakarta Post, Yogyakarta "Bedes, come here quickly. What are you afraid of. How come a street kid like you is afraid of a little needle? If you aren't scared of being beaten by city public order officers, how come you are afraid of the doctor?" a street kid said to his friend, Bedes. Bedes, who would be in sixth grade if he attended elementary school, then entered the tent and sat on a plastic chair beside the young doctor.

Rupiah ends at 16-week high

Rupiah ends at 16-week high Dow Jones, Jakarta The rupiah ended at a 16-week high on Monday as the dollar continued to weaken globally in the wake of the U.S. presidential election last week, dealers said. The dollar ended at Rp 8,985, down from its close Friday at 9,065. "Investors now are focusing on the massive U.S. budget and trade deficits," a dealer at a foreign bank said. The dollar's fall against the rupiah, however, was slowed by demand for the U.S.

Jakarta copies neighbors' plans

Jakarta copies neighbors' plans City Secretary Ritola Tasmaya said that Jakarta has been copying Singapore in using incinerators to overcome its garbage disposal problem. The city plans to buy four incinerators by 2007, each of them with the capacity to process up to 2,000 tons of waste. According to Singapore's Ministry of Environment and Water Resources website, the state operates four incinerators with a total capacity of 8,200 tons of waste per day.

City plans to burn its garbage

City plans to burn its garbage Damar Harsanto and Bambang Nurbianto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta The city administration plans to eventually incinerate all garbage, an official says. "Incinerators have been installed in cities worldwide such as Singapore, Tokyo and Shanghai. We will just copy them and therefore will need a shorter period of time to install them," City Secretary Ritola Tasmaya told The Jakarta Post at City Hall on Monday.

Colissions kill 10 in N. Sumatra

Colissions kill 10 in N. Sumatra Apriadi Gunawan, The Jakarta Post, Medan Three separate road accidents in Medan and Langkat, North Sumatra, claimed 10 lives and injured six others on Sunday night. The accidents took place in Tanjung Morawa, Tanjung Baru and Tanjung Mulia, Medan; and Sukajadi in Langkat. In Tanjung Morawa six minibus passengers died instantly, when a bus and a minivan swerved to avoid a head-on collision.

990 families to lose homes on riverbanks after holiday

990 families to lose homes on riverbanks after holiday The Jakarta Post, Jakarta The North Jakarta administration plans to send squatters living on the riverbanks in its jurisdiction elsewhere, as it holds them responsible for annual floods in the city. "We may clear the riverbanks after the Idul Fitri holiday," Mayor Effendi Anas said at City Hall on Monday, without mentioning an exact date. Idul Fitri is on Nov. 14 and Nov. 15.

Court acquits Cirebon mayor in poll bias case

Court acquits Cirebon mayor in poll bias case Nana Rukmana, The Jakarta Post, Cirebon The Cirebon District Court in West Java acquitted Cirebon Mayor Subardi on Monday of charges of bias in connection with his campaigning for former president Megawati ahead of the Sept. 20 election runoff. The panel of judges led by Silalahi argued that the charges laid by prosecutors Herdinan and Eman Sulaeman against the defendant were not proven in his trial.

Qaddafi's son to visit Indonesia

Qaddafi's son to visit Indonesia The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Seif al-Islam al-Qaddafi, the second son of Libyan president Moammar Qaddafi, will meet with President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, Vice President Jusuf Kalla and a number of ministers during a three-day visit here, an official at the Embassy of Libya in Jakarta said. Seif Qaddafi will arrive in Jakarta on Tuesday afternoon.

RI's volcano power could light up the archipelago

RI's volcano power could light up the archipelago Eric Unmacht, Deutsche Presse-Agentur, Jakarta Geothermal energy enthusiasts talk about the golden days of promise for the industry almost like techies in Silicon Valley about the boom days before the Internet bubble gave way.

Teachers take exams for govt allowances

Teachers take exams for govt allowances JAKARTA: More than 10,000 teachers from private schools sat tests on Monday in an attempt to qualify for government allowances at the Bung Karno Stadium in Senayan, Central Jakarta. The teachers came from all levels of education, including vocational institutions and schools for the handicapped.

Grenade explodes, one dead

Grenade explodes, one dead Andi Hajramurni, The Jakarta Post, Makassar A hand grenade exploded on Monday morning in Wajo regency, South Sulawesi province, killing one person and injuring two others. The incident happened as Samin, 17, a resident of Awo subdistrict, Wajo regency, was playing with the grenade with his brother Sapri, 15. Samin and Sapri were apparently unaware that the grenade was still live. As they tossed the grenade from one to another, it exploded.

Lee, Susilo agree to tackle issues rationally

Lee, Susilo agree to tackle issues rationally Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and visiting Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong agreed here on Monday to avoid megaphone diplomacy in dealing with bilateral issues. Beaming from bilateral talks that lasted for more than one hour, the President said the two heads of government agreed to tackle outstanding problems rationally, quietly and in a manner that would foster win-win solutions.

TV star parts with menagerie, askes to keep deer

TV star parts with menagerie, askes to keep deer Theresia Sufa, The Jakarta Post, Bogor The Natural Resources Conservation Center (BKSDA) and a network of animal conservation non-governmental organizations (NGO) picked up on Monday 15 protected animals kept in cages at a resort home of TV personality Krisna Mukti in Gunung Jaya village, Cisaat district, Sukabumi. "He gave up the animals voluntarily.

'Suara Metro' told to change frequency

'Suara Metro' told to change frequency JAKARTA: Private radio station Suara Metro, which is under the patronage of the city police, has been told to change its frequency for the second time by the Indonesian Broadcasting Committee (KPI). The radio has assumed a bandwidth allocation that belongs to community radio stations. "The KPI is acting as the mediator in the dispute between Suara Metro and the Forum of Jakarta's Community Radio," KPI commissioner Andrik Purwasito said on Monday.

JP/5/mayor

JP/5/mayor Court acquits Cirebon mayor in poll bias case Nana Rukmana The Jakarta Post/Cirebon The Cirebon District Court in West Java acquitted Cirebon Mayor Subardi on Monday of charges of bias in connection with his campaigning for former president Megawati ahead of the Sept. 20 election runoff. The panel of judges led by Silalahi argued that the charges laid by prosecutors Herdinan and Eman Sulaeman against the defendant were not proven in his trial.

Tommy gets two months' remission

Tommy gets two months' remission Suherdjoko, The Jakarta Post, Semarang The government has presented an Idul Fitri gift to Hutomo "Tommy" Mandala Putra as he is among 637 inmates on Nusakambangan island who will have their jail terms reduced to mark the Islamic holiday. Head of the Central Java office of the justice ministry, Marsono, said the length of remission varied, with Tommy, who is serving a 15-year prison term for murder, getting two months off his time in jail.

Governor hands out free rice

Governor hands out free rice JAKARTA: Governor Sutiyoso handed over free rice to a select group of the city's disadvantaged families and city officials at City Hall on Monday. The rice was provided by a variety of city offices, which had to comply with Gubernatorial Decree No. 2131/2004 on charity by city employees. "I hope the rice will reach the targeted poor families so it can be beneficial for them," he said in his speech.

Marwah to challenge Akbar in Golkar leadership race

Marwah to challenge Akbar in Golkar leadership race Kurniawan Hari, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Golkar deputy leader Marwah Daud Ibrahim said on Monday that she was ready to challenge party leader Akbar Tandjung in the party's leadership election at its 7th national congress in Bali from Dec. 15 to Dec. 20. "As the incumbent, Pak Akbar is the most prepared candidate, but I am ready to challenge him, otherwise there will only be one candidate in the leadership race," Marwah said here.

Jakarta to have Betawi playhouse

Jakarta to have Betawi playhouse Jakarta will soon have a special venue for Betawi cultural shows on a 3,000-square-meter plot of land in Kemayoran, Central Jakarta. The new playhouse will be named after Betawi legendary actor/comedian/singer Benyamin Sueb. The proposal to construct the building was revealed on Monday by City Museum and Culture Agency head Setiawan Kanani during a hearing with City Council Commission E for education, culture and social welfare.

Germany to provide US$66m soft loan for Jakarta train service

Germany to provide US$66m soft loan for Jakarta train service Urip Hudiono, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta The German government plans to provide 52 million euros (US$66 million) in loans and grants for the improvement of commuter train services in Greater Jakarta. The funds, provided through the German Development Bank (KfW), will be used to finance the assembly of 10 trains and their engines, and is expected to be agreed upon in December.

Ju Ming's versatility currently on view

Ju Ming's versatility currently on view Carla Bianpoen, Contributor, Jakarta If renowned Taiwanese sculptor Ju Ming enters the world annals of art as an auspicious sculptor of t'ai chi energy, it would certainly be no surprise.

Tradition and modernity in Indonesian democracy

Tradition and modernity in Indonesian democracy Kazuo Ogoura, The Asahi Shimbun, Tokyo "Mother, the people in our village are not trying to follow the changing times. They are sitting on the ground all day long like worn-out old men," shouted Hanafi, a Western-educated young man, while holding back his mother, who did not like to sit on the sofa in his new home, and was moving instead to squat down on the floor. This was in the 1920s.

Lucrative packages available for CDMA users

Lucrative packages available for CDMA users Sudibyo M. Wiradji, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta The Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) technology has started to gain ground in the country's telecommunication market with more and more people switching to the relatively new technology. The number of subscribers of the CDMA-fixed wireless services has now reached 1.8 million.

City to clear river banks from squatters

City to clear river banks from squatters The Jakarta Post Jakarta The North Jakarta administration plans to send squatters living on the riverbanks in its jurisdiction elsewhere, as it holds them responsible for annual floods in the city. "We may clear the riverbanks after the Idul Fitri holiday," Mayor Effendi Anas said at City Hall on Monday, without mentioning an exact date. Idul Fitri is on Nov. 14 and Nov. 15.

Herculean task of health minister

Herculean task of health minister From Koran Tempo In her swearing-in ceremony on Oct. 21, Health Minister Siti Fadilah Supari expressed her commitment to ensuring that under her leadership the health ministry would be corruption-free, disciplined and hard-working.

Strong stock market to limit growth of mutual funds

Strong stock market to limit growth of mutual funds Leony Aurora, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta The country's mutual funds industry is expected to remain an attractive investment alternative next year, but its growth will not be as rapid as this year, according to the experts. "The prospects for mutual funds in 2005 are still good. Their growth, however, may not be as rapid as this year," said the chairman of the Indonesian Mutual Funds Association, Muhammad Hanif, on Monday.

TV Program: Tuesday, November 9, 2004

TV Program: Tuesday, November 9, 2004 TVRI .TB.30" .90" 3:30 a.m. Variety Show: Sahur 4:30 Religious Teachings 5:30 Koran Reading: Iqra 6:00 News: Berita Pagi 7:00 TV Drama 8:30 Music: Asik-asik 10:00 Talk Show: Agribiz 11:00 Singing Contest: Konteswara 12:00 p.m.

Dysentery claims two lives in East Nusa Tenggara, dozens ill

Dysentery claims two lives in East Nusa Tenggara, dozens ill Yemris Fointuna, The Jakarta Post, Kupang At least two people have died and 64 others are receiving medical treatment due to an outbreak of dysentery in Nangahale village, Talibura district in Sikka regency, East Nusa Tenggara in the past week. The victims might have consumed water contaminated with human feces and E-coli bacteria as a result of the prolonged drought, local health officials said on Monday.

Pontianak says no to SBKRI

Pontianak says no to SBKRI PONTIANAK: Following in the footsteps of several other towns, the Pontianak administration officially announced on Monday the revocation of a discriminatory policy that requires Chinese-Indonesians to produce citizenship certificates called SBKRI, for administrative and civil purposes. However, the certificates could still be required under certain circumstances if a person's citizenship was called into question.

Susilo to seek Badawi's clemency

Susilo to seek Badawi's clemency Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono will request leniency from Malaysian authorities for an Indonesian migrant worker on death row when he meets Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi on the sidelines of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit on Nov. 21.

DPD proposes lower threshold

DPD proposes lower threshold PADANG, West Sumatra: The Regional Representatives Council (DPD) proposed on Monday an amendment to the revised autonomy law, which would lower the threshold required by a political party or coalition of parties to nominate candidates in the direct gubernatorial and regental elections next year.

Competition in smartphone market getting fiercer

Competition in smartphone market getting fiercer Burhanuddin Abe, Contributor, Jakarta Many people can't live without a mobile phone. With the wide range of features incorporated, apart from being a versatile tool of communication, it is also regarded by some as a fashion item, as evidenced in the trendy designs on offer. The rapid pace of development in telecommunications technology, especially in cellular phones, has benefited consumers, as many carry low price tags.

PNG nationals arrested for drugs

PNG nationals arrested for drugs JAYAPURA, Papua: Jayapura Police have arrested 11 people, including seven Papua New Guinea nationals, for drug offenses and immigration violations, a police officer revealed on Monday. They were nabbed while boarding a boat in Skouw waters near Jayapura last month, said Adj. Comr. Robert Suweni, an officer with the Papua Police Water Division. Police confiscated 400 grams of dry hashish from the two.

Court orders postponement of BPK appointments

Court orders postponement of BPK appointments Muninggar Sri Saraswati, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta The Constitutional Court ordered on Monday the government to put the planned inauguration of 21 members of the State Audit Body (BPK) on hold, following a dispute between the Regional Representatives Council (DPD) and the House of Representatives (DPR) over the issue.

Police to field 70,000 officers

Police to field 70,000 officers The Jakarta Post, Jakarta/Cirebon/Pekanbaru The National Police have placed officers across the country on high alert, with around 70,000 personnel on call for quick deployment, in order to ensure the safety of the public over the holidays. National Police chief Gen. Da'i Bachtiar said on Monday that the police would focus on 11 provinces, including Jakarta and areas prone to conflict, during the holiday season.

Zoo to be more crowded on holidays

Zoo to be more crowded on holidays JAKARTA: Ragunan Zoo's management has estimated that the number of visitors during the Idul Fitri holiday on Nov. 14 and Nov. 15 will reach around 778,500 people, up by between 10 percent and 15 percent from last year's figure. "The prediction is based on the government's regulation on the extended holiday for civil servants. We assume less Jakartans will leave town for the holiday," zoo director Sri Mulyono said on Monday.

Herculean task of health minister

Herculean task of health minister From Koran Tempo In her swearing-in ceremony on Oct. 21, Health Minister Siti Fadilah Supari expressed her commitment to ensuring that under her leadership the health ministry would be corruption-free, disciplined and hard-working.

AGO to 'honor' Soares acquittal, review procedure

AGO to 'honor' Soares acquittal, review procedure M. Taufiqurrahman, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Following the Supreme Court acquittal of former East Timor governor Abilio Soares from human rights violations, the prospect that other suspected abusers would be brought to justice has dimmed, as the Attorney General's Office (AGO) said on Monday it would not contest the decision.

Two GAM members nabbed in Riau

Two GAM members nabbed in Riau PEKANBARU, Riau: Riau Police personnel arrested two men believed to be members of the Free Aceh Movement (GAM). The two -- Ibnu Umar, 40 and Syaifullah bin Abdullah, 36 -- were nabbed in a rented house on Jl. Pratama in Pekanbaru, the capital of Riau province at dawn on Saturday. After the arrest, the two confessed that they were members of GAM.

Muslim youth give 'alms' to councillors

Muslim youth give 'alms' to councillors SAMARINDA, East Kalimantan: Dozens of youths from Atta'wabiin Muslim Congregation visited the East Kalimantan Legislative Council on Monday and handed over 100 kilograms of rice as alms to the provincial councillors. They had planned to hand over 2.5 kilograms of rice to each of the 45 councillors, but only some received it because not all councillors were present at the office on Monday.

Bakrie Sumatera to sell new shares

Bakrie Sumatera to sell new shares JAKARTA: PT Bakrie Sumatera Plantations, which has about 30,000 hectares of oil-palm plantations in Indonesia, expects to raise as much as Rp 218 billion (US$24 million) in a sale of new shares to expand its business. The sale, slated for the fourth week of this month, will be used to fund the purchase of plantation companies, the building of a mill and to pay debt, Bakrie Sumatera said in a media statement.

Villagers kill six wild elephants

Villagers kill six wild elephants JAKARTA: Six wild elephants were poisoned and died on Sumatra island after the endangered animals encroached on a palm oil plantation, police said on Monday. The killing of elephants as well as endangered tigers is commonplace on the island, where illegal logging and farming have reduced their natural habitat and increased clashes with humans. The elephants were found dead near Rokan Hulu forest in Riau province, about 1,050 kilometers northwest of Jakarta.

Deadly fish virus spreads to West Sumatra

Deadly fish virus spreads to West Sumatra Syofiardi Bachyul Jb, The Jakarta Post, Padang Millions of carp and gurami have been found dead in a lake and river in West Sumatra province, following a similar disaster recently in Lake Toba, North Sumatra province.

Beggars bad for tourism

Beggars bad for tourism From Kompas A Dutch friend of mine came to Indonesia on holiday several months go and visited several cities like Jakarta, Denpasar, Yogyakarta and Bandung. While admiring the beauty of Indonesia and its culture, she also wondered why there were so many beggars around, particularly in Bandung, where you come across beggars almost everywhere.

House factions close to reconciling

House factions close to reconciling Kurniawan Hari, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta After boycotting all plenary and commission meetings over the past two weeks, the People's Coalition agreed on Monday to attend House of Representatives meetings beginning Tuesday (today). Their presence in the meetings would lend the needed legitimacy to the leaders of House commissions and auxiliary bodies, whose electoral process was legally flawed, as less than half of House factions showed for the election.