Indonesian Political, Business & Finance News

Archive: 3 December 2004

75 articles found

Microfinance key to eradicating poverty

Microfinance key to eradicating povertyRita A.Widiadana, The Jakarta Post/Nusa Dua The promotion of microfinance programs is crucial to accelerating poverty alleviation, as it would help small businesses long neglected by commercial banks, a three-day international seminar here has concluded.

The spoiler of ill-fated plane did not work: Board

The spoiler of ill-fated plane did not work: BoardBlontank Poer, The Jakarta Post/Surakarta A malfunctioning spoiler was a catalyst, but bad weather was the major factor behind the deadly crash of a Lion Air passenger plane that killed at least 26 people and seriously injured dozens of others, the...

Singapore slashes vehicle entry fees

Singapore slashes vehicle entry feesSINGAPORE: Singapore said on Thursday it will reduce foreign vehicle entry fees by one-third on weekdays to attract more visitors.Foreign motorists will pay S$20 (US$12) a day beginning Dec. 6, said Singapore's tourism board and transport authority.

Where to go in Jakarta: Friday, December 3, 2004

Where to go in Jakarta: Friday, December 3, 2004Exhibitions* Arts by Canadian artist Ken Pattern, at Four Seasons Hotel (Regent), Jl. H.R. Rasuna Said Kav. B-4, South Jakarta, Dec. 3 to Jan. 15. * Fine Arts Agoes Jolly Sendiri, Galeri Cipta II, Taman Ismail Marzuki Jl.

Anticorruption campaign and press freedom

Anticorruption campaign and press freedomAbdullah Alamudi , Jakarta December will witness Indonesia's drive to eradicate its most serious and deepest social disease: Corruption. On Friday, the President is scheduled to attend an informal meeting on the plan to launch an anticorruption campaign.

Foreign investors 'need level playing fields'

Foreign investors 'need level playing fields'Riyadi Suparno, The Jakarta Post/Jakarta Harassing foreign investors is never a good thing, moreover in times of a poor investment climate. The best advice would probably be to offer fair treatment and a level playing field. According to U.S.

Regent detained in graft case

Regent detained in graft caseJAMBI, Jambi: Local police detained Sarolangun Regent M. Madel on Wednesday night, one week after he was named a suspect in an Rp 5.7 billion (US$633,333) graft case. Jambi Police chief of detectives Sr. Comr.

Bekasi to get 12 more 'koban' next year

Bekasi to get 12 more 'koban' next yearWahyuana The Jakarta Post/Bekasi Following the successful introduction of Japanese-style police posts, the Bekasi Police, with the assistance of the Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA), will build 12 more of these koban in 2005.

Salemba task force set up to end student brawls

Salemba task force set up to end student brawlsDamar Harsanto, The Jakarta Post/Jakarta Recurring riots, between students from three of the most esteemed institutions of higher learning in the country, on and around Jl.

Five ministers visit devastated Nabire

Five ministers visit devastated NabireThe Jakarta Post, Jakarta Five ministers visited the devastated town of Nabire on Thursday as many residents in the area continued to come down with various diseases following the recent earthquake.

Ba'asyir 'unaware' of Marriot attack

Ba'asyir 'unaware' of Marriot attackThe Jakarta Post, Jakarta Five witnesses testifying in the Abu Bakar Ba'asyir trial said on Thursday that they had met with the cleric either in Malaysia, Afghanistan or Philippines, but ruled out his having a hand in the J.W. Marriot Hotel bombing in August 2003.

Former Banten councillors detained

Former Banten councillors detainedMulta Fidrus, The Jakarta Post/Tangerang Banten prosecutors have detained four former councillors after a nine-hour questioning session on Thursday over their alleged involvement in the misuse of Rp 14 billion (US$1.56 million) of public funds last year.

OCBC to take majority stake in NISP

OCBC to take majority stake in NISPAgence France-Presse, Singapore Singapore's Oversea-China Banking Corp (OCBC) said Thursday it would acquire next year a majority stake in Indonesia's Bank NISP as it seeks to expand its presence across the region.

Security tops Pacific dialogue

Security tops Pacific dialogueAgence France-Presse, WellingtonCounter-terrorism and trans-national crime will top the agenda at this week's Southwest Pacific Dialogue meeting in Adelaide -- Australia -- New Zealand Foreign Minister Phil Goff said on Thursday.

Human error?

Human error? I would like to express greetings to The Jakarta Post, since it is my first English newspaper and it adopts a one-stop reading headline format, as well as providing the latest news with considered articles. Let me introduce myself.

Interfaith dialog vital in dealing with religious radicalism

Interfaith dialog vital in dealing with religious radicalism Late last week, prominent Muslim scholars from Southeast Asia gathered in Jakarta to attend a meeting organized by the International Center for Islam and Pluralism (ICIP).

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Helping disabled people out of the shadows Amartya Sen and James Wolfensohn Jakarta 2. Inge -- Inclusion of disabled people in society 2 x 30 Inclusion of disabled people in every aspect of society Inge Komardjaja Bandung

Buyat residents urge relocation

Buyat residents urge relocationMuninggar Sri Saraswati The Jakarta Post/JakartaPeople living in the vicinity of the polluted Buyat Bay in Minahasa, North Sulawesi, demanded on Thursday that they be relocated, as the area was no longer inhabitable.

'I wouldn't isolate people with HIV'

'I wouldn't isolate people with HIV'World AIDS Day was commemorated on Wednesday with activists calling for the need to protect women and girls, who are often sidelined in the fight against the disease.

Rupiah Rates Dec.2

Rupiah Rates Dec.2 Banknote rates TT rates Selling Buying Selling Buying Australian dollar 1 7,434.17 6,649.01 7,078.86 7,004.09 Brunei dollar 1 5,832.98 5,217.07 5,554.19 5,495.68 Canadian dollar 1 8,061.65 7,208.73 7,676.35 7,593.71 Swiss franc 1 8,364.08 7,481.56 7,964.33 7,881.

BI to issue new banking rules

BI to issue new banking rulesNUSA DUA, Bali: The central bank will soon release two crucial regulations to accelerate banking activities, strengthen banking institutions and to boost real economic sectors, including small- to medium enterprises (SMEs).

Plywood biggest forex source

Plywood biggest forex sourcePALANGKARAYA, Central Kalimantan: Plywood exports from Central Kalimantan have contributed the most in terms of provincial foreign exchange revenues compared to other commodities, a senior government official said on Thursday.

ASEAN's example

ASEAN's example It is encouraging to see that ASEAN and China have signed an accord to create the world's biggest free trade area by removing tariffs for their two billion people by the decade's end.This is a giant leap in their vision of building a trade bloc to rival Europe and the U.S.

Burhanuddin Abe

Burhanuddin Abe Contributor JakartaLike other places in the world, concern for security in all aspects of life has also become a top priority in Indonesia. A number of bombings -- in Bali as well as the recent one in front of the Australian Embassy in Jakarta -- and other types of violence raging...

NU congress means fortune for locals

NU congress means fortune for localsSlamet Susanto and Blontank Poer, The Jakarta Post/Surakarta Sartini, 36, a food vendor outside Donohudan Haj Dormitory in Surakarta, Central Java, which hosted the recently completed Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) congress, said her income drastically increased during the...

On dual citizenship

On dual citizenship I recently heard from a good acquaintance that the director of an important foreign-based project, which has its head office in Jakarta, actually possesses an Indonesian passport and also a west European one.

Court slaps asset preservation order on Tanah Abang market

Court slaps asset preservation order on Tanah Abang marketThe Jakarta Post, Jakarta The Central Jakarta District Court issued on Thursday an asset preservation order on Tanah Abang textile market blocks B, C, D and E, and refused to revoke the traders' permits, meaning they can continue doing...

Unilever nets best 'FinanceAsia'

Unilever nets best 'FinanceAsia'Hong Kong-based FinanceAsia magazine has recognized consumer goods company PT Unilever Indonesia, the local unit of London-and-Rotterdam-based Unilever NV, as this year's best managed company and for best corporate governance.

Justice minister to review legislation

Justice minister to review legislation JAKARTA: Minister of Justice and Human Rights Hamid Awaluddin said on Thursday he would review a number of regulations and pieces of legislation that the business community had been complaining about."Economic recovery is the most important thing.

Ken Pattern exhibits work on Indonesia

Ken Pattern exhibits work on Indonesia JAKARTA: The popular lithographs and paintings of renowned Canadian artist Ken Pattern will be on display at the Four Seasons Hotel in Central Jakarta from Dec. 2 to Jan. 16.

RI needs to specialize to survive ASEAN-China FTA: Mari

RI needs to specialize to survive ASEAN-China FTA: Mari Leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) member countries and China on Monday signed a historic free trade agreement (FTA) in Vientiane, Laos, that will pave the way for creating the world's biggest free trade zone...

Hasyim-Sahal back in NU top spots

Hasyim-Sahal back in NU top spotsThe Jakarta Post, Surakarta/Surabaya Nahdlatul Ulama head Hasyim Muzadi stared down an attack by a rival faction on Thursday, winning reelection as NU chairman for another five years.

Police nab suspected weapons smuggler

Police nab suspected weapons smugglerEvi Mariani, The Jakarta Post/Jakarta The Jakarta Police have detained a suspect for allegedly smuggling 552 illegal weapons into the country, the biggest haul this year, through Tanjung Priok port in North Jakarta.

Toll in Philippine floods tops 1,000

Toll in Philippine floods tops 1,000 Erik de Castro Reuters/Real, PhilippinesMore than 1,000 people have been killed or are missing after mudslides and flash floods devastated three coastal towns in the Philippines, a military spokesman said on Thursday.

Two recent RI films to be screened

Two recent RI films to be screened Rainmaker (Ravi Bharwani, 2004) and Yasujiro Journey (Faozan Rizal, 2004) -- two low-budget feature-length films directed by young Indonesians -- are scheduled to make their home-country premiere at the Jakarta International Film Festival (JIFFEST) 2004.

Indonesia banks entering challenging phase: S&P

Indonesia banks entering challenging phase: S&PThe Jakarta Post, Jakarta Indonesian banks are entering a new phase of transformation, which will pose greater challenges for industry participants, according to international rating agency Standard & Poor's (S&P)In the medium term, the Indonesian...

1. NU: 4 LINES, 10 COUNTS

1. NU: 4 LINES, 10 COUNTS Hasyim-Sahal return to NU top spots 2. JIFFEST: 1 LINE, 18 COUNTS Lights, curtains: JiFFest 3. STOCK: 3 LINES, 16 COUNTS Jakarta stocks tip 1,000 before falling back 4. S&P: 1 LINE, 32 COUNTS Legal uncertainty main snag: S&P

Indocement sees sales rise

Indocement sees sales riseJAKARTA: PT Indocement Tunggal Prakarsa, controlled by Germany's largest cement maker HeidelbergCement AG, said sales would probably rise at a faster pace in 2005, as the government was planning more roads and power plants.

Friendly countries in line to boost ties with RI

Friendly countries in line to boost ties with RIAdianto P. Simamora and Veeramalla Anjaiah, The Jakarta Post/Jakarta Six weeks after President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono took office, several high-ranking officials from friendly countries are slated to visit Indonesia to explore possibilities of...

Train-truck crash kills seven

Train-truck crash kills sevenSri Wahyuni, The Jakarta Post/Purworejo An economy train smashed into a truck packed with passengers on Wednesday night in Purworejo regency, Central Java, killing seven and injuring four others.

Moral victory for ASEAN leaders

Moral victory for ASEAN leadersSyed Nadzri, New Straits Times, Kuala Lumpur Some of the most astute diplomacy appears to have been at play during the ASEAN Summit in Vientiane, where just about everyone from John Howard to Thaksin Shinawatra scored moral victories.

* Malaysia 'not walking blind' into expulsion of illegal

* Malaysia 'not walking blind' into expulsion of illegal immigrants Page 3 * Residents of polluted Buyat Bay demand relocation Page 4 * Train smashes into truck, seven killed Page 5 * Helping disabled people out of the shadows Page 6 * Jakarta says no to higher salaries Page 8 * Curry, Chandler...

Police pull in ecstasy syndicate

Police pull in ecstasy syndicate JAKARTA: The narcotics division of the West Jakarta Police have arrested five drug suspects and confiscated 191 ecstasy pills and 50 grams of crystal methampethamine, or shabu-shabu, as evidence, police revealed on Thursday.Based on a tip off, the police on Nov.

Helping disabled people out of the shadows

Helping disabled people out of the shadowsAmartya Sen and James Wolfensohn , Jakarta Disabled people are not only the most deprived human beings in the developing world, they are also the most neglected.

RI, U.S. militaries maintain cooperation

RI, U.S. militaries maintain cooperation JAKARTA: Despite the prolonged arms embargo imposed by the United States on Indonesia, the militaries of the two countries are attempting to maintain their cooperation.

RI banks entering challenging phase

RI banks entering challenging phaseThe Jakarta Post, Jakarta Indonesian banks are entering a new phase of transformation, which will pose greater challenges for industry participants, according to international rating agency Standard & Poor's (S&P)In the medium term, the Indonesian banking sector...

Jakarta to host Islam seminar

Jakarta to host Islam seminar JAKARTA: A number of experts on Islam, cultural identity, multiculturalism and politics from Indonesia, the United States, Canada, Germany, Malaysia, Singapore and Pakistan will gather here for a four-day international conference on Islam, which begins on Sunday.

TNI alleges GAM members among RI deportees from Dili

TNI alleges GAM members among RI deportees from DiliYemris Fointuna, The Jakarta Post/Kupang Over 270 people, who were deported from East Timor, were moved into a dormitory belonging to East Nusa Tenggara's Manpower and Transmigration Office in Kupang on Thursday.

Moral hazards of a tax amnesty

Moral hazards of a tax amnesty We are quite apprehensive about the real objective behind the government's plan to grant a tax amnesty. While no further developments have been heard regarding the long-awaited tax administrative reform, the new government has revived the idea of a tax amnesty, which...

Jakarta says no to higher salary

Jakarta says no to higher salaryThe Jakarta Post, Jakarta The Jakarta administration turned a deaf ear to workers' pleas for a revision to the minimum wage for 2005 of Rp 711,843 (US$79) to Rp 759,532, the estimated minimum cost of living in the capital.

BRI to make Rp 12t new loans next year

BRI to make Rp 12t new loans next year Bank Rakyat Indonesia, the nation's fourth-largest lender, expects to give Rp 12 trillion (US$1.3 billion) of new loans next year as consumers and companies borrow more.

House accepts Endriartono after reshuffle dispute

House accepts Endriartono after reshuffle disputeKurniawan Hari, The Jakarta Post/Jakarta The House of Representatives's defense commission held a hearing with Indonesian Military (TNI) chief Gen. Endriartono Sutarto Thursday, the first since the controversy surrounding the replacement of the TNI...

Corruption and social harm

Corruption and social harmFrom Media IndonesiaThe crimes committed by corruptors are greater in magnitude than those involving ordinary street criminals, many of whom are forced to perpetrate offenses due to critical circumstances, ignorance, poverty and other desperate problems.

Mega, Gus Dur meet to discuss politics: But where is Akbar?

Mega, Gus Dur meet to discuss politics: But where is Akbar?Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, The Jakarta Post/Jakarta Two former presidents, Megawati Soekarnoputri and her predecessor Abdurrahman "Gus Dur" Wahid held a meeting for the first time since the Sept.

Lights, curtains: JIFFest

Lights, curtains: JIFFestJohn Badalu, Contributor/Jakarta The Jakarta International Film Festival (JIFFEST) is returning with a vengeance, from Dec. 3 through Dec. 12. Much larger than last year's, it features 130 films divided into a number of categories, like features, documentaries, experimental...

Teachers demand more than just pay hike

Teachers demand more than just pay hikeSari P. Setiogi and Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, The Jakarta Post/Jakarta Indonesian teachers marked the 36th anniversary of their organization on Thursday with a demand for President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's administration to pay more respect to their...

Residents of landslide areas pan govt relocation plan

Residents of landslide areas pan govt relocation planNana Rukmana, The Jakarta Post/Kuningan Top officials in the Kuningan and Majalengka regental administrations have acknowledged that they are facing difficulties in relocating residents from landslide-prone areas.

Government likely to budget for $35 oil price in 2005

Government likely to budget for $35 oil price in 2005Dadan Wijaksana, The Jakarta Post/Jakarta The government, which is looking at ways to gradually scrap fuel subsidies next year, said on Thursday it would likely revise upward its assumption of average oil prices for 2005 -- from US$24 to US$35 a...

TV Today: Friday, December 3, 2004

TV Today: Friday, December 3, 2004 .TB.30" .90"TVRI .tb .30" .90" 5:00 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...

Education key to foster religious tolerance: Expert

Education key to foster religious tolerance: ExpertM. Taufiqurrahman, The Jakarta Post/Jakarta The close alignment between religion and politics has resulted in a decline in tolerance among the adherents of different religious over the past few years, aggravating the problems facing the country.

Govt urged to review Aceh Autonomy Law

Govt urged to review Aceh Autonomy LawTiarma Siboro, The Jakarta Post/Jakarta A Working Group for Aceh called for a revision of the special autonomy for the troubled province, arguing that it had failed to address the roots of the problems.

Govt renovates Bekasi sluice

Govt renovates Bekasi sluice BEKASI: The administration has started the renovation of the crucial Kali Bekasi sluice gates in a last second bid to mitigate flooding in Jakarta, an official said on Wednesday.

1. Tolerance (45) -- 48 pts 7 cols 1line (1x42)

1. Tolerance (45) -- 48 pts 7 cols 1line (1x42) Education the key to foster religious tolerance: Expert or Education the key to cultivate religious tolerance: Expert 2. Tn. Abang (35) -- 32 pts 3 cols 2line2 (2x24) Court slaps asset preservation order on Tanah Abang market3.

Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's administration is prioritizing the

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 ensure they are corruption-free.

Jakarta stocks tip 1,000 before falling back

Jakarta stocks tip 1,000 before falling backRendi A. Witular, The Jakarta Post/Jakarta Driven by optimism of higher corporate earnings and a flow of fresh capital from the bond market, the Jakarta stock market soared on Thursday to another record high, tipping the 1,000 level before inching down on...

OPEC chief to resign at year end

OPEC chief to resign at year end JAKARTA: OPEC head Purnomo Yusgiantoro said he would tender his resignation from the oil cartel by the end of this year to concentrate on his job as Indonesia's energy minister."OPEC will have to select a new secretary general at its meeting in Cairo on Dec.

High-cost economy

High-cost economyFrom Koran Tempo The trade minister has said that priority will be given to lowering economic costs. Indeed, a high-cost economy has always been one of the serious problems in the effort to promote the competitiveness of Indonesian goods.

Widyatama to host research conference

Widyatama to host research conferenceBANDUNG: Widyatama University here is slated to host a major conference of Southeast Asian research institutions next September in Bali. Teachers and researchers from 12 countries are to attend the conference, which is to focus on means of enhancing the quality...

SMP 56 students ready to move

SMP 56 students ready to move JAKARTA: At least 55 of 95 students of junior high school SMP 56 on Jl. Melawai Raya, South Jakarta, have enrolled to attend additional courses before registering with other state schools.

City blames polluted rivers for fish kills in Jakarta Bay

City blames polluted rivers for fish kills in Jakarta BayBambang Nurbianto, The Jakarta Post/Jakarta The death of thousands of fish and clams in waters off Ancol Beach on Tuesday was likely caused by pollution in the city's toxic rivers, the Environmental Management Agency said.

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.

Govt prepares options to help Garuda

Govt prepares options to help GarudaRendi A. Witular, The Jakarta Post/Jakarta The government has prepared several options to help ease national flag carrier Garuda Indonesia's financial problems and boost its competitiveness in the cutthroat airline industry.

Legal uncertainty main snag: S&P

Legal uncertainty main snag: S&PUrip Hudiono, The Jakarta Post/Jakarta Despite improving interest rates and a peaceful election year, legal uncertainties remain the main obstacle for Indonesian firms in obtaining business finance, a report from global rating agency Standard and Poor's (S&P) said.

JP/5/FOCUS

JP/5/FOCUSRegent detained in graft caseJAMBI, Jambi: Local police detained Sarolangun Regent M. Madel on Wednesday night, one week after he was named a suspect in an Rp 5.7 billion (US$633,333) graft case. Jambi Police chief of detectives Sr. Comr.

Gang of computer thieves arrested

Gang of computer thieves arrested JAKARTA: Tangerang Police revealed on Tuesday that they had arrested a gang of thieves, who specialized in robbing schools and companies of their computer's Central Processing Units (CPUs).