Indonesian Political, Business & Finance News

Archive: 13 February 2004

67 articles found

Bali bombing accomplice gets six years in jail

Bali bombing accomplice gets six years in jailAgence France-Presse, Jakarta The Denpasar District Court on Thursday jailed a man for six years for harboring Bali bomb mastermind Abdul Aziz alias Imam Samudra while he was on the run after the October 2002 blasts, local radio reported.

Bulwark of justice?

Bulwark of justice? The Supreme Court's ruling yesterday to acquit Akbar Tandjung of all charges of corruption, thereby overturning two earlier lower court verdicts sentencing the House of Representatives speaker to three years in prison, is certain to have serious consequences for this country for...

Political parties urged to use local fabrics

Political parties urged to use local fabricsP.C. Naommy, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta The Indonesian Synthetic Fiber Makers Association (APSyFI) urged the country's political parties to use local textiles in their election campaign activities to help the ailing local industry.

KPU rejects ink bidders, asks for re-tender

KPU rejects ink bidders, asks for re-tenderMoch. N. Kurniawan and Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta The General Elections Commission (KPU) chairman Nazaruddin Sjamsuddin has annulled the result of the ink tender and ordered a re-tender due to the high price quoted by bidders.

KL minister charged with graft

KL minister charged with graftAgencies, Kuala Lumpur A Malaysian minister pleaded not guilty on Thursday to corruption charges after he was taken into custody in the most high-profile arrest since Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi took office on a clean government ticket.

Dangerous busway ramps

Dangerous busway rampsFrom Media IndonesiaThe Jakarta administration is praiseworthy for braving its various controversial plans, including the trans-Jakarta busway project. The bus stops built for this new mode of transportation are good enough, but sadly, the cross bridges for pedestrians are...

Call for Islamic coalition

Call for Islamic coalitionFrom RepublikaMy suggestion in 2001 that only one Islamic party should be set up received a muted response from the Muslim party elite. In 2003 I attended three meetings with Islamic and Muslim-based parties to voice the same aspiration, but failed to secure any follow-up...

1. FLU: 3 LINEs, 15 COUNTS

1. FLU: 3 LINEs, 15 COUNTS Bird flu outbreak devastating small poultry farms 2. BALI: 2 LINES, 18 COUNTS Bali bombing accomplice gets six years in jail 3. BAGHDAD: 1 LIONE, 28 COUNTS Iraqi civilian deaths mount, bodies not being counted 4. KL: 1 LINE, 24 COUNTS KL minister charged with graft

Activists protest wild animal hunting, trading

Activists protest wild animal hunting, tradingThe Jakarta Post, Jakarta/Bogor Around 70 activists from the organization Pro Fauna Indonesia (Indonesian Wildlife Support) demonstrated on Wednesday at the Hotel Indonesia traffic circle, unfurling a five meter by three meter banner that read "Stop...

TV Today: Friday, February 13, 2004

TV Today: Friday, February 13, 2004 .TB.30" .90"TVRI .tb .30" .90" 6:00 a.m. News: Berita Pagi7:00 Entertainment News: Selebrita8:00 Music: Sik Asik10:00 TV Drama: Nostalgia 11:00 Religious Teachings12:30 p.m.

Dock workers involved in ink theft

Dock workers involved in ink theft JAKARTA: Penjaringan Police, North Jakarta, arrested on Thursday two fugitive dock workers allegedly involved in the theft of a truck of printers' ink worth Rp 1 billion (US$117,647) last October.Earlier, the police arrested three of the syndicate.

Low-cost apartments for 144 families

Low-cost apartments for 144 families TANGERANG: Low-cost apartments will be built for the Tangerang municipality administration to rent out to accommodate people who live in flood-prone areas.Financed by the Ministry of Settlement and Regional Infrastucture, the apartments in Manis Jaya...

Eight students injured in clash with Riau Police

Eight students injured in clash with Riau PoliceHaidir Anwar Tanjung, The Jakarta Post, Pekanbaru, Riau Thousands of protesting teachers and students clashed with police on Thursday in Kampar regency, some 60 kilometers west of Pekanbaru, leaving eight students injured.

Alzier gets suspended jail term

Alzier gets suspended jail term BANDAR LAMPUNG, Lampung: A panel of judges here handed down on Thursday a suspended sentence of nine months in jail and a one year probation to Lampung governor-elect M. Alzier Dianis Thabranie for committing fraud and falsifying a document before his election three...

RI urges global boycott on M'sian timber

RI urges global boycott on M'sian timberFabiola Desy Unidjaja, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta The Indonesian government called for a worldwide boycott of wood products from Malaysia on Thursday, arguing that the country continued to buy illegal logs from Indonesia.Forestry Minister M.

E. Timor ship sinks off RI

E. Timor ship sinks off RIEAST TIMOR: Four people drowned and seven are missing after a cargo ship from East Timor sank in rough seas off Indonesia's remote Flores island, the Lusa news agency reported on Wednesday, citing maritime officials in the former Portuguese colony.

AirAsia eyes for S'pore venture

AirAsia eyes for S'pore venture SINGAPORE: Budget airline AirAsia boss Tony Fernandes announced plans on Thursday to set up a Singapore-based venture although he said government approval was likely at least six months away.

Larger budget will ensure better education: Academic

Larger budget will ensure better education: AcademicEva C. Komandjaja, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta A sincere political commitment accompanied by an increased budget allocation are what the government needs to improve primary education in the country, an academic said on Thursday.

Death toll of Nabire quakes up to 37

Death toll of Nabire quakes up to 37Nethy Dharma Somba, The Jakarta Post, Jayapura, Papua The death toll from the devastating earthquake in the Papua town of Nabire rose to 37 on Thursday, an official said.Another 592 residents were injured, some seriously, in the earthquake on Feb.

Koja workers plan to stage strike

Koja workers plan to stage strikeRendi A. Witular, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta The labor union of Terminal Petikemas Koja, the state- controlled container terminal operator at Jakarta's Tanjung Priok seaport, plans to go on strike to press for a wage increase and certainty over the terminal's future...

Judges training for environment cases

Judges training for environment cases SOLO, Central Java: The Supreme Court has prepared judges to try alarming environmental crimes across the country, Chief Justice Bagir Manan said Thursday."At least 1,000 judges have been assigned to handle environmental crimes," Bagir was quoted by Antara as...

Demonstration turns violent, 60 injured

Demonstration turns violent, 60 injuredThe Jakarta Post, Jakarta The announcement of the Supreme Court verdict on Thursday in the graft case involving House of Representatives speaker Akbar Tandjung was marred by violent protests nationwide, with at least 60 protesting students in Jakarta injured...

UNHCR clarifies

UNHCR clarifies We would like to clarify several points raised in the article, Refugee children, child abuse still prevails in RI, which was published by The Jakarta Post on Monday, Feb. 9, 2004.The article mentions that "East Timorese children separated from their parents or families numbered...

Religious harmony law imperative

Religious harmony law imperativeFrom Koran TempoIndonesia's pluralistic society badly needs a law on religious harmony because the existing rules on coexistence among religious groups impose no penalties, which has led to serious communal conflicts.

Regulations needed for govt tenders: Associations

Regulations needed for govt tenders: AssociationsLeony Aurora, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta The government should reinstate certification requirements for firms bidding for public tenders, to ensure they were competent and qualified, business associations said on Monday.

'VP should be ticketed by police'

'VP should be ticketed by police' Vice President Hamzah Haz publicly apologized for using the busway lane along congested Jl. Thamrin, Central Jakarta, on his way to the office. He defended his actions by saying that the police had directed his convoy into the lane.

Employers, trade unions oppose social security bill

Employers, trade unions oppose social security billRidwan Max Sijabat, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Employers and workers joined forces on Thursday to oppose the bill on national social security (SJSN) which they said would cause legal uncertainty and confusion among the public.

Makassar bomber gets 19 years in jail

Makassar bomber gets 19 years in jailAndi Hajramurni, The Jakarta Post, Makassar, South Sulawesi A judge sentenced a man to 19 years' jail on Thursday for his role in a bomb attack on a McDonald's restaurant in Makassar, which killed three people and injured 15.

President to enjoy campaign privileges

President to enjoy campaign privilegesFabiola Desy Unidjaja, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta President Megawati Soekarnoputri and Vice President Hamzah Haz will not be required to take leave if they wish to stump for their parties during the campaign season, which begins on March 11.

Akbar behaved shamefully: Dissenting justice

Akbar behaved shamefully: Dissenting justiceThe Jakarta Post, Jakarta "At a time when the country was sinking in the crisis, the actions of the defendant truly violated one's sense of justice."Akbar abused his power, said Abdurrahman Saleh, the only justice with a dissenting opinion on the panel of...

Councillors absent at end of term

Councillors absent at end of termDamar Harsanto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Members of the City Council, nominated by their parties, should be responsible to the public who have elected them. However, many have failed to perform properly during their tenure, particularly now that it is drawing to a...

Navy personnel free hostages at sea

Navy personnel free hostages at sea MEDAN, North Sumatra: Personnel at the Indonesian Navy in Tanjung Balai, North Sumatra, were engaged in an armed contact with unidentified persons on Wednesday in waters near Berhala island in North Sumatra, while trying to free dozens of hostages.

KL to end deal on S'pore's water

KL to end deal on S'pore's waterMALAYSIA: Malaysia's southern Johor state officially launched a US$171 million water treatment plant on Thursday that hopes will end its long reliance on Singapore-treated water.

Japan offers $1.1m scholarships to RI

Japan offers $1.1m scholarships to RI JAKARTA: The Japanese government has been offering 90 scholarships to Indonesian government officials and university lecturers to pursue their higher education in Japan.

People with disabilities have largely expressed reluctance to

People with disabilities have largely expressed reluctance to exercise their right to vote as the General Elections Commission (KPU) has failed to provide access to polling stations, an activist said.Chairman of the General Elections Committee for Access to People with Disabilities (PPUA Penca)...

Political postcard, business opportunity for Post Office

Political postcard, business opportunity for Post OfficeYuli Tri Suwarni, The Jakarta Post, Bandung At least 10 political parties and legislative candidates contesting the general elections have placed orders for custom designed postcards, the Bandung Post Office said on Wednesday.

Sjamsidar speaks on fashion's future

Sjamsidar speaks on fashion's futureT. Sima Gunawan, Contributor, Jakarta, tabita@cbn.net.id The reform era, which allowed for freedom of expression in the country, also breathed new life into the world of fashion.

26 new markets to serve locals

26 new markets to serve locals TANGERANG: Tangerang will get 20 new small markets and six large markets to meet the daily needs of its 1.5 million residents, an official said on Wednesday.The director of the municipal market operator PD Pasar, Mayoris Namaga, said every subdistrict with a...

Hopes for end to corruption fade away

Hopes for end to corruption fade awayMoch. N. Kurniawan, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta People are certainly losing confidence in the judiciary system and in the ongoing battle against corruption in the country following the Supreme Court's decision to accept House Speaker Akbar Tandjung's appeal...

APSyFI awaits antidumping ruling

APSyFI awaits antidumping ruling APSyFI said on Thursday that the results of the investigation into their dumping complaint against producers from three Asian countries was expected to be announced in the next couple of months.

b]Akbar's legal journey

b]Akbar's legal journey Feb, 10, 1999: President B.J. Habibie asks Minister/State Secretary Akbar Tandjung, during a cabinet meeting, to channel Rp 40 billion in funds belonging to the State Logistics Agency (Bulog) to a food for the poor program. Oct.

Court deals Akbar an ace

Court deals Akbar an aceThe Jakarta Post, Jakarta The Supreme Court's decision to acquit Golkar chairman Akbar Tandjung of corruption charges paves the way for his candidacy for the presidency and boosts the party's ambition to return to power.

Disabled people appeal to KPU for concrete steps

Disabled people appeal to KPU for concrete stepsEva C. Komandjaja, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta People with disabilities have largely expressed reluctance to exercise their right to vote as the General Elections Commission (KPU) has failed to provide access to polling stations, an activist said.

Thursday, February 12, 2004

Thursday, February 12, 2004 .TB.30" .90"TVRI 6:00 a.m. News: Berita Pagi7:00 Entertainment News: Selebrita8:00 Music: Sik Asik9:00 Entertainment News: Pro Biz10:00 TV Drama: Nostalgia 12:00 p.m. Singing Contest: Konteswara 1:00 News: Berita Siang2:00 Quiz2:30 English News Service3:00 Trend4:00 City...

Rupiah Rates Feb.12

Rupiah Rates Feb.12 Banknote rates TT rates Selling Buying Selling Buying Australian dollar 1 7,006.39 6,214.94 6,645.71 6,575.39 Brunei dollar 1 5,319.90 4,719.13 5,046.04 4,992.83 Canadian dollar 1 6,755.50 5,993.02 6,407.74 6,340.59 Swiss franc 1 7,230.98 6,415.63 6,858.75 6,787.

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

1. JUDGES: 48 pt, 3 cols, 3 x 18to be sent later2. LEGAL: 36 pt, 4 cols, 2 x 27People's hopes of corruption eradication are fading away3. FESTIVAL: 30 pt, 3 cols, 2 x 27Festival Rasuna to promote SMEs 4. MUHAMMADIYAH: 28 pt, 4 cols, 1 x 38Muhammadiyah urged to review support for Amien 5.

Muhammadiyah urged to review its support for Amien's presidential bid

Muhammadiyah urged to review its support for Amien's presidential bidA. Junaidi, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Scholar Muslim Abdurrahman urged the country's second largest Muslim organization Muhammadiyah on Thursday to review its decision to support Amien Rais's presidential bid, saying the move...

Exonerated, Akbar's chance improve: Court favors House leader

Exonerated, Akbar's chance improve: Court favors House leaderTiarma Siboro and Kurniawan Hari, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Golkar leader Akbar Tandjung broke his fast on Thursday and later prostrated himself to the floor of his official residence to express his gratitude to God, shortly after Supreme...

Activists protest wild animal trade

Activists protest wild animal tradeDewi Santoso and Theresia Sufa The Jakarta Post Jakarta/BogorAround 70 activists from the organization Pro Fauna Indonesia (Indonesian Wildlife Support) demonstrated on Wednesday at the Hotel Indonesia traffic circle, unfurling a five meter by three meter banner...

Asian stocks make gains

Asian stocks make gainsAgence France-Presse, Hong Kong Most of Asia's major bourses rose moderately on Thursday as positive sentiment about the U.S. economy flowed into the region's markets.The major gainers were Tokyo, Hong Kong, Sydney and Kuala Lumpur after Wall Street rose fueled by optimism...

Financial security may raise impartial media

Financial security may raise impartial mediaArdimas Sasdi, Staff Writer, The Jakarta Post, Berkeley, California, ajambak@uclink.berkeley.edu One perennial problem, which often provokes cynicism and sarcasm from the reading and viewing public toward the Indonesian media, is the violations of ethics...

The death of Sunan commemorated

The death of Sunan commemorated CIREBON, West Java: Thousands of Cirebon residents here commemorated on Thursday the death of legendary cleric Sunan Gunung Jati, who helped spread Islam in West Java region.The commemoration ceremony was held in Kasepuhan Palace in the city of Cirebon.

Sky tower opens on resort island

Sky tower opens on resort islandSINGAPORE: Singapore's latest tourist drawcard, a 110 meter tower, opened on Thursday on the Sentosa resort island offering a 360-degree view of the tiny Southeast Asian nation.

BI sees Q1 GDP growth at 4.3-4.8%

BI sees Q1 GDP growth at 4.3-4.8%The Jakarta Post, Jakarta The central bank has predicted economic growth of 4.8 percent in the first quarter of this year from the same period last year, citing strong domestic consumption and an expected improvement in exports.

Romantic dinner still a favorite

Romantic dinner still a favoriteDewi Santoso, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta With only one more day to go until Valentine's Day, it is difficult to escape all the romance, with hotels and cafes visions of red and pink, all offering special menus for couples wishing to spend an unforgettable evening...

On crooked politicians

On crooked politiciansFrom GatraIn the period of reform no significant political change was introduced because the majority of politicians were perceivably exponents of the New Order. Even some newcomers in politics also have the vision and mission of the old regime.

Migrants to have new ID cards

Migrants to have new ID cards JAKARTA: The Jakarta Population and Civil Registration Agency will replace temporary ID cards for migrants with the new Migrant ID cards."The new Migrant ID cards will be recorded at the city administration database on population so that we can easily monitor where the...

Bird flu outbreak devastating small poultry farms

Bird flu outbreak devastating small poultry farmsSari P. Setiogi and Multa Fidrus, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta/Tangerang After millions of chickens have been killed due to bird flu and other diseases over the past several months, poultry farmers are now anticipating greater losses caused by the...

Mega urged to act on police corruption

Mega urged to act on police corruption JAKARTA: In a bid to combat corruption within the National Police, the Police Staff College (PTIK) urged President Megawati Soekarnoputri on Thursday to immediately issue a decree establishing an independent police monitoring institution already mandated by...

Surabaya-Bali route cut due to floods

Surabaya-Bali route cut due to floods SURABAYA: Floods and landslides hit Bondowoso regency in East Java, which caused a bridge in Tenggarang subdistrict here to collapse, cutting the road between Surabaya and Bali.

Doctors silent on Tommy's illness

Doctors silent on Tommy's illnessM. Taufiqurrahman, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta After claiming they carried out a medical checkup on Hutomo "Tommy" Mandala Putra, a team of 10 doctors at Gatot Subroto Army Hospital stated on Thursday that the convict must stay longer in the hospital due to the...

Passengers prefer old, regular buses to the busway

Passengers prefer old, regular buses to the buswayAbdul Khalik, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta In the two weeks of full operation, the busway has seen an increase in passengers each day, but their total number is only a third of the 60,000 commuters that previously traveled between Blok M in South...

Festival Rasuna to promote SMEs

Festival Rasuna to promote SMEsDewi Santoso, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Some 180 small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and 120 private businesses are expected to join the two-day Festival Rasuna 2004 at Pasar Festival, Jl. H. R. Rasuna Said, South Jakarta, on Feb. 14 and Feb. 15.

* Headlines:Muhammadiyah asked to review support for Amien 2

* Headlines:Muhammadiyah asked to review support for Amien 2 * National:President to enjoy campaign privileges 4 * Archipelago:Death toll of Nabire quakes up to 37 5 * Opinion:John Kerry will win the patriot game in elections 7 * City:Passengers prefer old, regular buses to the busway 8 *...

RI, US may improve military ties

RI, US may improve military ties JAKARTA: The Indonesian and United States militaries have agreed to improve cooperation, despite the ongoing weapons embargo imposed in 1999 by the U.S. Congress against the Indonesian Military (TNI) In a meeting with President Megawati Soekarnoputri Thursday,...

'State officials should be exempt from traffic regulations'

'State officials should be exempt from traffic regulations' Vice President Hamzah Haz publicly apologized for using the busway lane along congested Jl. Thamrin, Central Jakarta, on his way to the office. He defended his actions by saying that the police had directed his convoy into the lane.

IBRA to wrap up Lippo sale next week

IBRA to wrap up Lippo sale next weekThe Jakarta Post, Jakarta The Indonesian Bank Restructuring Agency (IBRA) expects to finalize soon the auction of a 52 percent stake in Bank Lippo by signing a sale and purchase agreement (SPA) with Swissasia Global consortium, as the winning bidder.