Feb. 19 : Tanah Abang textile market is gutted by fire. JP/1/@01 Tenabang?' that suggests Tomy Winata had something to do with the fire. March 8 : Tomy's supporters swarm the Tempo offices on Jl. Diponegoro, Central Jakarta, protesting the article. Tempo chief editor Bambang Harymurti and a journalist are assaulted. March 14 : Community leaders, politicians and journalists join the chorus in condemning the attack, saying it is an act of thuggery and an insult to press freedom.

OPEC remains concerned at falling oil price Fitri Wulandari, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) remains concerned at the likelihood of a declining oil price in the second quarter of this year when demand for heating fuel falls off. OPEC President Purnomo Yusgiantoro said demand for the fuel was expected to drop by 2.2 million barrels per day (bpd) to 2.4 million bpd.

KPU to hire 15,000 students for data entry A. Junaidi, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta The General Elections Commission (KPU) will hire around 15,000 university students across the country to help enter data at some 5,000 districts nationwide, says KPU chairman Nazaruddin Sjamsuddin. "Each district will get three students to help in inputting data," Nazaruddin said after a meeting with rectors and deputy rectors from 13 universities.

1. PKI: 2 LINES, 15 COUNTS Ex-PKI members regain rights 2. DENGUE: 2 LINES, 14 COUNTS Dengue cases up; regions need help 3. TEMPO: 2 LINES, 18 COUNTS Court rejects Tomy's suit against 'Tempo' 4. QUAKE: 1 LINE, 32 COUNTS At least 229 dead in Morocco quake

Court rejects Tomy's suit vs 'Tempo' M. Taufiqurrahman, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta The panel of judges at the Central Jakarta District Court rejected on Tuesday the Rp 120 billion (US$14.3 million) civil suit filed by well-connected businessman Tomy Winata against Tempo magazine. The judges stated that the defamation suit against journalist Ahmad Taufik and publisher PT Tempo Inti Media was invalid because the plaintiff failed to name all of the proper defendants.

Governor demands contingency plan SAMARINDA, East Kalimantan: Regents and mayors in the province should prepare contingency plans to anticipate the late arrival of ballot boxes from Jakarta, East Kalimantan Governor Suwarna AF said. Suwarna has asked the central General Elections Commission (KPU) to send the province ballot boxes by the end of February at the latest. "If they can't do it, then we should produce ballot boxes ourselves.

Govt waits for Hidayat's complaint JAKARTA: The government is waiting for an official statement from Hidayat Nur Wahid, leader of the Islamic foundation Al Hairiman Al Khariyah, before it files a complaint with the United Nations Security Council for including the foundation on the list of terrorists linked to al-Qaeda.

TV Program: Wednesday, February 25, 2004 .TB.30" 1.00" TVRI .TB.30" .90" 6:00 a.m. News: Berita Pagi 7:00 Entertainment News: Selebrita 8:00 Music: Sik Asik 9:00 Entertainment News: Show Biz 10:00 TV Drama: Si Kabayan 12:30 p.m.

Construction of Jatigede dam urged Nana Rukmana, The Jakarta Post, Cirebon, West Java Regents and councillors in the areas along the north Java coast demanded on Tuesday that the central government expedite construction of Jatigede dam, located in Sumedang regency. The calls were made after extensive flooding occurred in several regencies in West Java province, including Indramayu. Indramayu regent Irianto M.S.

Dengue fever spreading, more regions cry for help The Jakarta Post, Jakarta/Cirebon The dengue fever outbreak has continued to escalate, prompting a number of regional administrations to demand more health workers and emergency aid. Jakarta Health Agency spokeswoman Evi Zelvino said on Tuesday dozens of health workers from state-owned medical schools and paramedic institutions had been deployed to help city-run hospitals, which were short of medical workers.

PDI-P remains aloof on Golkar bid JAKARTA: The Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) has cold-shouldered Golkar Party chairman Akbar Tandjung's statement on a possible coalition between the two major parties. PDI-P deputy secretary-general Pramono Anung said on Tuesday that the coalition plan was not in consideration. "We have never talked about that," he said.

Susilo highly praises TNI's reform moves, gives civilians 'F' Tiarma Siboro, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Coordinating Minister for Political and Security Affairs Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono hailed on Tuesday the Indonesian Military (TNI) for consistently upholding the reform agenda, which civilian leaders had not done.

Economists warn economic recovery a long way to go Tony Hotland, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Top economists warned that lower bank interest and inflation rates, and a stronger rupiah are not the ultimate indicators of a sound economy, but only intermediate objectives. Speaking during a seminar on Indonesia's transition process on Tuesday, State Minister of National Development Planning Kwik Kian Gie said that the constant decline in the interest rate was only discouraging savings.

Cafe attack From Warta Kota It is most concerning that Kampung Kafe on JL. Raya Boulevard, Tangerang, was attacked in broad daylight. Apparently those responsible took the law into their own hands, even looting the cafe. Reportedly, the suspects had been offended by dangdut music blaring from the cafe. The cafe owner said that the suspects had earlier complained about a live-music performance during the holy month of Ramadhan. The cafe management had immediately stopped the show.

Tension continues in Kampar, nine arrested Haidir Anwar Tanjung, The Jakarta Post, Pekanbaru, Riau Hundreds of civil servants staged a rally in the town of Bangkinang in Kampar regency on Tuesday to express their lack of confidence in regent Jefri Noer and his deputy A. Zakir. The regency council had recommended that the central government dismiss the two over the weekend.

Correction BIRTHDAY BOOK: Linguist Anton Moeliono, whose picture appeared on page four of The Jakarta Post on Feb. 24, celebrated his 75th birthday, which was marked with the launch of a book of his essays. We apologize for the mistake. Editor

Malaysia PM to skip G-15 summit MALAYSIA: Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi decided on Tuesday to skip this weekend's G-15 meeting of developing nations in Venezuela, raising speculation that he could call a general election soon. "The latest word is the PM is not going to Caracas," Abdullah's spokesman Azhar Osman told Reuters, but gave no reason for the decision.

Swissasia declared eligible to buy Lippo Dadan Wijaksana, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta The Swissasia Global consortium has been given the green light to acquire a majority stake in Bank Lippo, Indonesian Bank Restructuring Agency (IBRA) chairman Syafruddin Temenggung says. "I have heard from Bank Indonesia that the fit and proper test has been completed, and that the Swissasia Global consortium has been declared eligible (for the take over)," Syafruddin said on Tuesday.

Corpse found at Governor Office MALUKU, Ambon: A body was found on Tuesday on the second floor of the Maluku governor's office in Ambon, only a month before the office was set to be re-opened by President Megawati Soekarnoputri. Police said the body was the remains of Marselus Pawembum, 41, a security guard at the office, located on Jl. Kapitan Pattimura here. Amdon Islands Police chief Adj. Sr. Comr. Teguh Budi Prasodjo, said the body was found by a construction worker at the office.

'Kijang taxis? Whose great idea is that?' The city administration's plan to launch a new public transportation service using Toyota Kijang vans amid the existing city-wide fleet of 25,000 sedan taxis, has received mixed reactions. The Jakarta Post ventured out for some comments from the streets. Ujang, 28, is a street vendor selling bottled drink on Jl. Daan Mogot, West Jakarta. He lives with his brother in Kalideres, West Jakarta: I don't know if people downtown need such taxis.

Tebing Tinggi, Samosir hit by floods, landslide Apriadi Gunawan, The Jakarta Post, Medan, North Sumatra Torrential rain, which had pounded several parts of North Sumatra for the past week, has caused floods in Tebing Tinggi municipality, some 80 kilometers south of Medan, the capital of North Sumatra. The rain also caused landslide in Samosir regency in Samosir island, some 170 kilometers south of Medan.