PNG interested in forging closer economic ties with Indonesia Nethy Dharma Somba, The Jakarta Post, Jayapura, Papua Papua New Guinea (PNG) has expressed interest in strengthening economic ties with Indonesia, particularly Papua province. PNG's Deputy Prime Minister Moses Maladina highlighted on Friday some sectors in which Papua and PNG could work more closely: forestry, fishery, communications, air transportation and mining.

Donated blood supplies: Need for strict control Inez Nimpuno Canberra 2. Joga -- Busway lacks environment orientation 2 x 30 Busway, pinnacle of sustainable environmental degradation Nirwono Joga Chairman Indonesian Landscape Architecture Study Group Jakarta

The war on intolerance On the subject of Islam and religious extremism, Indonesia's President, Megawati Soekarnoputri, is impeccably qualified to speak. Indonesia, the world's most populous Muslim nation, has consistently rejected the idea of itself as a theocratic Islamic state. Ms Megawati is a devout Muslim who passionately defends religious tolerance.

Tens of thousands of voters may lose right to vote Muh. Azis Tunny and Yemris Fointuna, The Jakarta Post, Ambon/Kupang Tens of thousands of eligible voters in Maluku and East Nusa Tenggara provinces may not be able to vote in the upcoming elections, as they are not registered with the Central Statistics Agency (BPS). In Maluku province, the BPS has finished registering voters, although 7,000 eligible voters have not been registered.

Busway, pinnacle of sustainable environmental degradation Nirwono Joga, Chairman, Indonesian Landscape Architecture Study Group, Jakarta The current debate about the busway project has dealt with the muddled transportation system and worsening traffic. Its impact on environmental degradation, however, has escaped our attention. Jakarta's arbitrary urban management makes its concept of sustainable urban development mere rhetoric, triggering an environmental crisis and leads to ecological suicide.

Stop conflicts In response to the ruling by the Constitutional Court that allows former members of the Indonesian Communist Party (PKI) to be nominated as legislative candidates, we, the National Forum for Good Relationships (FSAB), an organization set up by the children and grandchildren of perpetrators and victims of conflicts in this country since 1945, would like to express our stance as follows: * We fully support this ruling by the Constitutional Court, as it ends the denial of the right...

Mega inaugurates navigation school JAKARTA: President Megawati Soekarnoputri opened Asia's most modern and biggest navigation school in Marunda, North Jakarta, on Friday. Minister of Communications Agum Gumelar said the school, situated on a 32-hectare site in Marunda, North Jakarta, aimed to meet the demand for qualified people in the maritime sector. "We realize that we have to create suitably qualified human resources in facing competition," Agum said.

PSI uses success stories to woo voters Moch. N. Kurniawan, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta The Indonesian Unity Party (PSI) will present a number of successful projects rather than promises in its campaign to win voters' hearts in the upcoming elections, a party leader says.

1. BALLOT: 50 pt, 4 cols, 2 x 24 Film problem causes delay in ballot paper printing 2. CANDIDACY: 36 pt, 4 cols, 1 x 28 KPU, court asked to discuss rules 3. COALITION: 32 pt, 3 cols, 2 x 24 Mega to form coalition that will guarantee a sure win 4. PKI: 28 pt, 4 cols, 1 x 37 'No plan to revive rights of ex-PKI cadres'

Mega-Akbar partnership not a pipe dream Fabiola Desy Unidjaja The Jakarta Post Jakarta Leader of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) Megawati Soekarnoputri dropped a very clear hint on Thursday of her intention to get ever more chummy with Golkar Party leader Akbar Tandjung, as her running mate, in the presidential election.

Abused by Ciputra Hotel On the morning of Feb. 17, my car was hit by a Ciputra Hotel van along Jl. Arjuna Selatan in West Jakarta, not far from the Indonesia Esa Unggul University campus. After the accident, the hotel management said it would be responsible for any damage to my car and would pay me for the damage. On Feb.

Anton, Bahasa Indonesia's vanguard Tantri Yuliandini, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta How does it feel to talk with a linguistic expert? Well, it is like dancing with a professional and you have two left feet. I was conscious of being ever watchful of how I posed my sentences. Not that Anton Moedardo Moeliono ever minded the bungles I made in my questions, but next to his flawless Bahasa Indonesia, I felt like a baby learning to talk. Who could blame me, right?

Aceh student activists accused of treason Nani Farida, The Jakarta Post, Banda Aceh Aceh police declared two of 11 student activists arrested recently as treason suspects on Friday, saying that they had supported the Free Aceh Movement (GAM). Police said the two students had helped GAM by provoking people in Aceh Tengah regency to take refuge.

Tribal leaders demand UN probe into Theys' murder Ridwan Max Sijabat, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Papuan tribal leaders rejected what they called an unsatisfactory investigation into the murder of proindependence Papuan leader Dortheys "Theys" Hiyo Eluway, and called for the United Nations to set up an independent team to conduct an objective and thorough inquiry into the case.

Sweden's good intentions From Media Indonesia The prosecutor's office in Sweden has finally concluded that there is sufficient reason to conduct a preliminary investigation into the actions of leaders of the Free Aceh Movement (GAM), who are Swedish citizens. This news gives some relief because the Swedish government has seriously responded to the appeal of Indonesian people to investigate and take legal action against GAM separatist figures.

Businesses to launch UN's Global Compact Leony Aurora, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Business entities in Indonesia will launch Global Compact -- a United Nations' (UN) initiative that calls for heightened awareness of human rights, and the environment among entrepreneurs -- in Jakarta on Saturday. The launch is sponsored by the Indonesian Employers Association (Apindo) and the International Labor Organization (ILO).

Denpasar administration expels Javanese migrants The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Despite a strong protest, authorities in Denpasar, Bali, expelled on Friday 77 migrants from East Java for not possessing local identity cards.

Japanese duo to play Hungarian masterpieces Tantri Yuliandini, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta The first of this year's Classical Concert Series will present a piano duo recital featuring Japan's Torie Masako and Fukushi Miwako playing compositions by Hungary's Franz Liszt, Franz Schubert and Johannes Brahms. To be performed at Dutch Cultural Centre Erasmus Huis on Monday, the duo will play Liszt's Szozat es Magyar Himnusz and Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2, Schubert's Divertissement a la Hongroise Op.

NGOs educate voters JAKARTA: Non-governmental organizations grouped in the Media Coalition for Free and Fair Elections kicked off their election information dissemination program at the subdistrict level on Friday. The first program, called the democratic town hall meeting, took place at the Senen subdistrict office in Central Jakarta and was attended by around 100 participants from other subdistricts.

Public service and law enforcement From Suara Karya In declaring 2004 the year of public service, State Minister for Administrative Reforms Feisal Tamin emphasized the need to treat the public not merely as recipients of service but as loyal customers. The question raised by critical citizens is: Which customers? Good citizens are certainly different from those who are fond of bribing and violating applicable laws. Therefore, law enforcement should be prioritized to serve good citizens.

Students should keep struggling From Koran Tempo The acquittal of Akbar Tandjung by the Supreme Court is a betrayal of reform, which sets a bad precedent for law enforcement in Indonesia. But not all is lost. The struggle to uphold justice and eliminate corruption, collusion and nepotism will go on. Therefore, all students and people pursuing these common goals should maintain their fighting spirit.

KPU, court, asked to discuss rules Kurniawan Hari, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta A constitutional law expert has called on the General Election Commission (KPU) and the Constitutional Court to have a look into two contradictory rules about the presidential elections to avoid possible chaos in the upcoming poll.

More police personnel sent to conflict area for polls Abdul Khalik, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta The National Police have deployed over 7,000 reinforcement personnel to three conflict-prone areas to help the existing forces there maintain security and order, prior to and during the elections.

IBRA leaves Rp 15.1t of unsold assets Tony Hotland, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta The Indonesian Bank Restructuring Agency (IBRA) officially ended its mandate on Friday, with unresolved business, including Rp 15.1 trillion (US$1.77 billion) in unsold state assets. The closure was marked by agency head Syafruddin Arsjad Temenggung handing over IBRA's financial report, accountability report, and list of unsold assets to Minister of Finance Boediono.

Govt prepares team to combat dengue fever Eva C. Komandjaja, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta The government plans to dispatch over 70,000 field workers to 10,000 villages nationwide to help eradicate dengue fever and increase people's awareness of sanitation, an official said.

Donated blood suplies: Need for strict control Inez Nimpuno, Canberra The news about contaminated blood donations is no surprise. Readers of the Feb. 14 article on tainted donated blood were not jolted or shocked, as public impression about transfusions is drawn from the common knowledge of how unreliable blood donation systems are in developing countries, including Indonesia.

Akbar decision dangerous precedent From Media Indonesia The acquittal of Akbar Tandjung in his corruption case has established a dangerous precedent, in the sense that the court decision may serve as the reference for a future trial. In the case involving Akbar the Supreme Court decision has thus made legal the spending of state funds by a public official without fulfilling proper requirements and procedures.

Where to go in Yogyakarta: Saturday, February 28, 2004 Exhibitions * Contemporary art Home Sweet Home by French artists Eva Jospin and Pierre Thorreton at Kedai Kebun Forum's Gallery, Jl. Tirtodipuran 3 (Tel./Fax. 0274-376114, e-mail: kkforum@indosat.net.id), until March 4. * Photo Sosok by Buldanul Kuhri at Kedai Kebun Forum's Stage, Jl. Tirtodipuran 3 (Tel./fax: 0274-376114, e-mail: kkforum@indosat.net.id), until April 6. * Painting by Cia Samsiar, Bentara Budaya Yogyakarta, Jl Suroto 2 (Tel.

Govt to go ahead with reservoir construction Nana Rukmana, The Jakarta Post, Indramayu, West Java A senior government official said on Friday that the central government would build a large dam in Sumedang regency, called Jatigede dam, which would hopefully put an end to prolonged drought and flooding along Java's northern coast.

S'pore battles trade in fake drugs SINGAPORE: Singapore has sentenced a woman to a year in jail for distributing fake anti-impotence drugs to illegal street peddlers, highlighting a robust market for bogus Viagra in the city-state, authorities said on Friday. Lu Suxiang, 43, a Chinese national, was jailed and fined S$2,500 (US$1,468) for distributing the drugs without a license and for immigration offenses, the Health Sciences Authority said in a statement.

Trade, singers and soap operas: Chinese switch from North to South Korea Cindy Sui, Agence France Presse, Beijing In Jin Zi's family, loyalties towards North and South Korea are clearly divided between the generations. "If South Korea and North Korea had a soccer match, I would cheer for North Korea," said Jin, a Beijing shopkeeper of Korean descent. "But my children, they don't care about North Korea at all.

Officials benefit from logging SEMARANG: State Minister of the Environment Nabiel Makarim says it is very difficult to end illegal logging across the country as local government officials and people benefit from the practice. "Local government officials gain financial benefits from the crime and help local people with money collected from illegal loggers," Nabiel said in Semarang, Central Java, on Friday.