Indonesian Political, Business & Finance News

Archive: 4 January 2005

84 articles found

UN: No major disease yet, but water and sanitation are key

UN: No major disease yet, but water and sanitation are keyEmma Ross, Associated Press/JakartaHospitals left standing after Asia's killer tsunamis haven't been swamped by severely injured survivors. Most casualties either have light wounds or are dead.

Indonesia asks for region-wide early warning system

Indonesia asks for region-wide early warning systemFabiola Desy Unidjaja and Rendi Witular, The Jakarta Post, JakartaSeveral Asian countries will set up a region-wide tsunami early warning system following untold death and destruction in Indonesia, as well as 10 other countries, President Susilo...

1. CHILD: 1 LINES, 32 COUNTS

1. CHILD: 1 LINES, 32 COUNTS Traffickers prey on Aceh's orphans 2. ROUND: 1 LINE, 30 COUNTS Food aid goes bad sitting at ports 3. SURVIVOR: 2 LINES, 19 COUNTS Indonesian survivors found after days afloat 4. TAX: 1 LINE, 32 COUNTS Govt plans tax stimulus to spur growth

RI TV's disastrous Aceh coverage

RI TV's disastrous Aceh coverage Despite the deepest grief for our fellow Indonesians who became victims of the horrible tsunami disaster in Aceh and North Sumatra, I have been amazed and even confused at how the local TV stations, except Metro TV, have responded to the tragic situation.

Sutiyoso to visit Aceh to lend assistance

Sutiyoso to visit Aceh to lend assistanceThe Jakarta Post, JakartaIn his capacity as chairman of the Association of Provincial Administrations (APPSI), Governor Sutiyoso will take a one-day trip to Aceh on Wednesday to deliver relief funds and aid.

CEOs upbeat on RI economy

CEOs upbeat on RI economy JAKARTA: The Business sentiment index (BSI), which represents sentiment of top decision-makers in the business community, climbed by 1.8 percent in the October-November period to a 50- month high of 115.9 points, a survey showed on Monday.

Prices on goods, services to rise due to inflation

Prices on goods, services to rise due to inflationUrip Hudiono, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Despite a manageable inflation of slightly below the 2004 projection, Indonesian consumers are likely to pay more for goods and services this year, according to the Central Statistics Agency (BPS).

The exhausting legal journey

The exhausting legal journeyFrom Media IndonesiaLaw enforcement in Indonesia is like a long and exhausting journey with no certainty in sight. Law becomes a commodity most demanded by wealthy and powerful buyers, while its enforcers can be so directed that justice is exchanged for money and...

No cholera found in post-tsunami Aceh: Ministry

No cholera found in post-tsunami Aceh: MinistryEva C. Komandjaja, The Jakarta Post, JakartaThe Ministry of Health has played down suspicions there has been an outbreak of killer diseases such as cholera in Aceh, which was devastated by last week's quake-triggered tidal waves.

Smoothing ruffled U.S. feathers after 'stingy' remark

Smoothing ruffled U.S. feathers after 'stingy' remarkAgence France-Presse, WashingtonThe United Nations' top emergency relief official praised on Sunday wealthy nations' donations to tsunami-ravaged South Asia, after ruffling feathers in Washington last week by describing the developed world's aid...

Tsunami victims tell of their fight for survival

Tsunami victims tell of their fight for survivalA'an Suryana, The Jakarta Post, MeulabohYoung Ichsan Yusdarli was preparing his fishing net on a beach in Kuala district, Nagan Raya regency, some 20 kilometers from Meulaboh, on that fateful Sunday morning.

TVRI Bandung requests Rp 10 billion in funds

TVRI Bandung requests Rp 10 billion in funds Yuli Tri Suwarni The Jakarta Post/Bandung Financial problems confronting television station TVRI Bandung has forced its management to put in a request for Rp 10 billion in funding from the West Java provincial budget to cover its operational costs this...

President's official car park?

President's official car park?From KompasOn Nov. 15, I parked my car outside of Klub Bimasena (health/sports center) in South Jakarta, near the gate of the club, which shares the same complex with Hotel Dharmawangsa.

Malaysia, S'pore offer airports for aid work

Malaysia, S'pore offer airports for aid workAgence France-Presse, Kuala LumpurMalaysia has opened its airspace and two airports to U.S. and UN relief operations for the tsunami-hit Indonesian province of Aceh, the foreign ministry said on Monday.

Officials named graft suspects

Officials named graft suspects TANGERANG: Tangerang prosecutors have named Wildanul Firdaus, head of the regency's trade and industry agency, and former regental council member Syamsudin suspects in a Rp 3.3 billion (US$366,667) graft case.

Candy as change

Candy as change This is in response to the letter from Wendy (of Freiburg, Germany) who complains of getting candy in lieu of Rp 100 change at Balinese stores (Cheating in Bali, The Jakarta Post, Dec. 16).

Putty relishes challenge of Jakarta final

Putty relishes challenge of Jakarta finalMoch. N. Kurniawan, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta After winning the previous two of six legs in the Asian Bowling Federation (ABF) Tour, Putty Armein of Indonesia hopes to continue her winning form at home.

Gordon Benton, an architect of life

Gordon Benton, an architect of lifeDewi Santoso, Contributor, Jakarta"Never lose your roots, because from where you came is where you are going," is what Gordon Grant Benton always advises people.Indeed, Benton, a director and senior technical advisor of PT Lippo Karawaci, never forgets his...

U.S. missionaries send plane to Aceh

U.S. missionaries send plane to Aceh JAYAPURA: The Papua administration has given the go-ahead for a plane it normally relies on to be sent to Aceh for evacuation purposes and to drop aid to tsunami victims.

Indonesia, ASEAN and Australia

Indonesia, ASEAN and AustraliaS.P. Seth Sydney Indonesia is understandably upset over Australia's recent announcement of its plan to establish a 1,000-mile maritime identification zone to fight terrorism and other international crimes.

Gordon Benton, an architect of life

Gordon Benton, an architect of lifeDewi Santoso Contributor/Jakarta"Never lose your roots, because from where you came is where you are going," is what Gordon Grant Benton always advises people. Indeed, Benton, a director and senior technical advisor of PT Lippo Karawaci, never forgets his Scottish...

700 inmates flee jails amid tsunami

700 inmates flee jails amid tsunami JAKARTA: More than 700 out of 1,900 inmates fled prisons that were destroyed or damaged by last week's devastating tsunami in Aceh, the government said on Monday."But as many as 100 inmates have surrendered.

Riau governor elected as Golkar leader

Riau governor elected as Golkar leader PEKANBARU: Riau Governor HM Rusli Zainal was elected as the province's Golkar party leader on Sunday, ousting his main competitor and former leader of the party, Ramlan Zas, who is also Rokan Hilir regent.

Indonesia must abolish the death penalty

Indonesia must abolish the death penaltyWilliam Schabas, Jakarta At the recent conference on capital punishment organized by the European Union and the Philosophy Department of the University of Indonesia, the attorney general provided an astonishing statistic: From independence until 2003, a total...

The nail trap

The nail trapFrom KompasWe were riding on our motorcycle on Jl. Daan Mogot, West Jakarta late on Nov. 13 when our rear tire got a puncture near Pesing area.Some ojek (motorcycle taxi) drivers in the area said that tire repair workshop owners spread various kinds of nails over the road to boost...

Puteh seeks release to help relief work

Puteh seeks release to help relief workMuninggar Sri Saraswati, The Jakarta Post, JakartaAbdullah Puteh, who has been suspended by President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono as the Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam governor while facing trial on graft charges, appealed to the Anticorruption Court on Monday to...

Disaster management for Aceh calamity

Disaster management for Aceh calamityOng Hock Chuan, Jakarta It is heartening to see the amount of goodwill, generosity and willingness of Indonesians to help their compatriots in Aceh in the aftermath of the tsunami.

Nelly juggles family and business

Nelly juggles family and businessSyofiardi Bachyul Jb, The Jakarta Post, PadangIt came as a great surprise to 40-year-old Nelly Izmi, when she received the news that the U.S Agency for International Development (USAID) was planning to award her for her entrepreneurial skills.

Globalization and Westernization

Globalization and Westernization Referring to Professor Christopher Lingle's article entitled RI and globalization debate: Embracing 'contract culture', which appeared at The Jakarta Post on Dec. 28, I am impressed by the articulation and clarity of his debate on the issue of globalization and its...

People, soldiers isolated after tsunami disaster

People, soldiers isolated after tsunami disasterA'an Suryana The Jakarta Post/MeulabohFirst Lt. Kartika Sudrajat was angered by a private TV station's news ticker that said many soldiers in Aceh were among the victims of Sunday's powerful tsunami.

Aceh newspaper survives war, threats and tsunami

Aceh newspaper survives war, threats and tsunamiChris Brummitt, Associated Press/Banda AcehThe tsunami ripped through the offices of Aceh's only newspaper with awesome force, picking up its two huge printing presses like toys and hurling them into the carpark.

Corruption and democracy

Corruption and democracyFrom Koran Tempo President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono declared Dec. 9 Anticorruption Day for the purpose of waging a war against corruption. On several occasions he even said he would direct the corruption eradication movement himself.

More donations pour in for tsunami victims in RI

More donations pour in for tsunami victims in RIVeeramalla Anjaiah, The Jakarta Post, JakartaMore countries, and people across the globe, continued to donate cash, food, clothes and medicines to the tsunami victims in Aceh and North Sumatra provinces and other countries.

Three months needed to clear rubble from disaster

Three months needed to clear rubble from disasterThe Jakarta Post, JakartaThe government said on Monday it would take at least three months to clear the debris from Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam and North Sumatra provinces, citing severely damaged infrastructure as the main obstacle to clearing efforts.

Telkom to refinance $200m debt in 2005

Telkom to refinance $200m debt in 2005 JAKARTA: PT Telekomunikasi Indonesia, the nation's largest telecommunications company, plans to refinance up to US$200 million in foreign debts this year to reduce foreign exchange losses stemming from fluctuations in the rupiah against the dollar.

'For believers, it's a warning from God'

'For believers, it's a warning from God'Survivors of the earthquake and tidal waves, which devastated Aceh and parts of North Sumatra, are now facing a new deadly threat as diseases spread in the wrecked provinces, worsened by the shortage of relief supplies and workers.

Stock prices on the Jakarta Stock Exchange (in rupiah) on Jan.3, 2005

Stock prices on the Jakarta Stock Exchange (in rupiah) on Jan.3, 2005 _____________________________________________________________________________ Shares Close Change Trading Volume _____________________________________________________________________________ Abdi Bangsa Tbk 225 0 0 Ades Alfindo...

Police clamp down on Adiguna

Police clamp down on AdigunaAbdul Khalik, The Jakarta Post, JakartaJakarta Police vowed on Monday to continue gathering evidence to complete the investigation into the murder of Yohannes Berchmans Haerudy Natong, or Rudy, involving Adiguna Sutowo, the son of the late Ibnu Sutowo, a former president...

Jobs may curb drug abuse and AIDS

Jobs may curb drug abuse and AIDSAbdul Khalik, The Jakarta Post, JakartaOnce a drug user, Sarifuddin, 26, a resident of Kampung Bali, Central Jakarta, has found that working at a modest motorcycle wash depot in the area has increased his self-esteem."I quit drugs.

1. Jusuf (60) - 42 pts 7 cols 1line (1x42)

1. Jusuf (60) - 42 pts 7 cols 1line (1x42) Tsunami disaster: Unifying power of tragedy 2. Summit (40) - 48 pts 4cols 2lines (2x24)Jakarta gets in gear for international relief summit 3. Debt (45) -- 36 pts 4 cols 1line (1x28) Indonesia mulls rescheduling debt 4.

Asian Insurers Little Affected by Tsunamis, S&P Says

Asian Insurers Little Affected by Tsunamis, S&P Says Netty Ismail Associated Press/SingaporeHSBC Insurance (Asia) Ltd., United Insurance India Co. Ltd. and other Asian insurance companies will probably incur smaller losses from the region's devastating tsunamis than from other natural disasters in...

1. Clean ----- 3x16

1. Clean ----- 3x16 Three months needed to clear rubble from disaster 2. Mosque ---- 2x24 Mosques stand defiant by invisible 'Hand of God' 3. Murder ---- 1x30 Police clamp down on Adiguna 4. Pregnant -- 1x38 Expecting mother finds miracle in Aceh

20 years in jail sought for Indian drug courier

20 years in jail sought for Indian drug courierMulta Fidrus, The Jakarta Post, TangerangProsecutors demanded on Monday that the Tangerang District Court sentence an Indian citizen to 20 years in prison and fine him Rp 50 million (US$5,556) for attempting to transport 300 grams of heroin through...

Susilo opens 2005 trading in quiet bourse

Susilo opens 2005 trading in quiet bourseRendi A. Witular, The Jakarta Post, JakartaPresident Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono made his first visit to the Jakarta Stock Exchange (JSX) on Monday to open trading for the new year while most brokers were still on holiday.

Corruption and democracy

Corruption and democracyFrom Koran Tempo President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono declared Dec. 9 Anticorruption Day for the purpose of waging a war against corruption. On several occasions he even said he would direct the corruption eradication movement himself.

Alternative energy for electricity

Alternative energy for electricityFrom Bisnis IndonesiaThe high world oil price will certainly raise the cost of power production by state electricity company (PLN), whose cost components are 25 percent composed of fuel oil.

Won falls on concern BOK will sell, Taiwan dollar rises

Won falls on concern BOK will sell, Taiwan dollar risesYumi Kuramitsu, Bloomberg/SingaporeSouth Korea's won fell from a seven- year high after a report said the government will sell a record amount of bonds this month to help curb the currency's gains.The government will sell 5 trillion won (US$4.

Indonesian survivors found after days afload

Indonesian survivors found after days afloadAgencies, Port Blair/Kuala LumpurFour men and a woman from Indonesia were found separately after days of drifting at sea.The Associated Press quoted the Indian coast guard as saying on Monday that four fishermen were found alive on a boat that was pushed...

Jakarta gets in gear for International relief summit

Jakarta gets in gear for International relief summitThe Jakarta Post, Jakarta/ManilaIndonesia, the worst-affected country in the Dec. 26 tsunami disaster, is making preparations for an emergency summit of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) leaders and other nations to help...

The exhausting legal journey

The exhausting legal journeyFrom Media Indonesia Law enforcement in Indonesia is like a long and exhausting journey with no certainty in sight. Law becomes a commodity most demanded by wealthy and powerful buyers, while its enforcers can be so directed that justice is exchanged for money and...

Looking for a thaw in S. Asia to face tomorrow's challenges

Looking for a thaw in S. Asia to face tomorrow's challengesHuma Fakhar and Jean-Pierre Lehmann, Yale Center for the Study of Globalization, Lahore South Asia seems to have remained immune to the recent phenomenon of the "borderless world".

Tardiness of relief work

Tardiness of relief work While India was understandably unprepared for the tsunami that came without warning, this does not explain the inexcusable tardiness in the relief work in some of the affected areas.

Call in the reserves

Call in the reservesHarold James, Project Syndicate The People's Bank of China and the Bank of Japan -- as well as other central banks in Asia -- are in trouble. They have accumulated vast foreign exchange reserves, estimated at more than US$2 trillion.

Tsunami disaster: The unifying power of tragedy

Tsunami disaster: The unifying power of tragedyJusuf Wanandi, Jakarta The tsunami hit so suddenly and with such strength that many Indonesians were left dumbstruck for the first 24 hours.In the beginning, the number of victims from Aceh and North Sumatra was thought to be much less, though the...

Indonesia mulls rescheduling debt

Indonesia mulls rescheduling debtRendi A. Witular and Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, The Jakarta Post, JakartaThe Indonesian government wants to reschedule its debts with foreign donors to finance the reconstruction of damaged infrastructure in Aceh and North Sumatra following the Dec.

We wish to express our deepest

We wish to express our deepest sympathy on the passing ofDjuariah at 75 years of agefather in-law of Mala Turini Harahap, one of our employees, on Sunday, Dec. 26, 2004, in Banda Aceh, Aceh, in the tsunami.He was buried on Dec. 27 in Banda Aceh.May God Almighty bless and keep him always.

Lesser graft must be unveiled

Lesser graft must be unveiledFrom Koran TempoThe disclosure of alleged corruption in the purchase of Scorpion tanks means considerable progress in the unveiling of cases that were formerly seen as untouchable, but the flow of funds in such cases should also be traced.

Police question ex-councillor over graft

Police question ex-councillor over graftJon Afrizal, The Jakarta Post, JambiThe Jambi Police has grilled Machluddin Ahmad over his alleged involvement in the misuse of Rp 8 billion (US$860,000) from the West Tanjungjabung legislative council budget.

Traffickers prey on Aceh's orphans

Traffickers prey on Aceh's orphansThe Jakarta Post, Jakarta/MedanThe catastrophic earthquake and tsunami have left some 35,000 children either orphaned or separated from their parents and other family members in Aceh, many of whom may have fallen victim to child trafficking, officials said on...

Expecting mother finds miracle in Aceh

Expecting mother finds miracle in AcehTomi Soetjipto, Reuters, Banda AcehIn this Indonesian city of misery and despair, heavily pregnant Haiwati tells a story of survival that shows miracles can happen.

Rupiah ends up, tsunami impact likely limited

Rupiah ends up, tsunami impact likely limitedDow Jones, Bloomberg, JakartaThe rupiah ended higher on Monday as international pledges to help the country cope with the impact of the recent earthquake- tsunami disaster helped sentiment on the local unit, dealers said.

Fishermen fear the ocean's power

Fishermen fear the ocean's power INDRAMAYU, West Java: Fear of further tsunamis has made fishermen in the West Java towns of Cirebon and Indramayu reluctant to go out to sea."Now we spend more time at home.

Indonesia's 11-month trade surplus dips 28 percent on surging imports

Indonesia's 11-month trade surplus dips 28 percent on surging importsZakki P. Hakim, The Jakarta Post, JakartaIndonesia's trade surplus dropped by almost a third in the first 11 months last year compared to its 2003 performance as imports soared due to increasing oil prices, the Central Statistics...

Mosques stand defiant by invisible 'Hand of God'

Mosques stand defiant by invisible 'Hand of God'Victor Tjahjadi, Agence France-Presse, Banda AcehIn Indonesia's tsunami wastelands on the northern tip of Sumatra island, little remains of whole towns lost to the colossal forces that came thundering in from the ocean.

Tsunami crisis boosts Thaksin's popularity

Tsunami crisis boosts Thaksin's popularityTHAILAND: Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra's handling of Thailand's tidal wave disaster has boosted his popularity before elections next month, according to a poll released on Monday.Some 54.

Two foreigners to be deported

Two foreigners to be deported BANDUNG: Two foreigners, a Thai and an Italian, will be deported by the Bandung Immigration Office for overstaying their visas.Head of the immigration office Tri Adi Dharma said the two foreigners -- Amran Samoh, 23, and Valerio Cogrossi, 55 -- were arrested on Dec.

Tsunami aid faces chaos and possibly pirates

Tsunami aid faces chaos and possibly piratesMichael Perry, Reuters/BangkokThe massive Asian tsunami relief operation faces absolute chaos and "a wall of devastation" in Indonesia as well as the threat of pirates plundering aid, relief groups struggling to help thousands in camps said on Monday.

TVRI Bandung requests Rp 10 billion in funds

TVRI Bandung requests Rp 10 billion in funds Yuli Tri Suwarni The Jakarta Post/Bandung Financial problems confronting television station TVRI Bandung has forced its management to put in a request for Rp 10 billion in funding from the West Java provincial budget to cover its operational costs this...

2005: End of the beginning for Susilo

2005: End of the beginning for SusiloMeidyatama Suryodiningrat, Jakarta If 2004 was the year of voting frequently, then 2005 could be a year of many frustrations. After the highs and the promises, inevitably comes disappointment.

* Police to keep Adiguna Sutowo in custody Page 2

* Police to keep Adiguna Sutowo in custody Page 2 * Puteh seeks release to help Aceh relief efforts Page 4 * Disaster management for Aceh calamity Page 6 * Jakarta sees no urgency for early tsunami warning system Page 8 * Rivals warn Chelsea title race not over Page 9 * Palestinian election enters...

Food aid goes bad sitting at ports

Food aid goes bad sitting at portsThe Jakarta Post, Banda Aceh/LhokseumaweSome food aid packages are starting to spoil at ports as they await ships destined for tsunami-hit areas in Aceh and North Sumatra.

Malaysian palm oil futures fall on adequate stock

Malaysian palm oil futures fall on adequate stockBloomberg/Jakarta Palm oil futures in Malaysia fell as factories that buy the edible oil have adequate stock to meet their needs for the next few weeks, said traders and producers.

S. Korea moves to protect local firms

S. Korea moves to protect local firmsSEOUL: South Korea has introduced new rules to help domestic firms protect themselves from hostile takeover bids by foreign investors, officials said on Monday.The new rules will take effect in March, the Ministry of Finance and Economy said.

RI roars over KL in heated semifinal

RI roars over KL in heated semifinalAssociated Press, Kuala Lumpur Veteran striker Kurniawan Dwi Yulianto turned in a vintage performance to lead Indonesia into their third Tiger Cup final, beating Malaysia 4-1 Monday in a match marred by fighting between rival supporters.

City insists on handing over school to private owner

City insists on handing over school to private ownerDamar Harsanto, The Jakarta Post, JakartaTo cut its own losses in the prolonged legal dispute revolving around a vacant school building on Jl. Melawai Raya, South Jakarta, the Jakarta administration has insisted that it will hand over the school...

No urgency for local quake alert system

No urgency for local quake alert systemBambang Nurbianto, The Jakarta Post, JakartaImagine that densely populated Jakarta was rocked by an earthquake, then hit by a tsunami, on a scale similar to what happened in Aceh that killed tens of thousands of people and devastated buildings and...

Govt plans tax stimulus to spur growth

Govt plans tax stimulus to spur growthRendi A. Witular, The Jakarta Post, JakartaThe government is set to provide tax break facilities to the business community in an effort to improve the business climate and lure new investment, as well as to help support existing firms to expand their businesses.

RI thanks Australia for tsunami aid

RI thanks Australia for tsunami aidAUSTRALIA: Indonesia thanked neighboring Australia on Monday for its help after last week's tsunami and earthquake disaster which killed more than 94,000 people in the country and devastated Aceh province.

Tsunami hero arrested after returning home

Tsunami hero arrested after returning home SYDNEY: An Australian man who earned praise for saving more than a dozen lives during the Asian tsunami disaster was arrested on his return home Monday, after police recognized him in a television interview from Thailand.

Hotel Borobudur Jakarta

Hotel Borobudur Jakarta KING OF SOUPS: The Quadrant Positioning & Branding Company, in collaboration with Marketing Magazine, recently presented awards to the 11 most popular dishes in Jakarta. Hotel Borobudur Jakarta's Sup Buntut Borobudur received the Best Seller Sup Buntut 2004 award, which was...

Foreign tourist numbers drop in November

Foreign tourist numbers drop in NovemberUrip Hudiono, The Jakarta PostForeign tourist arrivals in November 2004 dropped slightly from the previous month amid a low season in the tourism industry, but has still managed to maintain its on-year rising momentum, a report said on Monday.Around 4.

Is the U.S. stingy? Yes

Is the U.S. stingy? YesPresident Bush finally roused himself from his vacation in Crawford, Texas, to telephone his sympathy to the leaders of India, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Indonesia, and to speak publicly about the devastation of the tsunamis in Asia...

Tangerang to plant over 40,000 tress

Tangerang to plant over 40,000 tress TANGERANG: In a bid to create more green areas in the municipality, the Tangerang administration will plant 44,000 trees across the municipality involving local non-governmental organizations.M.

Lessons learnt for hypermarkets

Lessons learnt for hypermarketsBarlev Nicodemus, Brussels An article that appeared in The Jakarta Post on Dec. 20 attracted my attention. The article, When violence is used to overcome big business, shed light on an issue that is very crucial to all of us.