Archive: 4 January 2005
84 articles found
Tue, 04 Jan 2005, 00:00 WIB
Indonesia asks for region-wide early warning system
Indonesia asks for region-wide early warning system Fabiola Desy Unidjaja and Rendi Witular, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Several 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 Bambang Yudhoyono says. Speaking before the stock market and business community in Jakarta on Monday, he said the early warning system would be planned during a one-day summit in Jakarta on Thursday.
Tue, 04 Jan 2005, 00:00 WIB
UN: No major disease yet, but water and sanitation are key
UN: No major disease yet, but water and sanitation are key Emma Ross, Associated Press/Jakarta Hospitals left standing after Asia's killer tsunamis haven't been swamped by severely injured survivors. Most casualties either have light wounds or are dead.
Tue, 04 Jan 2005, 00:00 WIB
The nail trap
The nail trap From Kompas We 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 their business. In fact, on that evening, many motorbikes had their inner tubes replaced due to flat tires.
Tue, 04 Jan 2005, 00:00 WIB
Puteh seeks release to help relief work
Puteh seeks release to help relief work Muninggar Sri Saraswati, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Abdullah 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 release him to allow him to join relief efforts in his homeland. After the third hearing, Puteh said he wished to return home to the devastated province as a volunteer.
Tue, 04 Jan 2005, 00:00 WIB
Disaster management for Aceh calamity
Disaster management for Aceh calamity Ong 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. At the same time it is disheartening to see how uncoordinated the rescue and relief efforts have been.
Tue, 04 Jan 2005, 00:00 WIB
Nelly juggles family and business
Nelly juggles family and business Syofiardi Bachyul Jb, The Jakarta Post, Padang It 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.
Tue, 04 Jan 2005, 00:00 WIB
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 impact. However, I disagree with his statement that we must not confuse globalization with "Westernization".
Tue, 04 Jan 2005, 00:00 WIB
People, soldiers isolated after tsunami disaster
People, soldiers isolated after tsunami disaster A'an Suryana The Jakarta Post/Meulaboh First 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.
Tue, 04 Jan 2005, 00:00 WIB
Aceh newspaper survives war, threats and tsunami
Aceh newspaper survives war, threats and tsunami Chris Brummitt, Associated Press/Banda Aceh The 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. The human toll was more terrible: 100 staff are feared dead.
Tue, 04 Jan 2005, 00:00 WIB
Corruption and democracy
Corruption and democracy From 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. Indonesia belongs to the group of most corrupt countries, occupying top place on Transparency International's corruption list. This has been due to the lack of serious attempts to fight corruption, with no punishments imposed in major cases.
Tue, 04 Jan 2005, 00:00 WIB
More donations pour in for tsunami victims in RI
More donations pour in for tsunami victims in RI Veeramalla Anjaiah, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta More 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. The British public alone have raised more than US$115 million, much higher than their government's $96 million grant, the British Embassy in Jakarta said in a press release sent to The Jakarta Post on Monday.
Tue, 04 Jan 2005, 00:00 WIB
Indonesia must abolish the death penalty
Indonesia must abolish the death penalty William 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 of only 15 people have been executed in accordance with Indonesian law.
Tue, 04 Jan 2005, 00:00 WIB
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. "We will use our internal cash or issue notes or take bank loans to finance such a debt refinancing plan," Telkom's Finance Director Rinaldi Firmansyah told reporters on Monday.
Tue, 04 Jan 2005, 00:00 WIB
'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. The Jakarta Post talked to residents about what the country can learn from the calamity. Amanda, 25, works at a private company in Jl. Thamrin, Central Jakarta.
Tue, 04 Jan 2005, 00:00 WIB
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 Tbk 2,400 125 1,000 Adhi Karya 790 115 30,305,500 Adira Dinamika 2,750 -75 25,000 AGIS Tbk 100 0 500 Akbar Indo Makmur 180 0 0 AKR Corporindo Tbk 1,140 -10 1,046,500 Alakasa Industrindo 165 0 0 Alfa...
Tue, 04 Jan 2005, 00:00 WIB
Police clamp down on Adiguna
Police clamp down on Adiguna Abdul Khalik, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Jakarta 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 director of state oil and gas company Pertamina. Responding to a rumor that someone had tried to persuade the police to stop the investigation, city police chief Insp. Gen.
Tue, 04 Jan 2005, 00:00 WIB
Jobs may curb drug abuse and AIDS
Jobs may curb drug abuse and AIDS Abdul Khalik, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Once 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. I have more useful things to do and a stable income, some Rp 20,000 (US$2.23) a day. I feel useful, not only to my family, but also to my neighborhood," he told The Jakarta Post.
Tue, 04 Jan 2005, 00:00 WIB
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. Serambi (60) - 36 pts 3 cols 2lines (2x21) Aceh paper survives war, threats, tsunami 5. Tiger (40) - 36 pts 4 cols 1line (1x28) RI roars over KL in heated semifinal --- 6. Photos -- 2 pieces
Tue, 04 Jan 2005, 00:00 WIB
Asian Insurers Little Affected by Tsunamis, S&P Says
Asian Insurers Little Affected by Tsunamis, S&P Says Netty Ismail Associated Press/Singapore HSBC 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 2004, because the affected areas had limited coverage, Standard & Poor's said. An estimated 150,000 people in 12 countries in Asia and Africa died after a Dec.
Tue, 04 Jan 2005, 00:00 WIB
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
Tue, 04 Jan 2005, 00:00 WIB
20 years in jail sought for Indian drug courier
20 years in jail sought for Indian drug courier Multa Fidrus, The Jakarta Post, Tangerang Prosecutors 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 Soekarno-Hatta International Airport last August. Prosecutor R.
Tue, 04 Jan 2005, 00:00 WIB
Malaysia, S'pore offer airports for aid work
Malaysia, S'pore offer airports for aid work Agence France-Presse, Kuala Lumpur Malaysia 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. Singapore has also offered the use of its air and naval bases to the United Nations to carry out relief operations in Indonesia's tsunami-hit province of Aceh, a top minister said on Monday.
Tue, 04 Jan 2005, 00:00 WIB
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. I cannot believe that the news and updates of this sad tragedy are only aired during their regular news schedules.
Tue, 04 Jan 2005, 00:00 WIB
Sutiyoso to visit Aceh to lend assistance
Sutiyoso to visit Aceh to lend assistance The Jakarta Post, Jakarta In 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.
Tue, 04 Jan 2005, 00:00 WIB
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.
Tue, 04 Jan 2005, 00:00 WIB
Prices on goods, services to rise due to inflation
Prices on goods, services to rise due to inflation Urip 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). An early surge in retail prices will be caused by severe inflation expected in Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam as a result of the Dec.
Tue, 04 Jan 2005, 00:00 WIB
The exhausting legal journey
The exhausting legal journey From 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 pleasure. The law becomes bland, vague and hard to digest for the rich and powerful but it gets simple, smooth and easily applicable when ordinary people are involved.
Tue, 04 Jan 2005, 00:00 WIB
No cholera found in post-tsunami Aceh: Ministry
No cholera found in post-tsunami Aceh: Ministry Eva C. Komandjaja, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta The 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. The United Nations and aid groups had previously warned of the threat of a major disease like cholera, or dehydration caused by diarrhea claiming tens of thousands more lives.
Tue, 04 Jan 2005, 00:00 WIB
Smoothing ruffled U.S. feathers after 'stingy' remark
Smoothing ruffled U.S. feathers after 'stingy' remark Agence France-Presse, Washington The 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 spending as "stingy." Jan Egeland, the UN's Undersecretary General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, appeared on Sunday to try to placate Washington over his comments last...
Tue, 04 Jan 2005, 00:00 WIB
Tsunami victims tell of their fight for survival
Tsunami victims tell of their fight for survival A'an Suryana, The Jakarta Post, Meulaboh Young 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. As the 14-year-old was tidying up his net, he felt the earth suddenly shake as the area was rocked by powerful earthquake. The junior high school student fell to the ground.
Tue, 04 Jan 2005, 00:00 WIB
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 year. Head of TVRI West Java-Banten, France Djasman, said he has not received any assistance for operational costs from the central office of TVRI.
Tue, 04 Jan 2005, 00:00 WIB
President's official car park?
President's official car park? From Kompas On 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. When I left my car near the entrance, club security men told me to move my car to the parking lot at the rear of the building, because the car park near the gate was reserved for the president, vice president and ambassadors.
Tue, 04 Jan 2005, 00:00 WIB
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
Tue, 04 Jan 2005, 00:00 WIB
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. Prosecutor Anwar Sulistiyono said on Monday that his office had obtained enough initial evidence to declare and detain the two. "More former councillors and administration officials will be named suspects in the graft case," he said.
Tue, 04 Jan 2005, 00:00 WIB
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). Indeed, your life must be idyllic if something as insignificant as that has prompted you to write a letter of complaint to this newspaper.
Tue, 04 Jan 2005, 00:00 WIB
Putty relishes challenge of Jakarta final
Putty relishes challenge of Jakarta final Moch. 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. Putty won the Indonesian leg in October and in Hong Kong in November and appears to be relishing the thought of the next challenge when the championship rounds off the season with the final leg in Jakarta.
Tue, 04 Jan 2005, 00:00 WIB
Gordon Benton, an architect of life
Gordon Benton, an architect of life Dewi 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 roots, although he was born outside his beloved country of Scotland. "I was born in Malaysia, so in that sense I'm a Malaysian. But my culture is Scottish and thus, I'm of a Scottish nationality.
Tue, 04 Jan 2005, 00:00 WIB
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. The Grand Caravan PPK-MPS Cessna 28, which is owned by the Mission Aviation Fellowship, was sent along with two pilots Douglas Wayne Allrich, a U.S. citizen, and Berghius H Meindert of the Netherlands.
Tue, 04 Jan 2005, 00:00 WIB
Indonesia, ASEAN and Australia
Indonesia, ASEAN and Australia S.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.
Tue, 04 Jan 2005, 00:00 WIB
Gordon Benton, an architect of life
Gordon Benton, an architect of life Dewi 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 roots, although he was born outside his beloved country of Scotland. "I was born in Malaysia, so in that sense I'm a Malaysian. But my culture is Scottish and thus, I'm of a Scottish nationality.
Tue, 04 Jan 2005, 00:00 WIB
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. We don't know the fate of the others," said Mardjaman, penitentiary director general at the Ministry of Justice and Human Rights. He said the 700 prisoners had fled several prisons in Banda Aceh, Lhok Nga, Meulaboh, Sigli and Calang.
Tue, 04 Jan 2005, 00:00 WIB
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. After the election, Rusli disclosed that his main agenda would be consolidating the party. "The party's administration needs to be strengthened. When that happens, I promise to accommodate all ideas and set aside differences ... " Rusli said.
Tue, 04 Jan 2005, 00:00 WIB
Three months needed to clear rubble from disaster
Three months needed to clear rubble from disaster The Jakarta Post, Jakarta The 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. Minister of Public Works Djoko Kirmanto said it would take one month just to clean up the provincial capital of Aceh, Banda Aceh, which was hardest hit by the earthquake and tsunami on Dec. 26.
Tue, 04 Jan 2005, 00:00 WIB
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. 29 and Dec. 30 in different places. "We have contacted their embassies in Jakarta and they will send them home to their respective countries," Tri said on Monday.
Tue, 04 Jan 2005, 00:00 WIB
Tsunami aid faces chaos and possibly pirates
Tsunami aid faces chaos and possibly pirates Michael Perry, Reuters/Bangkok The 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.
Tue, 04 Jan 2005, 00:00 WIB
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 year. Head of TVRI West Java-Banten, France Djasman, said he has not received any assistance for operational costs from the central office of TVRI.
Tue, 04 Jan 2005, 00:00 WIB
2005: End of the beginning for Susilo
2005: End of the beginning for Susilo Meidyatama 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. That is not to say that the administration will perform sub-par, but no executive could meet the weight of (unrealistic) expectations in 100 or 1,000 days.
Tue, 04 Jan 2005, 00:00 WIB
* 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 final lap Page 11 * RI 11-month trade surplus dips 28% on surging imports Page 13 * Gordon Benton, an architect for life Page 20
Tue, 04 Jan 2005, 00:00 WIB
Food aid goes bad sitting at ports
Food aid goes bad sitting at ports The Jakarta Post, Banda Aceh/Lhokseumawe Some food aid packages are starting to spoil at ports as they await ships destined for tsunami-hit areas in Aceh and North Sumatra. Meanwhile, thousands of survivors were still without food as of Monday, a week after the catastrophe devastated the two provinces and seven Indian Ocean states.
Tue, 04 Jan 2005, 00:00 WIB
Malaysian palm oil futures fall on adequate stock
Malaysian palm oil futures fall on adequate stock Bloomberg/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. "We have inventory surplus everywhere," said Ferdi Gunawan, a marketing officer at PT Salim Oil Grains, a Jakarta- based palm oil producer.
Tue, 04 Jan 2005, 00:00 WIB
S. Korea moves to protect local firms
S. Korea moves to protect local firms SEOUL: 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. South Korean firms have been calling for measures to allow them to fend off hostile takeover bids.
Tue, 04 Jan 2005, 00:00 WIB
RI roars over KL in heated semifinal
RI roars over KL in heated semifinal Associated 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. Indonesia advanced 5-3 on aggregate after losing the first leg 1-2 to Malaysia last week. They will face Singapore in the finals Saturday of Southeast Asia's premier soccer tournament.
Tue, 04 Jan 2005, 00:00 WIB
Tsunami crisis boosts Thaksin's popularity
Tsunami crisis boosts Thaksin's popularity THAILAND: 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 54.1 percent said they are more satisfied with Thaksin compared with 23.6 percent whose opinion was unchanged and 10.3 percent who said they have a worse opinion of the premier, according to the poll by private university ABAC.
Tue, 04 Jan 2005, 00:00 WIB
No urgency for local quake alert system
No urgency for local quake alert system Bambang Nurbianto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Imagine 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 infrastructure. Of course, far more people would be killed and far greater property damage would occur.
Tue, 04 Jan 2005, 00:00 WIB
Govt plans tax stimulus to spur growth
Govt plans tax stimulus to spur growth Rendi A. Witular, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta The 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. Director General of Taxation Hadi Purnomo said the Ministry of Finance was finalizing regulations on the incentive facilities and was hopeful they could be issued later this month.
Tue, 04 Jan 2005, 00:00 WIB
RI thanks Australia for tsunami aid
RI thanks Australia for tsunami aid AUSTRALIA: 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. "I'm overwhelmed by the positive gestures shown by your government as well as the Australian people," Indonesia's ambassador to Australia, Imron Cotan, said in Sydney.
Tue, 04 Jan 2005, 00:00 WIB
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. Queensland man Thomas Connell had been dubbed "the good Samaritan of Patong Beach" for his rescue role during the tsunami disaster on the Thai resort island of Phuket, Australian news agency AAP reported.
Tue, 04 Jan 2005, 00:00 WIB
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.
Tue, 04 Jan 2005, 00:00 WIB
Foreign tourist numbers drop in November
Foreign tourist numbers drop in November Urip Hudiono, The Jakarta Post Foreign 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.
Tue, 04 Jan 2005, 00:00 WIB
Is the U.S. stingy? Yes
Is the U.S. stingy? Yes President 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...and he took issue with an earlier statement by UN emergency relief coordinator, Jan Egeland, who had called the overall aid efforts by rich Western nations "stingy." We beg to differ. Egeland was right on target.
Tue, 04 Jan 2005, 00:00 WIB
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. Harun, chief of the Municipal Environmental Impact Management Agency, said on Monday that the administration would also build some 50 wells. "Tangerang is known as an industrial town with more than 1,000 factories polluting the air, land and water daily.
Tue, 04 Jan 2005, 00:00 WIB
Lessons learnt for hypermarkets
Lessons learnt for hypermarkets Barlev 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. The writer said small suppliers were complaining about the number of hypermarkets around Jakarta, and were afraid of being displaced by these massive retailers.
Tue, 04 Jan 2005, 00:00 WIB
Indonesia mulls rescheduling debt
Indonesia mulls rescheduling debt Rendi A. Witular and Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta The 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. 26 earthquake and tsunami. The country is facing a projected widening state-budget deficit from the calamity.
Tue, 04 Jan 2005, 00:00 WIB
Corruption and democracy
Corruption and democracy From 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. Indonesia belongs to the group of most corrupt countries, occupying top place on Transparency International's corruption list. This has been due to the lack of serious attempts to fight corruption, with no punishments imposed in major cases.
Tue, 04 Jan 2005, 00:00 WIB
Alternative energy for electricity
Alternative energy for electricity From Bisnis Indonesia The 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. Therefore, PLN should adopt a new policy to replace fuel in its power production with any of the other alternatives available in Indonesia. In 1989, I handled a research project on alternative energy production technology.
Tue, 04 Jan 2005, 00:00 WIB
Won falls on concern BOK will sell, Taiwan dollar rises
Won falls on concern BOK will sell, Taiwan dollar rises Yumi Kuramitsu, Bloomberg/Singapore South 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$4.8 billion) of foreign-exchange stabilization bonds as part of 8.27 trillion won of sales this month, Internet news provider MoneyToday said yesterday.
Tue, 04 Jan 2005, 00:00 WIB
Indonesian survivors found after days afload
Indonesian survivors found after days afload Agencies, Port Blair/Kuala Lumpur Four 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 north to a remote Indian Ocean island by the tsunami of Dec. 26. The men were rescued by the coast guard on Saturday off Campbell Bay, said Anil K. Pokhariyal, commander of the coast guard ship.
Tue, 04 Jan 2005, 00:00 WIB
Jakarta gets in gear for International relief summit
Jakarta gets in gear for International relief summit The Jakarta Post, Jakarta/Manila Indonesia, 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 coordinate relief efforts for the survivors of the Indian Ocean tsunami tragedy. The summit will be held in Jakarta on Thursday.
Tue, 04 Jan 2005, 00:00 WIB
The exhausting legal journey
The exhausting legal journey From 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 pleasure. The law becomes bland, vague and hard to digest for the rich and powerful but it gets simple, smooth and easily applicable when ordinary people are involved.
Tue, 04 Jan 2005, 00:00 WIB
Looking for a thaw in S. Asia to face tomorrow's challenges
Looking for a thaw in S. Asia to face tomorrow's challenges Huma 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". All movements (goods, people, capital, information), especially between the Pakistani- Indian border, remain restricted though signs of change are appearing.
Tue, 04 Jan 2005, 00:00 WIB
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. The tsunami might be a stranger to India, but not the destruction brought by nature to the country's eastern coastline, for long used to natural calamities such as cyclones and torrential rain.
Tue, 04 Jan 2005, 00:00 WIB
Call in the reserves
Call in the reserves Harold 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. The problem is that almost all of it is in US dollars -- a currency that is rapidly losing its value. All policy options for Asia's central banks appear equally unattractive.
Tue, 04 Jan 2005, 00:00 WIB
Tsunami disaster: The unifying power of tragedy
Tsunami disaster: The unifying power of tragedy Jusuf 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 figure was already high enough to cause great concern, since many parts of Aceh are isolated physically, and the civil emergency had also isolated them politically and socially.
Tue, 04 Jan 2005, 00:00 WIB
Susilo opens 2005 trading in quiet bourse
Susilo opens 2005 trading in quiet bourse Rendi A. Witular, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta President 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. Prior to ringing the bell to mark the beginning of trading at 9:29 a.m. Jakarta time, Susilo urged capital market players to help support the reconstruction effort in Aceh and North Sumatra.
Tue, 04 Jan 2005, 00:00 WIB
We wish to express our deepest
We wish to express our deepest sympathy on the passing of Djuariah at 75 years of age father 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. The management and staff of The Jakarta Post
Tue, 04 Jan 2005, 00:00 WIB
Lesser graft must be unveiled
Lesser graft must be unveiled From Koran Tempo The 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. If the funds as commission went to the accounts of state agencies, there is no need to examine the people concerned because whoever negotiated or closed the business deal becomes irrelevant.
Tue, 04 Jan 2005, 00:00 WIB
Police question ex-councillor over graft
Police question ex-councillor over graft Jon Afrizal, The Jakarta Post, Jambi The 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. Machluddin was council speaker for the 1999-2004 term. A spokesman for the police said it was highly likely that Machluddin would be arrested as a result of the questioning. "Although he has not been detained yet ...
Tue, 04 Jan 2005, 00:00 WIB
Traffickers prey on Aceh's orphans
Traffickers prey on Aceh's orphans The Jakarta Post, Jakarta/Medan The 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 Monday. The Medan-based Aceh Sepakat Foundation reported that at least 20 Acehnese children were thought to have been smuggled out of Aceh after the Dec. 26 calamity.
Tue, 04 Jan 2005, 00:00 WIB
Expecting mother finds miracle in Aceh
Expecting mother finds miracle in Aceh Tomi Soetjipto, Reuters, Banda Aceh In this Indonesian city of misery and despair, heavily pregnant Haiwati tells a story of survival that shows miracles can happen. Due to give birth any day, Haiwati, 38, was at home with two of her four sons when a massive earthquake unleashed a killer tsunami on Banda Aceh on Dec. 26. At one point, Haiwati prepared for death.
Tue, 04 Jan 2005, 00:00 WIB
Rupiah ends up, tsunami impact likely limited
Rupiah ends up, tsunami impact likely limited Dow Jones, Bloomberg, Jakarta The 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. The dollar closed at Rp 9,305, down from its close on Thursday at Rp 9,345. The local currency market was closed on Friday ahead of the year-end.
Tue, 04 Jan 2005, 00:00 WIB
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. We're afraid to fish in deep waters, we don't want a tidal wave to harm us," said Samir, 40, of Indramayu. He said that fishermen from Cirebon and Indramayu had often ventured into the waters off Sumatra. Some still go fishing but close to home, and only catch enough for their own tables.
Tue, 04 Jan 2005, 00:00 WIB
Indonesia's 11-month trade surplus dips 28 percent on surging imports
Indonesia's 11-month trade surplus dips 28 percent on surging imports Zakki P. Hakim, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Indonesia'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 Agency (BPS) announced on Monday.
Tue, 04 Jan 2005, 00:00 WIB
Mosques stand defiant by invisible 'Hand of God'
Mosques stand defiant by invisible 'Hand of God' Victor Tjahjadi, Agence France-Presse, Banda Aceh In 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. But across these battered shores, dozens of mosques still stand, their minarets glinting defiantly in the sun -- a phenomenon survivors in the deeply Islamic region credit as much to divine intervention as robust architecture.
Tue, 04 Jan 2005, 00:00 WIB
City insists on handing over school to private owner
City insists on handing over school to private owner Damar Harsanto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta To 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 to PT Tata Disantara, its current owner.