Archive: 31 October 2005
94 articles found
Mon, 31 Oct 2005, 00:00 WIB
Singapore Air Force helps to find missing helicopter
Singapore Air Force helps to find missing helicopter Nethy Dharma Somba, The Jakarta Post, Jayapura The Singapore Air Force has sent a special team and an unmanned aircraft to help Indonesia find a helicopter that went missing near Jayapura, Papua, on Oct. 12, a senior Indonesian Air Force officer says. A 29-strong team from the Singapore Air Force began searching for the missing Twin Pack helicopter on Friday with a sophisticated device called Unmanned Air Vehicle, Jayapura Air Base chief Col.
Mon, 31 Oct 2005, 00:00 WIB
1. Balinese pray for purification after Oct. 1 bombing Page 4
1. Balinese pray for purification after Oct. 1 bombing Page 4 2. Giant drum being positioned in Ancol ahead of Idul Fitri Page 8 3. Divers toil to recover survivors, dead from derailed train Page 12
Mon, 31 Oct 2005, 00:00 WIB
More holiday travelers opt for motorbikes
More holiday travelers opt for motorbikes Suherdjoko, The Jakarta Post, Semarang Higher fuel prices have not discouraged people from traveling to their hometowns to celebrate Idul Fitri with loved ones -- even if it means making the entire trip on a motorcycle to cut down on fuel costs. Several holidaymakers from Jakarta arrived in Semarang on Saturday, having made the entire trip by motorcycle.
Mon, 31 Oct 2005, 00:00 WIB
Advocates in great need of a better image
Advocates in great need of a better image Yufiter Sitepu, Jakarta The arrest of Harini Wijoso by the Corruption Eradication Court (KPK), the lawyer of Soeharto's half-brother Probosutedjo, following an alleged attempt to bribe Supreme Court chief justice Bagir Manan, again strengthens public negative perceptions about the profession of advocates. Advocates are supposed to provide a range of legal services to those who need them.
Mon, 31 Oct 2005, 00:00 WIB
Banks prepare ATMs for extended Idul Fitri break
Banks prepare ATMs for extended Idul Fitri break Urip Hudiono, The Jakarta Post. Jakarta With Idul Fitri arriving this week, people are advised to wrap up all of their banking business by Tuesday before the banks -- along with most other businesses -- close up shop for the long holiday. Banks in the country will be closed from Nov. 2 until Nov. 9, when the central bank reopens its clearinghouse for the banks. The Idul Fitri holiday, which marks the end of Ramadhan, falls on Nov. 3 and Nov.
Mon, 31 Oct 2005, 00:00 WIB
Qantas cuts Bali flights after attack
Qantas cuts Bali flights after attack SYDNEY: Qantas Airways Ltd., Australia's biggest airline, will suspend some flights to the Indonesian resort island of Bali from next month after demand dropped following the Oct. 1 suicide bombings that killed 23 people. Qantas's Australian Airlines carrier will halt services from Perth and Melbourne to Bali from Nov. 10 to Jan. 29, the Sydney- based company said in a statement e-mailed to Bloomberg News over the weekend after the close of trade.
Mon, 31 Oct 2005, 00:00 WIB
Religious leaders call for calm
Religious leaders call for calm Tiarma Siboro, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta The killing of three schoolgirls in the Central Sulawesi town of Poso has raised concern among Christian and Muslim leaders, who called on their followers to remain calm so as to prevent a cycle of revenge from setting in. The religious figures believe that the latest violence to hit the town, where sectarian conflict killed some 2,000 people a few years ago, is aimed at fueling hatred between Muslims and Christians.
Mon, 31 Oct 2005, 00:00 WIB
Supreme Court
Supreme Court trading RI women? We refer to the news item Want to marry RI woman? Pay Rp 500m in deposit (The Jakarta Post, Oct. 10, page 2). We are outraged and disturbed when reading the subject article. How dare the Indonesian Supreme Court view Indonesian women as objects and treats them as a commodity!
Mon, 31 Oct 2005, 00:00 WIB
Many Acehnese still in tents as holiday approaches
Many Acehnese still in tents as holiday approaches Nani Afrida The Jakarta Post/Banda Aceh It was almost dusk on Sunday, but a group of children at the refugee camp were still playing outside despite the mud after a heavy downpour in Banda Aceh. It has been 10 months since the tsunami struck, but around 400 displaced people in the camp at Gano village in Lambaro Skep district in the Aceh capital are still living in tents, most of which are torn.
Mon, 31 Oct 2005, 00:00 WIB
JP/7/IGOR3
JP/7/IGOR3 Igor O'Neill, Jakarta Vice President Jusuf Kalla on Oct. 7 announced the government's plan to spend Rp 150 billion (US$15 million) to buy 10 million coal stoves as a part of the government efforts to diversify energy resources and to reduce the costly subsidy for kerosene.
Mon, 31 Oct 2005, 00:00 WIB
Good deeds during Ramadhan
Good deeds during Ramadhan ? It is amazing to see that recently another hardliner Muslim group targeting shops and restaurants during this Ramadhan period. ? As I understand that they are supposed to be fasting and when they are fasting they are supposed to do good deeds during this season. ? Anyway, Indonesia -- as it promotes democracy and will abolish corruption -- failed to act in allowing those people to do what they have done.
Mon, 31 Oct 2005, 00:00 WIB
Indonesian, two Filipinos get death penalty for Valentine's Day
Indonesian, two Filipinos get death penalty for Valentine's Day bombing Agence France-Presse Manila A Philippine court sentenced on Friday an Indonesian Islamic militant and two Filipinos to death for the Valentines' Day bombing of a bus in Manila that killed four people. Rohmat Abdurrahim, an Indonesian described as a senior leader of the Jamaah Islamiyah (JI) group, and Filipinos Gamal Baharan and Angelo Trinidad were handed the death penalty by regional trial court judge Marissa Guillen.
Mon, 31 Oct 2005, 00:00 WIB
Bali summons Japanese tourists
Bali summons Japanese tourists DENPASAR: Bali is calling out to Japanese tourists to visit the island, citing improved security after the Oct. 1 bombing. Balinese Governor Dewa Made Beratha went on a three-day visit to Japan starting on Saturday to promote a safe and secure Bali to Japanese government officials and tourism agencies, according to the chairman of Bali tourism office, I Gde Nurjaya.
Mon, 31 Oct 2005, 00:00 WIB
Govt drafts incentives for exploration
Govt drafts incentives for exploration Leony Aurora, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta In a bid to attract exploration efforts in the country's eastern frontier, the government is drafting new incentives, which may involve a shorter commitment period for exploration.
Mon, 31 Oct 2005, 00:00 WIB
UNTUK EDISI SENIN, 31 OCTOBER
UNTUK EDISI SENIN, 31 OCTOBER Tougher tests await Irene in bid for international glory Musthofid The Jakarta Post/Jakarta Teen chess prodigy Irene Kharisma lived up to the huge expectations of her last week by taking a major step toward becoming the country's first women's grand master. Irene, who will only turn 14 next April, collected an International Master norm with 7.5 points from 11 rounds at the Jababeka Women's International Chess Tournament.
Mon, 31 Oct 2005, 00:00 WIB
checked --JSR
checked --JSR Photo caption A JP/Evi Mariani Voyagers Chris Tipper (left) and Jason Lewis at a guesthouse in Central Jakarta, after finishing half of the Indonesian leg from Atambua, East Nusa Tenggara to West Java, one part of their human-powered, round-the-world expedition.
Mon, 31 Oct 2005, 00:00 WIB
Scroll of Honor for Jakarta
Scroll of Honor for Jakarta We refer to the article Activists slam habitat award for Jakarta, published in The Jakarta Post on Oct. 4. The city of Jakarta is a megacity with more than 10 million inhabitants. About 20 percent, or two million, are living in kampongs or slums. It is clear that many challenges remain ahead, but the city has made significant improvements.
Mon, 31 Oct 2005, 00:00 WIB
Riau Police move against illegal loggers
Riau Police move against illegal loggers The Jakarta Post, Jakarta The Riau Police confiscated on Saturday more than 1,600 cubic meters of illegally felled logs from Gaung River in Indragiri Hilir regency, during a raid against illegal logging in the province. Provincial police chief S. Damanhuri was quoted by Antara as saying that the logs belonged to a Malaysian citizen referred to by the initial of F only. He said the logs were to have been smuggled to neighboring Malaysia.
Mon, 31 Oct 2005, 00:00 WIB
Don't cry Bali
Don't cry Bali Glan Iswara Christchurch, New Zealand "Why did they bomb Bali? Why Bali?" For the tourism-reliant Balinese these questions are significant. For example, a taxi driver who usually waits for passengers at Ngurah Rai Airport in Bali, sadly said: "After the bombs in October 2002, tourism in Bali was quiet.
Mon, 31 Oct 2005, 00:00 WIB
Operators to double parking fees
Operators to double parking fees Damar Harsanto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta On the back of the fuel price increases, motorists will soon have to pay double the current fees for off-street parking. The operators of parking businesses here have started seeking approval for the increase, which would be introduced after the Idul Fitri holiday. If the proposal is approved, car owners will have to fork out Rp 4,000 per hour for parking. The current fee is Rp 2,000.
Mon, 31 Oct 2005, 00:00 WIB
Lee keeps lead, Sorenstam struggles
Lee keeps lead, Sorenstam struggles JEJU, South Korea: South Korea's Lee Jee-young remained three strokes clear in the LPGAs CJ Nine Bridges Classic despite two double bogeys late on Saturday in the second round. Lee carded a 1-over 73 and led the tournament at 6-under 138, three clear of compatriots Kim Mi-hyun and Jeong Jang. Annika Sorenstam struggled with her putts as strong winds buffeted the island course. She was 6-over after consecutive rounds of 75.
Mon, 31 Oct 2005, 00:00 WIB
Guard dog deployed at int'l airport
Guard dog deployed at int'l airport TANGERANG: Police have deployed a guard dog to help with security at the domestic departure terminal of the Soekarno-Hatta International Airport as a precautionary measure during the Idul Fitri holiday, Antara reported on Saturday. "For several days now we have deployed a guard dog to safeguard against terrorist threats and help security measures during the Idul Fitri holiday," Kayan, head of services at the airport's Lebaran command post, said.
Mon, 31 Oct 2005, 00:00 WIB
Korean Lee secures first LPGA victory at home
Korean Lee secures first LPGA victory at home Associated Press, Jeju, South Korea South Korea's Lee Jee-young won her first LPGA tournament Sunday, closing with a 1-over-par 73 for a wire-to-wire, three- stroke win over compatriot Kim Mi-hyun and Carin Koch of Sweden at the Nine Bridges Classic. Lee finished with a 5-under-par total of 211 despite three straight bogeys from the 15th at The Club.
Mon, 31 Oct 2005, 00:00 WIB
Sutiyoso to help pro-bono lawyers
Sutiyoso to help pro-bono lawyers JAKARTA: Governor Sutiyoso pledged funds from the city budget on Saturday to help renovate the Indonesian Legal Aid Institute's (YLBHI) building on Jl. Dponegoro, Central Jakarta. "I hope the fund needed (for the renovation) is less than Rp 10 billion ... Indeed, YLBHI has to have a proper office," he said after attending the foundation's 35th anniversary.
Mon, 31 Oct 2005, 00:00 WIB
English relegated at China biz expo
English relegated at China biz expo "What is being displayed here?" "Sorry, I don't know," came the polite answer from an exhibition hall staff member at the China-ASEAN Expo. Of course, she knew what was being asked, the problem was that she could not explain it in English. An inability to communicate in any Chinese language has been a barrier to the full enjoyment for some participants of this otherwise great international exhibition. Held for the second time in Nanning from Oct. 19 to Oct.
Mon, 31 Oct 2005, 00:00 WIB
CDM projects 'vital for Indonesia'
CDM projects 'vital for Indonesia' Tb. Arie Rukmantara, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Environmentalists and economists welcomed the government's move to establish the National Commission on the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM), a national authority to promote Indonesian CDM projects to the world.
Mon, 31 Oct 2005, 00:00 WIB
checked -- JSR
checked -- JSR World voyagers find Indonesia the toughest challenge Evi Mariani The Jakarta Post/Jakarta Briton Jason Lewis, 38, has been bicycling, rollerblading, boat- pedaling and paddling canoes intermittently for the last 11 years during his human-powered, round-the-world expedition. Lewis, accompanied by different partners, has crossed vast oceans -- the Atlantic and Pacific -- with a pedal-powered boat, Moksha, which has a speed of 1.5 knots -- about walking pace.
Mon, 31 Oct 2005, 00:00 WIB
Questioning govt commitment on agricultural development
Questioning govt commitment on agricultural development Hyginus Hardoyo Jakarta At the start of his presidential term a year ago, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono promised to put the agricultural sector on top of his government policy agenda with the aim of increasing rural household incomes from both farm and off-farm activities.
Mon, 31 Oct 2005, 00:00 WIB
Consumer foundation to open help kiosks
Consumer foundation to open help kiosks JAKARTA: The Indonesia Consumers Foundation (YLKI) will erect five help kiosks at major bus terminals, railway stations and airports to help solve problems related to transportation services for holidaymakers. "Please do not hesitate to report any violations in the ticketing made by bad bus operators, for instance, to our staff at the posts. We will try to help for free," YLKI chairwoman Indah Suksmaningsih said over the weekend.
Mon, 31 Oct 2005, 00:00 WIB
Weightlifting looks to lift two SEAG golds
Weightlifting looks to lift two SEAG golds Moch. N. Kurniawan, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta With several weight classes dropped from the roster and new athletes yet to reach their peak, national weightlifters are unlikely to bring back the five golds of two years ago from this November's Southeast Asian (SEA) Games. "We're sending eight athletes but we're only targeting two golds for the 2005 SEA Games," national SEA Games weightlifting team manager Sonny Lumban Tobing said on Thursday.
Mon, 31 Oct 2005, 00:00 WIB
Passengers fall unconscious
Passengers fall unconscious SAMPIT, Central Kalimantan: Dozens of people passed out in thronging crowds pushing to leave the Dharma Kencana commercial ferry at Sampit Port on Friday. Police and seaport officials quickly separated them from the crowd pushing its way through the gate leading into the commercial ship. The passengers were treated by medical staff at the site. -- Antara
Mon, 31 Oct 2005, 00:00 WIB
Tsunami survivors feel forgotten
Tsunami survivors feel forgotten Ridwan Max Sijabat The Jakarta Post/Jakarta Ten months after the devastating tsunami that claimed more than 210,000 human lives and displaced hundreds of thousands of others last December, the public living in Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam is still in trouble. More than 500,000 survivors are still living camps and temporary barracks in the provincial capital of Banda Aceh, Aceh Besar, Aceh Jaya and West Aceh.
Mon, 31 Oct 2005, 00:00 WIB
China's market not impenetrable, say businesspeople
China's market not impenetrable, say businesspeople Consumer goods from China have penetrated all over the world market, giving the impression that its market is inaccessible. However, a handful of Indonesian businesspeople are beginning to find business opportunities in the country. Fresh from attending the second China-ASEAN Expo (CAEXPO) in Nanning in southwest China, the businesspeople say they are convinced they can carve a niche in the biggest market on earth.
Mon, 31 Oct 2005, 00:00 WIB
Hotel bomb convict to get remission
Hotel bomb convict to get remission The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Sardona Siliwangi, a 24-year-old man convicted of storing explosives used to bomb Jakarta's JW Marriott Hotel in 2003, was reported to be among the thousands of prisoners across the country to get jail cuts in observance of Idul Fitri. Bengkulu justice and human rights office head Arman Nazar said on Sunday that Sardona would be given one month's remission.
Mon, 31 Oct 2005, 00:00 WIB
Indonesian deserves death, mufti says
Indonesian deserves death, mufti says An Egyptian religious leader has refused to intervene on behalf of Indonesian Ali Darman Agustri, who faces the death penalty in Egypt for multiple murder and robbery. Indonesian Ambassador to Egypt Bachtiar Aly quoted Grand Mufti Syeikh Ali Goumah, the head of the Assembly of Darul Ifta as saying that the assembly had no legal authority to cancel the verdict unless it was not decided according to the correct legal procedure.
Mon, 31 Oct 2005, 00:00 WIB
Police beef up security patrols in tense Poso
Police beef up security patrols in tense Poso Ruslan Sangadji, The Jakarta Post, Palu Police have beefed up security patrols in Poso, Central Sulawesi,following the beheading of three female students in the vicinity of the town on Saturday. About 1,000 police, including reinforcements from other parts of the country, were standing by in the regency on Sunday, with over 300 additional officers expected to arrive later. National Police chief Gen.
Mon, 31 Oct 2005, 00:00 WIB
Airport operator to build terminal
Airport operator to build terminal Indra Harsaputra, The Jakarta Post, Surabaya An Australian tourist, upon hearing the news that the operator of Juanda Airport would build a mall in the vicinity of the airport, was pleased, saying it would make last-minute souvenir shopping a breeze. He recalled a particularly boring day last year when the delay of his flight left him wandering around the airport in search of souvenirs -- of which there was not a one.
Mon, 31 Oct 2005, 00:00 WIB
Jamsostek to invest Rp 4t in equity
Jamsostek to invest Rp 4t in equity Rendi A. Witular, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta State-owned social security firm PT Jamsostek plans to invest at least Rp 4 trillion (US$399.2 million) in the equity market next year, in a bid to aggressively tap higher yields from its investments. Jamsostek president director Iwan Pontjowinoto told The Jakarta Post recently that the equity investment would make up some 10 percent of the company's total investments, which are estimated to reach Rp 40 trillion.
Mon, 31 Oct 2005, 00:00 WIB
Anthropologists uncover jawbone of another ancient "Hobbit" on Indonesian island
Anthropologists uncover jawbone of another ancient "Hobbit" on Indonesian island Joseph B. Verrengia, Associated Press/Denver Scientists digging in a remote Indonesian cave have uncovered a jaw bone that they say adds more evidence that a tiny prehistoric Hobbit-like species once existed. The jaw is from the ninth individual believed to have lived as recently as 12,000 years ago.
Mon, 31 Oct 2005, 00:00 WIB
Why not a monument of peace in Aceh?
Why not a monument of peace in Aceh? I have watched TV shows and read news articles on the surrender of fire arms used by the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) and the destruction of the arms and other paraphernalia. This is indeed a pitiful phenomenon. Instead of destroying the arms or selling them as scrap iron, we should place them in a museum as authentic, historical evidence of the nation's progress.
Mon, 31 Oct 2005, 00:00 WIB
Excelcom's 9-month loss widens
Excelcom's 9-month loss widens JAKARTA: PT Excelcomindo Pratama, Indonesia's third-biggest mobile phone company, said its losses this year until September widened on a bigger currency loss. Losses widened to Rp 276.5 billion (US$27.6 million), or Rp 49 a share, from Rp 18.1 billion, or Rp 3 a share, the company said in a statement to the Jakarta Stock Exchange. Sales rose 14 percent to Rp 2.17 trillion.
Mon, 31 Oct 2005, 00:00 WIB
Tsunami refugees criticize NGOs
Tsunami refugees criticize NGOs BANDA ACEH: People made homeless by the Dec. 26 tsunami in Aceh Singkil regency have criticized several non-governmental organizations for failing to make good on their promise to build the refugees new houses. "Many NGOs have promised to help build homes for the refugees in Aceh Singkil, but none have kept their promise," local community figure Juliadin said in the Aceh provincial capital of Banda Aceh on Sunday.
Mon, 31 Oct 2005, 00:00 WIB
Bali governor visits Japan
Bali governor visits Japan DENPASAR: Governor of Bali Dewa Beratha and a number of local tourist industry players flew to Japan on Saturday for a three- day visit in a bid to convince Japanese tourists that the people of Bali and security authorities were working hard to ensure that Bali is a safe tourist destination. Head of the Bali tourism office I Gde Nurjaya said that the governor was expected to meet with Japanese tour operators and also to talk to the Japanese press.
Mon, 31 Oct 2005, 00:00 WIB
Rental rates continue upward trend
Rental rates continue upward trend The average asking gross rent of mid-up leased apartment units continued to climb upwards in the second quarter of this year, partly due to the increase in the oil price in the first three months. Colliers International Indonesia (CII) property consulting company reported the average monthly rent of mid-up leased apartment units for two-bedroom increased to US$18 per sq m from $17 per sq m.
Mon, 31 Oct 2005, 00:00 WIB
NGOs demand independent probe into Mahdi case
NGOs demand independent probe into Mahdi case Tb. Arie Rukmantara, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) urged the National Commission of Human Rights to set up an independent team to investigate possible human rights violations that may have occurred during the recent deadly clash between police and the people of Selena village in Palu, Central Sulawesi.
Mon, 31 Oct 2005, 00:00 WIB
Hotel bombing convict to receive remission
Hotel bombing convict to receive remission The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Sardona Siliwangi, a 24-year-old man convicted of storing explosives used to bomb Jakarta's JW Marriott Hotel in 2003, was reported to be among the thousands of prisoners across the country to get jail cuts in observance of Idul Fitri. Bengkulu justice and human rights office head Arman Nazar said on Sunday that Sardona would be given one month's remission.
Mon, 31 Oct 2005, 00:00 WIB
Consuls urge more visible security
Consuls urge more visible security DENPASAR: Foreign consuls here have asked for assurance from Badung regent Anak Agung Gde Agung on the efforts to maintain security in the regency, particularly in the aftermath of Oct. 1 bombing in its tourism magnets of Kuta and Jimbaran. R. Jantzen, German honorary consul in Bali, had asked the regent to ensure a permanent security practice.
Mon, 31 Oct 2005, 00:00 WIB
Mahdi shot but remains at large
Mahdi shot but remains at large PALU, Central Sulawesi: Mahdi, a little-known Islamic sect leader, was shot in the leg during last week's deadly clash that killed five people, and may now be hiding on Mount Panggero in Donggala regency, Central Sulawesi, his followers told police on Sunday. Since the Oct. 25 clash that killed three officers and two sect followers, police have intensified the manhunt for Mahdi by combing his hideouts in a mountainous area near Palu, but to no avail.
Mon, 31 Oct 2005, 00:00 WIB
China, the world's largest telecom market
China, the world's largest telecom market Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd, China's largest producer of telecommunications equipment, invited journalists from India, Malaysia and Indonesia, including Vincent Lingga from The Jakarta Post, to observe its operations in Beijing, Shanghai and Shenzhen from Oct. 17 to Oct. 22. The visit also coincided with PT/Wireless & Networks Comm China 2005, considered Asia's biggest industry event in Asia, and a series of workshops on the telecom industry in Beijing.
Mon, 31 Oct 2005, 00:00 WIB
Health agency erects 38 posts for travelers
Health agency erects 38 posts for travelers Damar Harsanto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta The City Health Agency has established 38 health kiosks at locations frequented by domestic travelers, such as bus terminals, train stations, ports and the airport to monitor any health problems affecting people traveling this holiday season. "Between five and eight doctors and nurses are in place at every post to give first aid to travelers who become ill.
Mon, 31 Oct 2005, 00:00 WIB
Companies organize exodus for workers
Companies organize exodus for workers Damar Harsanto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Poyo, 30, a stone mason, who works for a small developer in East Jakarta, is unhappy he cannot celebrate Idul Fitri in his hometown in Purwodadi, Central Java, this year. "I am broke. My boss has got only a few work orders during the past two months, while my daily spending has gone up as the price of basic commodities rises. I have no money to return home," he said.
Mon, 31 Oct 2005, 00:00 WIB
City streets deserted as residents head for their hometowns
City streets deserted as residents head for their hometowns Tantri Yuliandini, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Traveling through the city on Sunday afternoon, one was immediately struck by how empty the streets were. The roads looked almost naked without the usual knots of honking cars and buses. It is four days to Idul Fitri and Jakartans have begun the annual exodus to their hometowns, known as mudik.
Mon, 31 Oct 2005, 00:00 WIB
Christians shorten service in face of threats
Christians shorten service in face of threats Abdul Khalik, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta About 500 members of the HKBP, Gekindo and GPDI churches in the Jati Mulya housing complex in Bekasi, West Java, were forced to cut short their Sunday services after some 200 Muslim residents surrounded them. Despite some pushing and shoving, and several verbal exchanges, the incident did not end in violence as some 200 police officers were able to separate the groups.
Mon, 31 Oct 2005, 00:00 WIB
1. POSO: 3 x 15
1. POSO: 3 x 15 Police beef up security in tense Poso 2. REAX: 2 X 15 Religious leaders call for calm 3. CHURCH: 2 X 20 Christians shorten services in face of Muslim threats 4. VATICAN: 1 X 30 Vatican condemns Poso beheadings 5. QUAKE: 1 X 32 Pakistan, India to open Kashmir border
Mon, 31 Oct 2005, 00:00 WIB
Foreign company complains over court's handling of case
Foreign company complains over court's handling of case Urip Hudiono, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Amid the government's efforts to improve Indonesia's investment climate, another commercial dispute involving a foreign company has been dealt with by the courts in a way that could once again cause investors to question the level of legal certainty here.
Mon, 31 Oct 2005, 00:00 WIB
Govt plans to merge ship makers
Govt plans to merge ship makers Indra Harsaputra, The Jakarta Post, Surabaya Following its plan to merge state enterprises in several industries -- including mining, plantations and port operators -- the government will also merge several state-owned ship makers by 2009.
Mon, 31 Oct 2005, 00:00 WIB
Presidental office budget
Presidental office budget President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said he was "surprised" to read in the media that his government had formally proposed to the legislature a sharp increase in the 2006 budget of his office. This news would have been funny had it not been so depressing.
Mon, 31 Oct 2005, 00:00 WIB
National bridge team second after Senior Bowl qualifying session
National bridge team second after Senior Bowl qualifying session The Jakarta Post, Jakarta The Indonesian contract bridge team finished second on Saturday after the qualifying matches of the Senior Bowl in Estoril, Portugal, a spokesman of the Indonesian Contract Bridge Association (Gabsi) said on Sunday. "Indonesia entered the quarterfinal match in second position after routing Poland 24-6 in the last qualifying session," Bert Toar Polii said in an e-mail.
Mon, 31 Oct 2005, 00:00 WIB
'This Idul Fitri is really tough financially'
'This Idul Fitri is really tough financially' Muslims will celebrate the Idul Fitri festivities on Nov. 3 and Nov. 4. The Jakarta Post talked to a few people about the meaning of the celebration amid tougher economic times following the rising price of basic commodities due to the Oct. 1 fuel prices hike. Ferry Areza, in his 30s, works as a civil servant with the Jakarta administration's information and data analysis division.
Mon, 31 Oct 2005, 00:00 WIB
Number of bus passengers drops
Number of bus passengers drops BANDUNG: The number of bus passengers traveling through Cicaheum bus terminal in Bandung is down by almost half compared to the same period last year, the station head says. Terminal head Munazat Ramdhan said seven days before Idul Fitri last year, passengers traveling through the terminal were recorded at 8,728 but this year the number had dropped to 4,676. A day later they had only increased to 4,844 from 10,559 last year, he said.
Mon, 31 Oct 2005, 00:00 WIB
Forgive convicted Australians
Forgive convicted Australians Indonesia should have mercy on the nine Australians arrested for attempting to traffic heroin from Bali to Australia. These young people have made a mistake in their lives and now they face the consequences of their deed. However, these young lives should be spared. God forgives humans for our sins and mistakes, and I think the Indonesian judiciary needs to bear this in mind.
Mon, 31 Oct 2005, 00:00 WIB
checked -- JSR
checked -- JSR World voyagers find Indonesia the toughest challenge Evi Mariani The Jakarta Post/Jakarta Briton Jason Lewis, 38, has been bicycling, rollerblading, boat- pedaling and paddling canoes intermittently for the last 11 years during his human-powered, round-the-world expedition. Lewis, accompanied by different partners, has crossed vast oceans -- the Atlantic and Pacific -- with a pedal-powered boat, Moksha, which has a speed of 1.5 knots -- about walking pace.
Mon, 31 Oct 2005, 00:00 WIB
Mars won't be spotted thru TIM
Mars won't be spotted thru TIM Tantri Yuliandini, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta It's not going to reoccur for another 13 years at least, but if you're hoping to catch a glimpse of the planet Mars as it passes closest to Earth from the Jakarta Planetarium at Taman Ismail Marzuki (TIM) in Central Jakarta this weekend, think again.
Mon, 31 Oct 2005, 00:00 WIB
On artificial sweeteners
On artificial sweeteners I refer to the letter of Sunarto Prawirosujanto published in The Jakarta Post on Oct. 20 urging Indonesians to use more and more artificial sweeteners to avoid the importation of sugar. Of particular interest to all would be the fact that earlier classification of cyclamates and saccharin as carcinogenic elements, based on studies conducted on mice, have been reversed by the FDA of the U.S.
Mon, 31 Oct 2005, 00:00 WIB
Over 4,000 convicts get reduced sentences
Over 4,000 convicts get reduced sentences MEDAN, North Sumatra: A total 4,378 Muslim convicts currently being jailed in prisons across North Sumatra will get their sentences reduced during Idul Fitri, a senior government official said on Saturday. With the reduced sentences, 148 inmates would soon be released, said Lukas Tarigan, the chief of Corrections section at the Department of Justice and Human Rights's North Sumatra branch.
Mon, 31 Oct 2005, 00:00 WIB
Bending the law to save lives: Avian flu in Indonesia
Bending the law to save lives: Avian flu in Indonesia Maya Lestari Jakarta Drug patents give to an inventor for a term of years the exclusive right to make, use or sell their invention -- meaning that other companies cannot make or market the drug until the patent expires.
Mon, 31 Oct 2005, 00:00 WIB
PT PAL launches cargo vessel
PT PAL launches cargo vessel SURABAYA: State-owned shipmaker PT PAL Indonesia launched a dry cargo vessel, with 18,500 dead weight tons, in its plant here on Friday. The vessel, ordered by Italian company Cube SpA, will be handed over in February. The contract was made on June 24, 2004. PT PAL had made three dry cargo vessels. The two previous ones were ordered by Munch Meyer Petersen of Germany. "This shows foreign companies' confidence in PT PAL," president director Adwin Suryohadiprojo said.
Mon, 31 Oct 2005, 00:00 WIB
Vatican condemns beheadings
Vatican condemns beheadings The Vatican called on Sunday the beheading of three Indonesian schoolgirls from a Christian high school a "barbaric" attack and said Pope Benedict XVI was praying for renewed peace between the region's people. Unidentified assailants attacked a group of girls from a private Christian high school in the tense province of Central Sulawesi, beheading three and seriously wounding another.
Mon, 31 Oct 2005, 00:00 WIB
Parades banned along main roads
Parades banned along main roads JAKARTA: Those wishing to participate in takbiran parades on the eve of Idul Fitri should avoid the main thoroughfares of Jl. Sudirman and Jl. MH Thamrin in Central Jakarta, Jakarta Police warned. "Takbiran parade participants should remain in their own areas, should not drive in long convoys and should make sure they wear safety helmets," Jakarta Police traffic division head Sr. Comr. Djoko Susilo was quoted by Detikcom as saying.
Mon, 31 Oct 2005, 00:00 WIB
Tougher tests await Irene in bid for international glory
Tougher tests await Irene in bid for international glory Musthofid, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Teen chess prodigy Irene Kharisma lived up to the huge expectations of her last week by taking a major step toward becoming the country's first women's grand master. Irene, who will only turn 14 next April, collected an International Master norm with 7.5 points from 11 rounds at the Jababeka Women's International Chess Tournament.
Mon, 31 Oct 2005, 00:00 WIB
checked -- JSR
checked -- JSR Cultural Heritage exhibition sees few visitors Evi Mariani The Jakarta Post/Jakarta On a typical Wednesday morning at the National Museum, fewer than 10 people were seen strolling around the three-month Shared Cultural Heritage exhibition, which is displaying hundreds of ethnographic and archeological artifacts of the highest importance to Indonesia. Since it was opened by President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono on Aug.
Mon, 31 Oct 2005, 00:00 WIB
Airport terminal confusion
Airport terminal confusion From Kompas Terminal I of Soekarno-Hatta International Airport apparently receives less serious attention from Angkasa Pura, the country's airport management association. There has always been a state of confusion in the terminal's front parking area, resulting from car drivers dropping and meeting passengers, so that congestion is inevitable. The other terminal facilities are also in disrepair, such as its restrooms, which are mostly dirty and improperly maintained.
Mon, 31 Oct 2005, 00:00 WIB
Antam's 9-month profit rises 32%
Antam's 9-month profit rises 32% JAKARTA: PT Aneka Tambang (Antam), a mining company 65 percent owned by the government, said its profit rose 32 percent in the first nine months of this year on increased sales of higher grade nickel ore, gold and silver. Net income rose to Rp 711.1 billion rupiah (US$70.97 million), or Rp 372.75 a share, in the nine months ending Sept.
Mon, 31 Oct 2005, 00:00 WIB
Homes remain elusive for Acehnese on Idul Fitri
Homes remain elusive for Acehnese on Idul Fitri Nani Afrida, The Jakarta Post, Banda Aceh It was almost dusk on Sunday, but a group of children at the refugee camp were still playing outside despite the mud after a heavy downpour in Banda Aceh. It has been 10 months since the tsunami struck, but around 400 displaced people in the camp at Gano village in Lambaro Skep district in the Aceh capital are still living in tents, most of which are torn.
Mon, 31 Oct 2005, 00:00 WIB
Balinese Hindus cleanse bombing site
Balinese Hindus cleanse bombing site I Wayan Juniartha, The Jakarta Post, Kuta, Bali The whole area of Kuta Square Arcade, one of the sites targeted by terrorists in the Oct. 1 Bali bombings, was transformed into a sacred space on Sunday, when hundreds of Balinese Hindus held a ceremony to purify the site. The Tawur Balik Sumpah ceremony started at around 10 a.m.
Mon, 31 Oct 2005, 00:00 WIB
Residents block only road to Bojong dump site
Residents block only road to Bojong dump site Abdul Khalik, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Consistent with their firm objection to the operation of a waste treatment plant in their area, hundreds of residents of Bojong in Klapanunggal district, Bogor, West Java, erected on Sunday a wall to block the only road into the plant. Some 500 residents arrived at the area at around 9 a.m.
Mon, 31 Oct 2005, 00:00 WIB
Toward a virtual caliphate
Toward a virtual caliphate Peter Mandaville Yale Center for the Study of Globalization Arlington, Virginia The recent Zawahiri- Zarqawi Letter -- purportedly a missive on strategy and tactics from al-Qaeda's to their man in Iraq -- once again raises the question of bin Laden's capacity to inspire and animate Islamist radicalism across borders and continents. All the more so when considered in light of the July bombings in London and renewed attacks in Bali, Indonesia.
Mon, 31 Oct 2005, 00:00 WIB
China utilizes Nanning for trade with ASEAN
China utilizes Nanning for trade with ASEAN The following is the first article in the second series on the Second China-ASEAN Expo held from Oct. 19 to Oct. 22 in Nanning in the southwestern autonomous region of Guangxi, China. The Jakarta Post's Harry Bhaskara attended the expo at the invitation of the expo secretariat. A whole city has sprung to life as a result of deepening trade relations between China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
Mon, 31 Oct 2005, 00:00 WIB
1. Madi ----- 3x16
1. Madi ----- 3x16 NGOs demand independent probe into Mahdi case 2. Mudik ---- 1x28 More holiday travelers opt for motorbikes 3. Bird ----- 1x36 Asian firms bracing for bird flu catastrophe 4. Da'i ----- 1x36 Da'i pledges support for police bribery probe
Mon, 31 Oct 2005, 00:00 WIB
Legislative oversight and the war on terror
Legislative oversight and the war on terror Bantarto Bandoro Jakarta "The proper office of a representative assembly is to watch and control the government." (John Stuart Mill, 1861) "Terrorism, like war, is too important to be left to the generals and the government intelligence agencies." (Paul Wilkinson, 1977) These quotations suggest that greater outside scrutiny of the government's counterterrorism policies, for example, by legislators, is not only desirable, but urgently necessary.
Mon, 31 Oct 2005, 00:00 WIB
Commission put on hold
Commission put on hold JAKARTA: Attorney General Abdul Rahman Saleh said over the weekend the Prosecutor's Commission, which was supposed to be up and running by October, had been put on hold indefinitely. "The Presidential Office has yet to schedule the inauguration of the commission," he said at the State Palace. The establishment of the commission is mandated by Law No. 16/2005 on prosecutors. Its main task will be to monitor and supervise state prosecutors.
Mon, 31 Oct 2005, 00:00 WIB
New Hankam-Cikunir route eases traffic
New Hankam-Cikunir route eases traffic Abdul Khalik, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Suparjo, a resident of a housing complex in Lebak Bulus, South Jakarta, is thankful that during this year's rush to get out of town for the Idul Fitri holiday, the new Hankam-Cikunir toll road will let him and his family reach the Cikampek expressway in less than 30 minutes. "Thank God, the route has opened. It saves us a lot of gas and time. It used to take over an hour just to reach the Cikampek toll road.
Mon, 31 Oct 2005, 00:00 WIB
Indonesian experience helps to get better idea of the market
Indonesian experience helps to get better idea of the market Japanese carmaker Toyota Motor Corp. has made Indonesia and Thailand its bases for IMV (Innovative International Multi- purpose Vehicle) production in Southeast Asia. Starting in April, the company began increasing its production capacity in both countries for exports to 100,000 and 350,000 units respectively.
Mon, 31 Oct 2005, 00:00 WIB
SBY's 1.8 million hectare disaster?
SBY's 1.8 million hectare disaster? We all remember Soeharto's disastrous 1 million hectare sawah (rice field) project in Central Kalimantan, the consequences of which still affect the province. Will President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (SBY) attach his name to an even bigger ecological, sociological, climatic and financial disaster and scandal with the 1.8 million hectare palm oil plantations project in the center of Kalimantan?
Mon, 31 Oct 2005, 00:00 WIB
Students ready for bird flu fight
Students ready for bird flu fight BOGOR: At least 400 Indonesian university students are ready to go house-to-house to check for bird flu in chickens that people keep in their backyards, university officials said on Saturday. The students from four universities in Java and Bali are a part of up to 1,000 veterinary students and other volunteers that the U.N. Food and Agricultural Organization says will take part in a "military-like" door-to-door campaign.
Mon, 31 Oct 2005, 00:00 WIB
Communal conflicts and terrorism
Communal conflicts and terrorism Riwanto Tirtosudarmo, Jakarta The intention of the Indonesian Military (TNI) Chief Gen. Endriartono Sutarto to revive the territorial command is not a surprise at all. It is only a reflection of a long established self image of the military as the nation's sole protector against security threats. Putting it into the global context the announcement echoes the idea of war on terror propagated by U.S. President George W.
Mon, 31 Oct 2005, 00:00 WIB
Judicial corruption not only rampant but also shameful
Judicial corruption not only rampant but also shameful Frans H. Winarta, Jakarta In the midst of the anticorruption campaign introduced by President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono in his first year term of office, an incident occurred at the Supreme Court recently in which a lawyer and five staff members of the Supreme Court were involved in an attempt to bribe Supreme Court Chief Justice Bagir Manan. This scandal has proven again that judicial corruption is still rampant in Indonesia.
Mon, 31 Oct 2005, 00:00 WIB
Depok to build new bus terminal
Depok to build new bus terminal DEPOK: The Depok administration will build a new bus terminal for city, inter-city and inter-province public buses in the Jatijajar area in Cimanggis in 2006, Tempo Interaktif reported on Sunday. Head of the terminal and parking division of Depok City Land Transportation Agency (DLLAJ), Ade Effendi, said that the new terminal would occupy an area of 6.4 hectares and cost Rp 120 billion (about US$12 million).
Mon, 31 Oct 2005, 00:00 WIB
BRI posts 8 percent drop in profit
BRI posts 8 percent drop in profit State-run Bank Rakyat Indonesia (BRI), the nation's fourth largest bank, announced that net profit dropped by 8 percent in the first nine months of the year, following a decline in its proceeds from recapitalization bonds. The bank said in a press statement that profit declined to Rp 2.51 trillion (US$250.50 million) from Rp 2.73 trillion in the same period last year, despite an 11 percent increase in its net interest income to Rp 9.29 trillion.
Mon, 31 Oct 2005, 00:00 WIB
Parades banned along main roads
Parades banned along main roads JAKARTA: Those wishing to participate in takbiran parades on the eve of Idul Fitri should avoid the main thoroughfares of Jl. Sudirman and Jl. MH Thamrin in Central Jakarta, Jakarta Police warned. "Takbiran parade participants should remain in their own areas, should not drive in long convoys and should make sure they wear safety helmets," Jakarta Police traffic division head Sr. Comr. Djoko Susilo was quoted by Detikcom as saying.
Mon, 31 Oct 2005, 00:00 WIB
Sutiyoso to help pro-bono lawyers
Sutiyoso to help pro-bono lawyers JAKARTA: Governor Sutiyoso pledged funds from the city budget on Saturday to help renovate the Indonesian Legal Aid Institute's (YLBHI) building on Jl. Dponegoro, Central Jakarta. "I hope the fund needed (for the renovation) is less than Rp 10 billion ... Indeed, YLBHI has to have a proper office," he said after attending the foundation's 35th anniversary.
Mon, 31 Oct 2005, 00:00 WIB
The evil among us
The evil among us Barbaric! No other word describes the anger and exasperation many of us feel at hearing the news of the killing and beheading of three teenage girls in the Central Sulawesi district of Poso on Saturday. No decent human being could have done such a sadistic thing. The perpetrators were evil. What motivated them to do such an heinous act is beyond reason and comprehension.
Mon, 31 Oct 2005, 00:00 WIB
Lombok tourism 'recovering' after Bali bomb attacks
Lombok tourism 'recovering' after Bali bomb attacks The hotel occupancy rate on Lombok island, West Nusa Tenggara, has improved after being badly affected by the Bali bombings on Oct. 1, a senior hotelier said on Saturday. Public relations manager with Lombok Holiday Resort Rahayu Lestari said some 70 percent of guests canceled their bookings for weeks after the Bali bombings, in which 23 people were killed. "But since Friday, guests have begun to trickle back to our hotel," said Rahayu.
Mon, 31 Oct 2005, 00:00 WIB
Da'i pledges support for police bribery probe
Da'i pledges support for police bribery probe The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Former National Police chief Gen. Da'i Bachtiar says he will support the ongoing investigation into allegations of high-level police corruption that allegedly occurred during his tenure. Da'i was specifically referring to accusations that some of his senior officers accepted bribes while investigating a Rp 1.7 trillion (US$170 million) lending scam at the giant state Bank BNI in 2004.