Archive: 14 February 2005
71 articles found
Mon, 14 Feb 2005, 00:00 WIB
To divorce is costly
To divorce is costly From Media Indonesia A friend has told me that she has many troubles in her marriage and would like to get a divorce from her husband. However, she cannot afford to file her request at the South Jakarta religious court because she has to pay them Rp 700,000. When she asked why the fee was so high, she was told that it was just what the regulations said.
Mon, 14 Feb 2005, 00:00 WIB
Govt must talk to stakeholders on Semen Gresik case
Govt must talk to stakeholders on Semen Gresik case The management of publicly listed state-owned cement producer Semen Gresik is caught in the middle of a fight between its major shareholders, the government and Cemex SA. The Jakarta Post interviewed Semen Gresik president director Satriyo last week about the company's efforts in managing its operation amid the conflict. Question: How is the dispute between the government and Cemex affecting Semen Gresik operations?
Mon, 14 Feb 2005, 00:00 WIB
Suitable education for Aceh
Suitable education for Aceh From Media Indonesia Education is very important. Our earliest education comes from our families. There are many kinds of education and the most suitable type of education for post-tsunami Aceh is a psychological education to erase the trauma many Acehnese were subjected to by the devastating tsunami. Such a psychological education may relieve many Acehnese of their mental agony. HERU DWI PUTRI Boyolali, Central Java
Mon, 14 Feb 2005, 00:00 WIB
Minister concerned over high level of NPL at Mandiri
Minister concerned over high level of NPL at Mandiri Rendi A. Witular, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta State Minister for State Enterprises Sugiharto has voiced concerns over the high level of non-performing loans (NPL) at state-owned Bank Mandiri, the country's largest bank, following reports of further possible bad loans at the bank. "Who is not concerned about the high level of non-performing loans at Bank Mandiri?
Mon, 14 Feb 2005, 00:00 WIB
National exam not educational
National exam not educational From Media Indonesia The controversy on whether the government should hold the national exam continues, involving not only educational experts, laymen, politicians and bureaucrats but also the country's Vice President. Jusuf Kalla told one Jakarta's newspapers that the national examination would be an effective instrument to improve Indonesia's human resources, which are currently poorly educated.
Mon, 14 Feb 2005, 00:00 WIB
KPK to appoint team of advisers
KPK to appoint team of advisers JAKARTA: A team from the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) has named eight candidates to become advisers to the commission, a KPK official said over the weekend. KPK secretary-general Sugiri Syarif said KPK members would interview the candidates next week before making any decision.
Mon, 14 Feb 2005, 00:00 WIB
It's mind over matter for badminton legend
It's mind over matter for badminton legend Bruce Emond, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Meeting Tan Joe Hok for the first time may lead some to suspect that a horribly decaying portrait lies tucked away in a dark corner of his home in Kuningan, South Jakarta. While other sporting legends descend into stooped, sagging shadows of their once active selves, the country's first winner of the All England badminton men's singles title -- way back in 1959 -- looks suspiciously well preserved.
Mon, 14 Feb 2005, 00:00 WIB
Rice for poor sold at higher rate
Rice for poor sold at higher rate BANYUASIN, South Sumatra: The price of rice for the poor residents of Banyuasin regency has skyrocketed in the past few days, bringing misery to local residents. Ida, 28, a Banyuasin resident, complained on Thursday that she used to buy rice for Rp 1,000 per kilogram at an appointed outlet, but now has to pay Rp 1,500 to Rp 2,000 per kilogram.
Mon, 14 Feb 2005, 00:00 WIB
Belgium eager to participate in Aceh's reconstruction
Belgium eager to participate in Aceh's reconstruction Veeramalla Anjaiah, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Belgium will play an active role in the reconstruction of Aceh following the Dec. 26 tsunami disaster, Belgian Foreign Minister Karel De Gucht said in Jakarta on Saturday. "We have a plan to continue our humanitarian assistance to Indonesia. We would like to participate actively in the reconstruction of Aceh. In Meulaboh, we are there at the moment.
Mon, 14 Feb 2005, 00:00 WIB
Betawi folk await law to preserve culture
Betawi folk await law to preserve culture Damar Harsanto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Hopes are running high among Betawi people (native Jakartans) for a draft bylaw that seeks to convert the Srengseng Sawah subdistrict in South Jakarta into a Betawi cultural village.
Mon, 14 Feb 2005, 00:00 WIB
No money in kitty for Jambi election
No money in kitty for Jambi election JAMBI: The direct election of Jambi's governor might not be able to be held in accordance with the schedule set by the local election committee due to lack of money. "At this stage, we should be publicizing the election, but we can't do this as there's no money," a member of the Jambi election committee, Azhar Mulya, told The Jakarta Post on Saturday.
Mon, 14 Feb 2005, 00:00 WIB
Yeo says extradition talks with RI on track
Yeo says extradition talks with RI on track The Jakarta Post, Jakarta The governments of Singapore and Indonesia are making "good progress" toward concluding an extradition treaty following the first-ever technical meeting on the issue last month between the two countries, Singapore Foreign Affairs Minister George Yeo said over the weekend. "One bilateral issue that we are making good progress on is extradition," Yeo said in a statement as quoted by AFP on Sunday.
Mon, 14 Feb 2005, 00:00 WIB
Forest fire cases on back burner
Forest fire cases on back burner PEKANBARU: The files on companies allegedly involved in starting forest fires in Riau are still with the local environmental impact management office but the legal process would nevertheless proceed, says the office's director, Khairul Zainal. Khairul said on Saturday that legal proceedings against the 10 companies named suspects for causing fires that resulted in widespread haze in the province should only take a week, if addressed seriously.
Mon, 14 Feb 2005, 00:00 WIB
Compassion for tsunami victims in the air
Compassion for tsunami victims in the air The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Jakartans will join others around the world today in celebrating Valentine's Day with declarations of love and gifts to the objects of their affection. However, Valentine's Day is not only for lovers. Several events will be held to give people the chance to show their compassion for the victims of the tsunami in Aceh and Sumatra with donations and prayers.
Mon, 14 Feb 2005, 00:00 WIB
Makarim's diplomacy
Makarim's diplomacy Much has been made of Makarim Wibisono's appointment as chairman of the UN Commission on Human Rights (UNCHR). The honor signifies recognition of the diplomat's long service to his country and his contribution to multilateral diplomacy. Given his experience and tenure in various international organizations, Makarim is, without doubt, a qualified candidate for the job. Despite this relative "success" for Indonesian diplomacy, we should not make too much of his appointment.
Mon, 14 Feb 2005, 00:00 WIB
TV Program: Monday, January 14, 2005
TV Program: Monday, January 14, 2005 TVRI .TB.30" .90" 5:00 a.m. Religious Teachings 6:00 News: Berita Pagi 7:00 Cartoon: Maya the Bee 7:30 Children Show 8:30 Music: Asyik Asyik 10:00 Talk Show 11:00 Singing Contest: Konteswara 1:00 p.m. News: Berita Siang 3:00 English News Service 4:30 Documentary 7:00 News: Berita Nasional 7:30 TV Drama 9:00 News: Dunia Dalam Berita 9:30 Dangdut Music TPI 5:30 a.m.
Mon, 14 Feb 2005, 00:00 WIB
Schools dig deep into pockets to fight dengue
Schools dig deep into pockets to fight dengue The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Spending 15 minutes to sweep classrooms and schoolyards, cleaning toilets before classes start every Friday morning, is not a burden for students of State Junior High School 103 in Cijantung, East Jakarta. "The school has been encouraging us to do these activities since December 2004 to make the PSN (the city's campaign against dengue) a success.
Mon, 14 Feb 2005, 00:00 WIB
Accommodating
Accommodating thousands of children From Republika Following the report in The Jakarta Post on Jan. 3 that there is fear about the future of the child survivors of the tsunami disaster in Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam, the central executive board of Hidayatullah would like to state as follows: 1. It supports the government's policy not to let these children be taken out of Aceh until clear data about their families has been obtained. 2.
Mon, 14 Feb 2005, 00:00 WIB
KONI counts the cost of tsunami
KONI counts the cost of tsunami Agencies, Jakarta The human toll of the tsunami that struck Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam and North Sumatra on Dec. 26 has inevitably been felt in the country's sporting world. At least 96 athletes have died or are missing in the tsunami in Aceh, the National Sports Council (KONI) reported on Friday after visiting the province.
Mon, 14 Feb 2005, 00:00 WIB
Susilo must maintain his popularity
Susilo must maintain his popularity Muhammad Qodari, Jakarta President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, familiarly known as SBY, surprised many when he said, "I don't care about my popularity" (The Jakarta Post, Feb. 4). This is quite astonishing as SBY is the first Indonesian president to be elected through a direct election where the popularity of the candidates is the most important factor. Does he no longer care about his popularity as he is already the president?
Mon, 14 Feb 2005, 00:00 WIB
Dengue cases up, PMI urges people to give blood
Dengue cases up, PMI urges people to give blood Abdul Khalik, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta As the current dengue fever outbreak is predicted to continue for the next three months, people who intend to donate blood are being asked to leave their phone numbers with the Indonesian Red Cross (PMI) offices to anticipate a possible shortage of blood.
Mon, 14 Feb 2005, 00:00 WIB
Group Danone may acquire more firms to boost growth
Group Danone may acquire more firms to boost growth Bloomberg, Paris Groupe Danone, the world's largest yogurt maker, may step up the pace of acquisitions this year as the French company looks to countries such as the U.S., Russia and Indonesia for growth. "The 100 million euros (US$129 million) we spent on acquisitions last year might have been an all-time low," Finance Director Emmanuel Faber said over the weekend in an interview.
Mon, 14 Feb 2005, 00:00 WIB
Furniture market: Back to classic design
Furniture market: Back to classic design Sudibyo M. Wiradji, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta The growing use of European classic styles in the country's exclusive housing estates has helped bring about a revival of classic furniture designs in Indonesia. Classic furniture, either imported or locally made, has become hot in many large furnitures stores in Jakarta and other cities.
Mon, 14 Feb 2005, 00:00 WIB
Flooding is a commonplace problem for the people of Jakarta
Flooding is a commonplace problem for the people of Jakarta and other flood-prone areas across the country, such as Lampung, South Sumatra and Kalimantan. Almost every year, Jakarta and these areas are inundated during the wet season. Unfortunately, every time a flood occurs it is heavy rain that is blamed. The reality is, however, that nobody can decide how much or how little rain will fall.
Mon, 14 Feb 2005, 00:00 WIB
Danamon to issue Rp 2.5t in bonds
Danamon to issue Rp 2.5t in bonds JAKARTA: The country's fifth largest lender, Bank Danamon, has announced plans to issue Rp 2.5 trillion (US$271 million) in long-term bonds, less than the previously reported Rp 3 trillion bond issue. In a letter sent to the Jakarta Stock Exchange, the bank said it had appointed Danareksa Sekuritas, Trimegah Securities and DBS Vickers Securities Indonesia as the joint lead underwriters for the bond issue.
Mon, 14 Feb 2005, 00:00 WIB
Graft not just in Jakarta
Graft not just in Jakarta From Koran Tempo According to Attorney General Abdul Rahman Saleh, following his instruction that all prosecutors' offices at the district and higher levels intensify their investigation into and prosecution of graft cases, a great number of requests have been lodged, demanding that probes into graft involving regional administration officials be conducted. It is understandable that the attorney general has seen such a great number of requests.
Mon, 14 Feb 2005, 00:00 WIB
Negotiations with Tangguh moving forward: Official
Negotiations with Tangguh moving forward: Official Fabiola Desy Unidjaja The Jakarta Post/Jakarta A BP Plc.-led consortium has finally dropped its demand to include regental administrations in the "government acts" clause of the Tangguh construction contract, over concern that in future there would be the possibility of wider autonomy being given to regencies, an official says.
Mon, 14 Feb 2005, 00:00 WIB
Badminton legend Tan still going it alone
Badminton legend Tan still going it alone Bruce Emond The Jakarta Post/Jakarta Meeting Tan Joe Hock for the first time may lead some to suspect that a horribly decaying portrait lies tucked away in a dark corner of his home in Kuningan, South Jakarta. While other sporting legends descend into stooped, sagging shadows of their once active selves, the country's first winner of the All England badminton men's singles title -- way back in 1959 -- looks suspiciously well preserved.
Mon, 14 Feb 2005, 00:00 WIB
Aid fund control crucial
Aid fund control crucial From Koran Tempo The distrust in some circles over the utilization of aid funds for the reconstruction of post-tsunami Aceh and North Sumatra is inseparable from the short-term orientation of most Indonesian officials and the lack of supervision. Their immature way of perceiving problems and assuming responsibility has become a major constraint and source of irregularities, besides the inherent weakness of the nation's monitoring system.
Mon, 14 Feb 2005, 00:00 WIB
Govt urged to fix human rights legislation
Govt urged to fix human rights legislation Tony Hotland The Jakarta Post/Jakarta Human rights activists urged the government to provide better legislation for human rights protection in the country as it aims to ratify the International Bill on Human Rights.
Mon, 14 Feb 2005, 00:00 WIB
PSMS pummels Geylang to lift Bang Yos Gold Cup
PSMS pummels Geylang to lift Bang Yos Gold Cup Moch. N. Kurniawan, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta PSMS Medan gave a master class in controlled soccer to humiliate Geylang FC of Singapore 5-1 and take the Bang Yos Gold Cup 2005 in Senayan, Central Jakarta. Christian Carasco started his team's goal rush with a free kick in the 18th minute, followed by two goals from Mahyadi Panggabean (27, 74), and a goal each from Eka Mihar Wiyanto (41) and Christian A. Gonzales (59).
Mon, 14 Feb 2005, 00:00 WIB
Tourists flock to see beached barge
Tourists flock to see beached barge Fadli, The Jakarta Post, Banda Aceh It took Mirza and her family three hours to reach Puge Blang Cut village in Banda Aceh, but they went anyway. They traveled from Sigli in the Pidie district for one reason, to see with their own eyes a stranded ship, the PLTD Apung 1, which was swept inland by the giant waves when the tsunami hit Aceh on Dec. 26 last year. Owned by state electricity company PT PLN, the ship now sits in the center of the residential area.
Mon, 14 Feb 2005, 00:00 WIB
Aussie Christians, Muhammadiyah team up to help Acehnese youths
Aussie Christians, Muhammadiyah team up to help Acehnese youths The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Foreign organizations continue their relief efforts in Aceh, demonstrating their commitment to the long-term care of survivors of the Dec. 26 tsunami.
Mon, 14 Feb 2005, 00:00 WIB
State must not interfere in interfaith marriages: Experts
State must not interfere in interfaith marriages: Experts The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Demand for an end to the ban on interreligious marriages in the country remerged, with a woman activist calling the ban state intervention in its citizens personal affairs. "Interfaith marriage is a decision made by people who know what they should do with their lives, so it's not something that should be decided by the state.
Mon, 14 Feb 2005, 00:00 WIB
Welcome back to Pertamina
Welcome back to Pertamina Martiono Hadianto, the former short-lived president director of PT Pertamina, the state oil and gas company (14 months since 1998) has recently been elected as the chief commissioner of this company, replacing Laksamana Sukardi, the former state minister of state-owned enterprises (The Jakarta Post, Feb. 2). The election of Martiono has, at least, two meanings.
Mon, 14 Feb 2005, 00:00 WIB
Aid fund control crucial
Aid fund control crucial From Koran Tempo The distrust in some circles over the utilization of aid funds for the reconstruction of post-tsunami Aceh and North Sumatra is inseparable from the short-term orientation of most Indonesian officials and the lack of supervision. Their immature way of perceiving problems and assuming responsibility has become a major constraint and source of irregularities, besides the inherent weakness of the nation's monitoring system.
Mon, 14 Feb 2005, 00:00 WIB
'The city has to do more to stop dengue'
'The city has to do more to stop dengue' Dengue fever is plaguing Jakarta again, and has claimed at least 17 lives and caused some 1,780 people to fall sick so far. As usual, the city administration complains about the public's lack of awareness and participation in fighting against the disease. What do Jakarta residents have to say about the administration's anti-dengue campaign? The Jakarta Post talked to some Jakarta people about the issue.
Mon, 14 Feb 2005, 00:00 WIB
Fitch Ratings upgrades ratings of 10 Indonesian banks
Fitch Ratings upgrades ratings of 10 Indonesian banks Leony Aurora, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta In light of the positive changes in Indonesia's banking sector and recent upgrade in its sovereign rating, international agency Fitch Ratings has raised the ratings of 10 major lenders in the country.
Mon, 14 Feb 2005, 00:00 WIB
JP/7/letter
JP/7/letter Smoking and pollution From Koran Tempo I would like to respond to a news story published on Feb. 1, on page B5 of this newspaper (Koran Tempo) under the title of "Rp 50 million fine for smoking in public places." Indeed, in terms of health maintenance, this fine is right to impose as the same thing is also done overseas. However, smoking is not a top priority when dealing with the fight against pollution in Jakarta.
Mon, 14 Feb 2005, 00:00 WIB
City eyes Cikelor as alternative dump
City eyes Cikelor as alternative dump JAKARTA: The administration is looking into the possibility of dispose of its waste in Cikelor subdistrict, Karawang regency, West Java, some 70 kilometers to the east of the capital, amid a lingering dispute with residents of Bojong in Bogor, West Java, over the use of a waste treatment facility in their village.
Mon, 14 Feb 2005, 00:00 WIB
Noodle producer sets two world records
Noodle producer sets two world records I Wayan Juniartha, The Jakarta Post, Semarapura, Bali PT Indofood Sukses Makmur Tbk., the producer of the popular instant noodles brands Indomie and Supermie, secured its place here on Thursday among the global community of Guinness world record holders by producing the largest packet and the largest serving of instant noodles.
Mon, 14 Feb 2005, 00:00 WIB
Condolences
Condolences We wish to express our deepest sympathy on the passing of R. Johny Sigiet Handoyo (56 years of age) the father of R. Berto Wedhatama, one of our photographers, on Thursday, May 29, 2003, in Tangerang, Banten. He will be buried in Yogyakarta on May 31, 2003. May God Almighty bless and keep him always. The management and staff of The Jakarta Post Condolences We wish to express our deepest condolences on the passing of H. Syamsu St.
Mon, 14 Feb 2005, 00:00 WIB
Hyundai Indonesia upbeat over this year's 13,500 cars target
Hyundai Indonesia upbeat over this year's 13,500 cars target South Korean carmaker Hyundai Motor Company, which comprises the Hyundai and KIA units, is considering setting up a production base in Southeast Asia to take advantage of the ASEAN Free Trade Area (AFTA). The Jakarta Post's Novan Iman Santosa and Primastuti Handayani interviewed PT Hyundai Indonesia Motor's president director Jongkie D. Sugiarto recently on the plan as well as on the company's performance and outlook in Indonesia.
Mon, 14 Feb 2005, 00:00 WIB
Susilo to visit Malaysia to defuse labor dispute
Susilo to visit Malaysia to defuse labor dispute The Jakarta Post, Jakarta/Bogor President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono will meet with Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi during a one-day visit to Kuala Lumpur on Monday, with the main subject of discussion to be the sensitive issue of illegal Indonesian workers in that country. Susilo has vowed to raise the issue of Malaysian employers not paying Indonesian workers.
Mon, 14 Feb 2005, 00:00 WIB
JP/18/JAPAN
JP/18/JAPAN Tourist industry urged work hard to win back Japanese market Wahyoe Boediwardhana The Jakarta Post/Denpasar The Dec. 26 tsunami that struck Aceh and North Sumatra in Indonesia and other countries in Asia and Africa, including Thailand, Malaysia and Sri Lanka, has had a dramatic impact on tourism in affected areas.
Mon, 14 Feb 2005, 00:00 WIB
Semarang airport resumes operation
Semarang airport resumes operation SEMARANG: Achmad Yani Airport in Semarang reopened on Sunday morning after a Boeing 737-200 airplane was towed from the airport's tarmac. The commercial airplane, operated by Mandala Airlines, skidded off the runway on Friday evening while landing during heavy rain. No fatalities were reported in the accident. It took over a day to move the plane because a special crane had to be sent to Semarang from Jakarta. -- Antara
Mon, 14 Feb 2005, 00:00 WIB
Flossing software in a spicy Bangalore bazaar
Flossing software in a spicy Bangalore bazaar Idaman Andarmosoko, Contributor, Jakarta Amid spicy Indian food, around a hundred software developers and social workers from all over Asia gather at a week-long camp in Bangalore, India; "Open Source" is the buzzphrase that gathers these subcontinental tech-folks together. The terminology Open Source deals with software that makes computer hardware come alive and do things. In order to function, computer hardware needs programs, or software.
Mon, 14 Feb 2005, 00:00 WIB
OT 557 and O2 XDA mini: Pphones for different people
OT 557 and O2 XDA mini: Pphones for different people Zatni Arbi, Contributor, zatni@cbn.net.id Some people -- especially first-time users -- just want the most basic cellphone they can find. They don't need all the frills, such as built-in MP3 player, radio, infrared and Bluetooth. All they need is a device that will let them make calls and send SMS messages. Above all, they want a cellular phone that is easy to use and will last a long time.
Mon, 14 Feb 2005, 00:00 WIB
A star is born in India after Mirza wins aon home soil
A star is born in India after Mirza wins aon home soil Agencies, Hyderabad, India Indian tennis fans celebrated on Sunday after teenager Sania Mirza became the nation's first female winner of a WTA Tour singles event on Saturday. The unseeded 18-year-old, ranked 134th in the world, won the Hyderabad Open in front of a delirious home crowd when she defeated ninth seed Alyona Bondarenko of Ukraine 6-4 5-7 6-3.
Mon, 14 Feb 2005, 00:00 WIB
Tsunami survivors: Whom do I live for now?
Tsunami survivors: Whom do I live for now? Fadli and Ridwan Max Sijabat, The Jakarta Post, Banda Aceh Survivors of the Dec. 26 tsunami in Aceh have expressed desperation at the thought of a future without their relatives and loved ones. With so many people killed in the province, it seems that everybody has lost someone close. Husbands have lost wives, and wives husbands. Parents have lost children, and children parents.
Mon, 14 Feb 2005, 00:00 WIB
*State must not interfere in interfaith marriages: Experts Page 2
*State must not interfere in interfaith marriages: Experts Page 2 *Susilo to visit Malaysia to discuss labor issue Page 4 *Ethnic conflict likely in Bandarlampung poll Page 5 *RI needs to step up human rights diplomacy Page 6 *Betawi folk await law to preserve culture Page 8 *PSMS pummels Geylang to lift Bang Yos Cup Page 10 *U.S., S. Korea looks to China to bring N. Korea in line Page 11 *Govt reviews 60 investment-retarding bylaws Page 13 *Valentine's Day? Don't read this Page 19
Mon, 14 Feb 2005, 00:00 WIB
Suparto: Charting Surabaya history
Suparto: Charting Surabaya history Indra Harsaputra, The Jakarta Post, Surabaya Over three hours passed as Suparto Brata talked about the history of Surabaya and the genesis of some of his novels at his residence in Rungkut, south of the East Java provincial capital. Listening to the stories of the Javanese novelist and recipient of the 2001 Rancage Sundanese literary award, the hours seemed more like minutes.
Mon, 14 Feb 2005, 00:00 WIB
Jamsostek claims payments being held up by companies
Jamsostek claims payments being held up by companies Ridwan Max Sijabat, The Jakarta Post, Banda Aceh State-owned insurance company PT Jamsostek has called on companies in tsunami-ravaged Aceh to provide lists of workers victimized in the disaster, in order to speed up the payment of claims to the victims' relatives.
Mon, 14 Feb 2005, 00:00 WIB
Warne defends Muralitharan
Warne defends Muralitharan COLOMBO: Australian leg-spin genius Shane Warne brushed aside on Saturday the controversy over rival Muttiah Muralitharan's bowling action, saying he did not believe the Sri Lankan spinner was a chucker. "The most important thing is that he (Muralitharan) does not chuck," Warne was quoted as saying in the Colombo-based Daily News. Warne is currently in Sri Lanka to raise funds for tsunami survivors.
Mon, 14 Feb 2005, 00:00 WIB
Permata profit soars 11.4%
Permata profit soars 11.4% JAKARTA: Bank Permata, the country's seventh largest lender by assets, announced that its net profit had increased last year to Rp 622.7 billion (US$669.5 million) from Rp 558.1 billion in 2003, thanks to higher interest earnings. The bank's 2004 net interest earnings jumped to Rp 1.55 trillion from Rp 1.14 trillion in 2003, as interest on time deposits and savings fell amid declining Bank Indonesia's benchmark interest rates (SBI).
Mon, 14 Feb 2005, 00:00 WIB
Sultan apologizes over false alarm
Sultan apologizes over false alarm YOGYAKARTA: Yogyakarta Governor Sri Sultan Hamengkubuwono X toured the southern coast of Yogyakarta on Sunday, reassuring residents the area was safe from storms. During his visit, he also apologized to residents for a storm warning issued by the authorities that turned out to be a false alarm. "I apologize to the fishermen who did not go out to sea after the storm warning was issued.
Mon, 14 Feb 2005, 00:00 WIB
Indofood
Indofood GIANT INDOMIE: Indomie, one of instant noodle brands produced by PT Indofood Sukses Makmur Tbk, has set a new record in the category of The Largest Pack of Instant Noodles according to the Guinness World Records. The giant Indomie pack, 3.4 meters in length, 2.355 meters in width and 0.47 meters high was made of the same ingredients used in a regular pack. With a weight of 664,938 kgs, the giant Indomie pack is 8,000 times heavier than a normal one.
Mon, 14 Feb 2005, 00:00 WIB
DPR members complain about free furniture
DPR members complain about free furniture Kurniawan Hari, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta After having their official residences renovated, members of the House of Representatives recently received furniture and electronic appliances for their official houses in the Kalibata residential complex in South Jakarta. However, some of legislators are upset that the furnishings do not meet their high standards and plan to summon House secretary- general Faisal Djamal over the matter.
Mon, 14 Feb 2005, 00:00 WIB
Int'l stadium planned for Cikampek
Int'l stadium planned for Cikampek JAKARTA: Plans have been announced to build a world-class sports stadium at the end of the Jakarta-Cikampek toll road, which connects the capital to West Java. The West Java administration has earmarked a site in Cikopo, Purwakarta, for the project. "This site enjoys a better location compared to the other option in Padalarang, Bandung, because of its proximity to both Jakarta and Bandung, the capital of West Java," said councillor Juhara.
Mon, 14 Feb 2005, 00:00 WIB
Latest trend: Going 'glocal'
Latest trend: Going 'glocal' T. Sima Gunawan, Contributor, Jakarta "Glocal". This word might not be found in any dictionary, but it is becoming quite an important term in today's home interior design world. "Glocal" is the combination of global and local - a word that refers to a global spirit with local touch. So says interior design and art consultant Ananda Moersid.
Mon, 14 Feb 2005, 00:00 WIB
Govt reviews 60 investment-retarding bylaws
Govt reviews 60 investment-retarding bylaws Zakki P. Hakim, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta The government is reviewing some 60 bylaws issued in recent years by local administrations nationwide, which have retarded trade and discouraged investment. The review process will determine over the course of the next few weeks, which bylaws will remain and which will be scrapped.
Mon, 14 Feb 2005, 00:00 WIB
Conflict likely in Bandarlampung poll
Conflict likely in Bandarlampung poll Oyos Saroso H.N., The Jakarta Post, Bandarlampung Compared to other cities in Indonesia, Bandarlampung may be the most aggressive in terms of mobilizing ethnic-based organizations for the coming direct regional election on June 27. Among the biggest and most prominent of the ethnic-based organizations are Paku Banten and Lampung Sai.
Mon, 14 Feb 2005, 00:00 WIB
Myanmar-U.S. team studies elephants
Myanmar-U.S. team studies elephants MYANMAR: A joint Myanmar-U.S. wildlife conservation team has attached data-emitting collars to three wild elephants in Myanmar's mountain ranges to survey populations of the beasts, a semiofficial newspaper said on Sunday.
Mon, 14 Feb 2005, 00:00 WIB
GPS trial for busway routes
GPS trial for busway routes JAKARTA: The Jakarta administration said over the weekend that it would collaborate with the Japan Transportation Consultants Association (JTCA) to test the use of the Global Positioning System (GPS) on buses operating on the Blok M, South Jakarta-Kota and West Jakarta busway routes. "The new system will be a big improvement over the walkie- talkies we currently use to run and control busway operations," Deputy Governor Fauzi Bowo told reporters at City Hall.
Mon, 14 Feb 2005, 00:00 WIB
The Violent Face of Indonesia
The Violent Face of Indonesia Thang D. Nguyen Jakarta As 2004 came to an end, Western intelligence forces issued a warning of a potential terrorist attack in a Hilton hotel in Indonesia during the Christmas and New Year holidays. Fortunately, no terrorist attacks happened. Unfortunately, however, a killing took place at Jakarta Hotel Hilton on New Year's Eve.
Mon, 14 Feb 2005, 00:00 WIB
JP/ /
JP/ / Susilo's 100 Days and the tsunami The first hundred days of President Susilo Bambang Yudhyono's mandate have passed and the pundits, predictably, are pontificating. How does one assess the President's success or failure to achieve the expected results? The situation in Indonesia today precludes simply reaching for a checklist and seeing how many election promises have been kept and how many have fallen by the wayside.
Mon, 14 Feb 2005, 00:00 WIB
Indonesia should step up its human rights diplomacy
Indonesia should step up its human rights diplomacy Budiono Kusumohamidjojo, Jakarta On Jan. 17, Makarim Wibisono, one of Indonesia's outstanding career diplomats, was elected chairman of the United Nations Commission on Human Rights (UNCHR) for 2005. The strategic importance of the UNCHR nowadays is second only to the Security Council.
Mon, 14 Feb 2005, 00:00 WIB
PSMS pummels Geylang to lift Bang Yos Cup
PSMS pummels Geylang to lift Bang Yos Cup Moch. N. Kurniawan The Jakarta Post/Jakarta PSMS Medan gave a master class in controlled soccer to humiliate Geylang FC of Singapore 5-1 and take the Bang Yos Gold Cup 2005 in Senayan, Central Jakarta. Christian Carasco started his team's goal rush with a free kick in the 18th minute, followed by two goals from Mahyadi Panggabean (27, 74), and a goal each from Eka Mihar Wiyanto (41) and Christian A. Gonzales (59).
Mon, 14 Feb 2005, 00:00 WIB
Tangerang looks into proposed municipality
Tangerang looks into proposed municipality Multa Fidrus, The Jakarta Post, Tangerang Responding to public demands for the establishment of a Cipasera municipality in Banten, the Tangerang council and regent, Ismet Iskandar, have called for a thorough study into the proposal. "An objective study must be conducted by an independent team to determine whether or not the six districts in question can be merged into one municipality," Tangerang council deputy speaker Arief Wahyudi said on Saturday.
Mon, 14 Feb 2005, 00:00 WIB
Strengthening RI-Dutch ties
Strengthening RI-Dutch ties Retno L.P. Marsudi, Jakarta Only last week, the Foreign Minister of the Netherlands visited Indonesia. This weekend, the Minister of Economic Affairs of the Netherlands will also visit Indonesia. How do all these visits signify efforts to strengthen bilateral relations between Indonesia and the Netherlands? Dutch Foreign Minister Ben Bot, who was born in Batavia, has visited Indonesia three times in the last seven months.
Mon, 14 Feb 2005, 00:00 WIB
Stranded floating power plant, a post-tsunami tourist site
Stranded floating power plant, a post-tsunami tourist site Fadli The Jakarta Post/Banda Aceh It took Mirza and her family three hours to reach Punge Blang Cut village in Banda Aceh, but they went anyway. They traveled from Sigli in the Pidie district for one reason, to see with their own eyes a stranded floating power plant, the PLTD Apung 1, which was swept inland by the giant waves when the tsunami hit Aceh on Dec. 26 last year.