Indonesian Political, Business & Finance News

Archive: 31 May 2005

98 articles found

RI democratic

RI democratic consolidation From Bisnis Indonesia The deepening and expansion of democracy, or democratic consolidation, needs behavioral and institutional changes that reflect socioeconomic demands and democratic values in society.

Higher salaries

Higher salaries and corruptionFrom KompasPresident Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has announced plans to increase the salaries of civil servants and soldiers in an attempt to reduce corruption.In my view, it is more appropriate to raise salaries for the purpose of improving welfare rather than reducing...

'Old town' vendors face relocation

'Old town' vendors face relocationDamar Harsanto, The Jakarta Post, JakartaWest Jakarta municipality has started relocating more than 1,500 street vendors in Glodok, West Jakarta, to nearby traditional markets as part of an effort to bring some order to the chaos of the old downtown area.

Lippo rolls out commercial center

Lippo rolls out commercial center CIKARANG: Property developer PT Lippo Cikarang recently launched a commercial center near the Delta Silicon Industry in Cikarang, West Java.Called Delta Niaga Marketplace, the commercial center is designed to allow business people to take advantage of the...

Govt to build tin smelter in Bangka to boost output

Govt to build tin smelter in Bangka to boost outputThe Jakarta Post, Jakarta In a bid to boost the country's domestic tin production and better control the problem of widespread illegal mining in the Bangka Belitung islands, the government plans to collaborate with a number of players in the sector...

An ASEAN deal for Myanmar

An ASEAN deal for MyanmarThang D. Nguyen, JakartaThe word crisis in Chinese has two characters: The first means "danger," and the second "opportunity." This is how the issue of Myanmar's chairmanship of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) should be dealt with, given Rangoon's...

No problems on first day of exams

No problems on first day of examsThe Jakarta Post, JakartaThe first day of National Examinations for 124,621 senior high school students in Jakarta ran on smoothly Monday, with schools receiving their examination materials on time.

'Other regions have yet to enjoy electricity'

'Other regions have yet to enjoy electricity'State power company PLN is asking residents of Java and Bali to conserve energy from May 23 to June 6 as it struggles to complete construction work on several power plants.

Finding a balance between Japan and China

Finding a balance between Japan and ChinaMakmur Keliat, Jakarta Why doesn't Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono visit Beijing after he visits Tokyo?One might answer this question by saying that going to Beijing would take longer and needs much more time to produce results.

Suicide bombing suspected in Tentena attack

Suicide bombing suspected in Tentena attackRuslan Sangadji and Rendi A. Witular, The Jakarta Post, Palu/JakartaThe recent bomb attacks in Tentena in Central Sulawesi may have been the work of a suicide bomber as one victim identified as Iskandar was not known to locals, according to police,...

Traps for embezzlers

Traps for embezzlersFrom KompasIndonesia's economic downturn, with tens of millions of poor and unemployed people as well as the denudation of vast areas of forest, has resulted from corruption, among other things.

Correction to article

Correction to articleRegarding my opinion piece titled Media, defamation and judicial review: Comparison with Australia published in The Jakarta Post on May 12, I would like to correct a small error in the article.

Stop human exports

Stop human exportsFrom Koran TempoThe news carried by Koran Tempo labeling Indonesia as the world's largest human exporter is interesting and surprising -- especially the quantity of this human traffic -- from 75,000 to 1 million citizens sent overseas a year, including women and children as the...

Rupiah Rates May 30

Rupiah Rates May 30 Banknote rates TT rates Selling Buying Selling Buying Australian dollar 1 7,614.09 6,847.20 7,268.72 7,192.34 Brunei dollar 1 6,022.07 5,415.81 5,748.91 5,688.80 Canadian dollar 1 7,950.17 7,152.41 7,589.56 7,512.93 Swiss franc 1 8,104.36 7,290.50 7,736.75 7,657.

Japan to set up aid and trade plan for ASEAN amid China rift: report

Japan to set up aid and trade plan for ASEAN amid China rift: report Japan will set up a fund for Southeast Asia to seal trade agreements and provide aid to lesser developed parts in a bid to secure Tokyo's regional clout amid China's growing influence, a newspaper said on Monday.

Australia, East Timor may split Sunrise gas revenues: Ramos-Horta

Australia, East Timor may split Sunrise gas revenues: Ramos-HortaBloomberg, Sydney Australia and East Timor would share equally royalties from Woodside Petroleum Ltd.'s proposed S$3.7 billion Sunrise natural gas project under a draft accord reached this month, said Jose Ramos-Horta, East Timor's...

Pertamina runs out of gas in unleaded fuel campaign

Pertamina runs out of gas in unleaded fuel campaignThe Jakarta Post, JakartaThe government campaign for the use of unleaded gasoline nationwide is facing a major obstacle as state oil and gas company Pertamina says the program targets are currently beyond its capacity.

Radical change in distribution system

Radical change in distribution systemRobert Sanjaya, Contributor, Jakarta With the emergence of a global marketplace, businessmen everywhere are seeing a radical change in distribution systems, increasing the need for timely information management and higher consumer expectations.

Stock prices on the Jakarta Stock Exchange (in rupiah) on May 30, 2005

Stock prices on the Jakarta Stock Exchange (in rupiah) on May 30, 2005 _______________________________________________________________________________ Shares Close Change Trading Volume ______________________________________________________________________________ Abdi Bangsa Tbk 275 0 0 Ades...

Romeo A. Reyes

Romeo A. Reyes Jakarta2. Yomi -- Cool heads needed to solve Japan-China problems 1 x 30 Resolving Japan-China problems Takashi Shiraishi The Yomiuri Shimbun Asia News Network Tokyo

Residents gear up for polio vaccinations

Residents gear up for polio vaccinations Damar Harsanto The Jakarta Post/JakartaOver 700,000 babies across the capital will today be immunized against polio in the first-ever mass polio vaccination program in the city's history, relying heavily on the participation of local citizens in the nation's...

RI can be a great country

RI can be a great country I refer to the account in The Jakarta Post on May 21 of the presidential address on the occasion of National Awakening Day, wherein he urged the Indonesian people to "feel proud of themselves and do the best they can for the country".

Vendors seek Council support

Vendors seek Council support JAKARTA: At least 20 street vendors who own stalls on Jl. Fachrudin and Jl. Wahid Hasyim in Central Jakarta went on Monday to the city council's commission B overseeing the economy to seek support against a plan by the Central Jakarta municipality to bulldoze their...

Strong quake jolts western Aceh town

Strong quake jolts western Aceh townACEH JAYA, Aceh: Another strong earthquake rocked the tsunami- devastated town of Calang, the capital of Aceh Jaya regency on Friday. The epicenter of the earthquake measuring 4.

International runners to take part in Jakarta 10K

International runners to take part in Jakarta 10KMoch. N. Kurniawan, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Runners from Kenya, Russia, Australia, Tanzania and Mexico will be among the participants in the 2005 Jakarta International 10K, to be held on June 26.

Prayer in two languages

Prayer in two languages The recent arrest of a cleric in Malang who lead prayers in both Arabic and Indonesian shows that there is no tolerance of difference religious opinions in this country.Why should a man be charged with a criminal offense for merely praying unconventionally? By doing this,...

Ayu dreams of following in Yayuk's famous footsteps

Ayu dreams of following in Yayuk's famous footstepsMoch. N. Kurniawan, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Tipped as the possible successor to former world top 20 ranked Yayuk Basuki and current national number one Angelique "Angie" Widjaja, teenager Ayu Fani Damayanti has big dreams of emulating their...

From Left to Right): Soediono Soemantri, President Director

From Left to Right): Soediono Soemantri, President Director PT Skypak Indonesia, TNT Indonesia Sales and Marketing Director Andry Adiwinarso and TNT Indonesia President Director Colin Moran

Officials warns of bad loans to SMEs

Officials warns of bad loans to SMEsRendi A. Witular, The Jakarta Post, JakartaThe Office of State Minister of State Enterprises has indicated massive amounts of bad loans channeled last year by state banks to small and medium enterprises under the business partnership program.

Stop SMS gambling

Stop SMS gamblingFrom RepublikaA betting game under the guise of an SMS quiz with prize money, which in Malaysia has been declared to be gambling, has absorbed a lot of funds from the public and it should be banned.

Eradicate pornography

Eradicate pornographyFrom Media IndonesiaThe sexual harassment by seven Jakarta high school girls against their younger peers and cellular phone flicks that depict bare-breasted school girls masturbating should arouse our deep concern.Many other such cases have certainly escaped the media's eye.

Students in tsunami-ravaged Aceh sit their final exams

Students in tsunami-ravaged Aceh sit their final examsThe Jakarta Post, Banda Aceh, JakartaWith hundreds of schools still in ruins, many senior high school students put the devastation of the Dec. 26 tsunami behind them on Monday, turning up in Banda Aceh to take their national final examinations.

I and many other fair-minded, clear-thinking Australians are

I and many other fair-minded, clear-thinking Australians are very concerned for one of our citizens at the moment, Schapelle Corby. Schapelle has been the innocent victim of Australian baggage handler's drug smuggling enterprise.

1. INSIGHT: 1 X 36

1. INSIGHT: 1 X 36 Finding a balance between China and Japan 2. AGRO: 2 X 24 Indonesia offers $1.57b in agri-projects to Mideast 3. SMES: 1 X 32 Official warns of bad loans to SMEs 4. REAX: 1 X 40 Aussie outrage over Corby sparks fears of racism

TV Program: Wednesday, June 1, 2005

TV Program: Wednesday, June 1, 2005TVRI .TB.30" .90" 5:00 a.m. Religious Teachings6:00 News: Berita Pagi7:00 Cartoon: Tabaluga8:30 Music: Asik-asik10:00 Talk Show: Showbiz11:30 Cultural Program: Rona Daerah12:00 p.m.

Soediono Soemantri, President Dirctor of PT Skypack Indonesia

Soediono Soemantri, President Dirctor of PT Skypack Indonesia (left), Andry Adiwinarso (center), TNT Sales and Marketing Director and TNT Indonesia's President Dirctor Colin Moran pose with one of TNT's trucks.

Bird flu endemic to Indonesia: OIE

Bird flu endemic to Indonesia: OIEThe Jakarta Post, JakartaThe World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) has declared Indonesia an endemic country for avian influenza, but the government is still determined to achieve its target of being free of bird flu by 2007, a minister says.

Public upbeat about mobile drivers' license service

Public upbeat about mobile drivers' license service Abdul Khalik The Jakarta Post/JakartaArdi walked out of a parked bus in Central Jakarta and shouted happily while waving his new driver's license in his left hand.

Mandiri to expand lending to SMEs

Mandiri to expand lending to SMEsDespite reports of possible bad loans, state-owned Bank Mandiri, the nation's richest bank, is planning to channel some Rp 4.5 trillion (US$478 million) to micro and small businesses this year, from Rp 1.2 trillion last year.

Corby controversy I

Corby controversy I Though it is understandable for Australians to feel strongly about the predicament of one of their own stuck in a life-and- death situation in a foreign country, the public outrage has not only been astounding in its intensity but also shocking in the glimpses it has revealed of...

Government gets Rp 183b dividend from Antam

Government gets Rp 183b dividend from AntamLeony Aurora, The Jakarta Post, JakartaThe government is set to receive Rp 183 billion (US$19.4 million) from state gold and nickel miner PT Aneka Tambang (Antam) after the company's shareholders decided on Monday to pay out a 35 percent dividend on last...

*Kutais use floating booths in RI's first local direct polls

*Kutais use floating booths in RI's first local direct polls Page 2 *Official warns of bad loans to SMEs Page 3 *Ex-BIN chief lobbies House over Munir probe Page 4 *Are jobs being created or lost under AFTA? Page 7 *Council spots failures in Sutiyoso report Page 8 *Ayu dreams of following in...

Asians win awards in antismoking drive

Asians win awards in antismoking driveAgence France-Presse, ManilaOn the eve of World No Tobacco Day, the World Health Organization (WHO) on Monday praised three Asian medical doctors for their efforts to stamp out smoking, an addiction that kills almost 5 million people a year.

(Another) Failure to protect

(Another) Failure to protectIt was another black day for Indonesia as families and friends on Monday buried victims of Saturday's bombings in Tentena, Central Sulawesi.Feelings of sorrow and anger have again been stirred. Our condemnation is beyond expression.

Corby controversy II

Corby controversy II While the public's sympathy is understandable, it is on the facts that the court has had to make its judgment. The legal process in Bali was unfamiliar and may have appeared even chaotic, given the free media access to the courtroom.

BI drains Rp 2.2t from banking system

BI drains Rp 2.2t from banking systemBank Indonesia drained Rp 2.2 trillion (US$231.9 million) from the banking system by auctioning three-day debt to reduce the amount of funds available to local banks.The central bank sold the so-called Fine Tune Kontraksi securities at 3.

Tentena bombings a blow to Muslim, Christian coexistence

Tentena bombings a blow to Muslim, Christian coexistenceBhimanto Suwastoyo, Agence France-Presse/TentenaWhether the work of shadowy Islamic extremists from outside the region or local agitators, a deadly bombing in the Central Sulawesi town of Tentena will unravel months of painstaking effort to...

RI, Vietnam agree to cooperate in combating terrorism, sea piracy

RI, Vietnam agree to cooperate in combating terrorism, sea piracyReiner Simanjuntak, The Jakarta Post, HanoiThe governments of Indonesia and Vietnam agreed here on Monday to boost cooperation in preventing and combating transnational crimes, including terrorism and piracy on the seas.

Vietnamese dancers to perform here

Vietnamese dancers to perform hereSURABAYA: A troupe of dancers from Vietnam are slated to display their talent during the Surabaya Arts Festival this year. The six dancers will perform dances created by noted French choreographer Regine Chopinot.

Proximity, security drive residents to apartments

Proximity, security drive residents to apartmentsAbdul Khalik, The Jakarta Post, JakartaDriving outside the Taman Rasuna Apartment South Jakarta, Susan, 25, an employee of a foreign company on Jl. Sudirman in Central Jakarta, nods her head to the beat of a hip-hop song playing on her car's stereo.

Corby sentence

Corby sentence I have been ruminating on the Corby case for weeks, like an old cow, jaws firmly chewing; the flavor of it troubling me, and this is why.I lived in Bali for many years. Taking marijuana to Bali was like taking carved cats to Bali or batik to Java ...

PT Pos Indonesia: Surviving rough seas

PT Pos Indonesia: Surviving rough seasDebbie A. Lubis, Contributor, Jakarta Over a decade ago, the postman was an eagerly awaited person. Most people relied on postmen to send packages, money or love letters.With the rapid growth in IT, the role of "Mister Postman" has subsequently faded away.

Ex-Bin chief lobbies House over Munir probe

Ex-Bin chief lobbies House over Munir probeTony Hotland and Tiarma Siboro, The Jakarta Post, JakartaFormer National Intelligence Agency (BIN) chief Gen. (ret) A.M. Hendropriyono has further displayed his aversion to a fact- finding team set up by President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono to probe the...

Beware, money changing deception

Beware, money changing deceptionFrom Warta KotaThe group Combating Counterfeit And Financial Crimes has called on the public to watch out for a new scam in the currency exchange.The scam works as follows: A group claims to possess money in Rp 100,000 denominations of the Sukarno-Hatta edition note...

From abstract to figurative, painter reveals new identity

From abstract to figurative, painter reveals new identityYusuf Susilo Hartono, Contributor, JakartaUnlike his father who was part of the early crop of painters bringing the realist-naturalist style to the country's fine art world, Sudaryono is a loyalist of the abstract genre.

1. APBD -- 3 col, 3 lines 3 x 18

1. APBD -- 3 col, 3 lines 3 x 18 City Council gives Thumbs-down on Sutiyoso report 2. Tenant -- 3 col, 2 lines 2 x 24 Proximity, security drive residents to apartments 3. Kota -- 3 col, 1 line 1 x 32 'Old Town' vendors face relocation 4. Uan -- 3 col, 1 line 1 x 27 No problems on first day of exams

Aussie outrage over Corby sparks fears of racism

Aussie outrage over Corby sparks fears of racismMichelle Nichols, Reuters/Canberra/JAKARTAAustralia risks reviving Asian concerns that it is a racist nation because of a growing backlash over the 20-year jail sentence given to a young Australian woman by an Indonesian court.

Teach our children well

Teach our children well On May 16, junior high school students in Karangasem, Bali, had to take their 120-minute English language test. The last test page showed the following questions: Indonesia is a large archipelago (Correct).

Cartoonist Pramono sketches country's journey

Cartoonist Pramono sketches country's journeyEmmy Fitri, The Jakarta PostThe only sign that he still has high hopes for a better future here is that he remains faithful to what he has been doing since his early days -- drawing political cartoons that reflect the ailments suffered by this "sick...

Are jobs being created or lost in AFTA?

Are jobs being created or lost in AFTA?Romeo A. Reyes, Jakarta The ASEAN Free Trade Area (AFTA) has been virtually established four years earlier than originally targeted. The average tariff for ASEAN six is now down to 1.5 percent from 12.8 percent when the CEPT agreement was signed in 1992.

New police chief installed

New police chief installed BATAM, Riau Islands: Riau Islands Police chief Brig. Gen. S. Damanhuri installed on Monday Adj. Sr. Comr. Eko Hadi Sutedjo as chief of Batam, Rempang and Galang (Barelang) police, replacing Sr. Comr. Andayono.

Philip Morris wraps up Sampoerna deal

Philip Morris wraps up Sampoerna dealUrip Hudiono, The Jakarta Post, JakartaU.S. tobacco giant Philip Morris has officially sealed its 98 percent control over Indonesia's second largest cigarette maker by sales PT Hanjaya Mandala Sampoerna, with the completion on Monday of a Rp 26.9 trillion (US$2.

Tire output up as car sales rise

Tire output up as car sales riseFitri Wulandari, Dow Jones/Jakarta Indonesia's tire makers are stepping up production to meet rising demand from its booming automobile sector.Tire makers are forecast to produce 40 million car tires in 2005, an increase of 13 percent from the 35.

Mandiri records 70.2% drop in profits

Mandiri records 70.2% drop in profitsPrimastuti Handayani, The Jakarta Post, JakartaTroubled Bank Mandiri, which has been the center of probes into alleged massive lending scandals, recorded a 70.2 percent fall in this year's first-quarter profit due to the rising cost of bad loans as well as a...

Teach our children well

Teach our children well On May 16, junior high school students in Karangasem, Bali, had to take their 120-minute English language test.The last test page showed the following questions: Indonesia is a large archipelago (Correct).

Security on table as EU join Aceh peace talks

Security on table as EU join Aceh peace talksAgencies, HelsinkiSecurity issues and foreign monitoring were on the table as European Union observers on Monday joined Indonesian government officials and Aceh separatists on their fifth day of peace talks in Helsinki, mediators said.

1. APBD -- 3 col, 3 lines 3 x 18

1. APBD -- 3 col, 3 lines 3 x 18 City Council gives Thumbs-down on Sutiyoso report 2. Tenant -- 3 col, 2 lines 2 x 24 Proximity, security drive residents to apartments 3. Kota -- 3 col, 1 line 1 x 32 'Old Town' vendors face relocation 4. Uan -- 3 col, 1 line 1 x 27 No problems on first day of exams

Projects proposed to Middle-East financial bodies

Projects proposed to Middle-East financial bodiesActivities Locations Cost1. Rehabilitation of On-Farm irrigation system on Jatiluhur irrigation scheme Loc. West Java Cost $50 million2. Farm Pond development to mitigate drought disaster in paddy field for secondary crops of Northern coastal area of...

Public hail license renewal service

Public hail license renewal serviceAbdul Khalik, The Jakarta Post, JakartaArdi walked out of a parked bus in Central Jakarta and shouted happily while waving his new driver's license in his left hand."Unbelievable! I still cannot believe I was able to renew my driver's license for just Rp 85,000...

Eradicate pornography

Eradicate pornographyFrom Media IndonesiaThe sexual harassment by seven Jakarta high school girls against their younger peers and cellular phone flicks that depict bare-breasted school girls masturbating should arouse our deep concern.Many other such cases have certainly escaped the media's eye.

Barratier out to promote French cinema

Barratier out to promote French cinemaFrench director Christophe Barratier, who won several awards for his first feature film Les Choristes (The Chorus), acknowledged that in Indonesia the audience awareness of French films was "very poor".

Bandung Internet shops close for fear of software piracy raids

Bandung Internet shops close for fear of software piracy raidsYuli Tri Suwarni, The Jakarta Post, BandungIt was about 10 a.m. and Hidayat, 32, looked nervous after talking to a friend on the telephone. He rushed into a room filled with 16 personal computers and announced that everyone had to leave.

Public gears up for polio vaccinations

Public gears up for polio vaccinationsDamar Harsanto, The Jakarta Post, JakartaOver 700,000 babies across the capital will today be immunized against polio in the first-ever mass polio vaccination program in the city's history, relying heavily on the participation of local citizens in the nation's...

Senior councillor return graft money

Senior councillor return graft moneyJAMBI: Rustam Effendi, a former councillor in East Tanjungjabung regency, has recently returned Rp 130 million (US$13,829) in state funds that he allegedly embezzled, but the Jambi Prosecutor's Office remains adamant that he will still be tried for corruption.

Jambi faces water shortage

Jambi faces water shortage JAMBI, Jambi: Water company PDAM Tirta Mayang has not supplied water to four of the city's 10 districts for three days.Some 400,000 residents have been affected by the shortage, forcing them draw water from wells on the outskirts of the city.

SIA boosts flights to Beijing

SIA boosts flights to Beijing SINGAPORE: Singapore Airlines (SIA) will fly three times daily between the city-state and Beijing starting June 1, a 50 percent hike in capacity from the current twice-daily flights, the national carrier said on Monday.

TV Program: Tuesday, May 31, 2005

TV Program: Tuesday, May 31, 2005TVRI .TB.30" .90" 5:00 a.m. Religious Teachings6:00 News: Berita Pagi7:00 Cartoon: Tabaluga8:30 Music: Asik-asik10:00 Talk Show: Agribiz11:00 News: Berita Nusantara12:00 p.m.

*Base Money

*Base Money Rates at 11:50 GMTSources: Dow Jones/Reuters

Jambi Governor in hot water for reneging on promise

Jambi Governor in hot water for reneging on promiseJon Afrizal, The Jakarta Post, JambiZulkifli Nurdin, the Jambi governor who is seeking reelection this year, is facing legal trouble over an unkept promise he made to residents.

Policemen arrested at drug party

Policemen arrested at drug party BANDARLAMPUNG, Lampung: Ten police officers were apprehended by Lampung Police's crime and security team in a raid on a drug party at a cafe in Tulusrejo village, Pekalongan district in East Lampung on Monday.

Jakarta to host badminton tourney

Jakarta to host badminton tourney JAKARTA: The Jakarta chapter of the Badminton Association of Indonesia (PBSI Jakarta) will hold the 2nd Jakarta Open badminton tournament starting from June 20 to June 25.

Indonesia offers $1.57b in agri-projects to Mideast

Indonesia offers $1.57b in agri-projects to MideastZakki P. Hakim, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta A group of Middle East investors, spearheaded by the Islamic Development Bank (IDB), was offered 10 agricultural projects during a recent visit to Indonesia, the minister of agriculture said.

EMP to spend $195m to raise oil, gas output

EMP to spend $195m to raise oil, gas outputJakarta/Bloomberg PT Energi Mega Persada, Indonesia's second-largest listed oil and gas company, plans to spend US$195 million this year to develop three areas to increase output, the company's official said.

Traps for embezzlers

Traps for embezzlersFrom KompasIndonesia's economic downturn, with tens of millions of poor and unemployed people as well as the denudation of vast areas of forest, has resulted from corruption, among other things.

Thailand claims to have detained GAM rebels

Thailand claims to have detained GAM rebelsFive heavily armed men arrested by Thai officials last month were members of a rebel group fighting for independence in the Indonesian province of Aceh, a senior Thai official said on Monday.

Stop human exports

Stop human exportsFrom Koran TempoThe news carried by Koran Tempo labeling Indonesia as the world's largest human exporter is interesting and surprising -- especially the quantity of this human traffic -- from 75,000 to 1 million citizens sent overseas a year, including women and children as the...

Resolving Japan-China problems

Resolving Japan-China problemsTakashi Shiraishi, The Yomiuri Shimbun, Asia News Network, Tokyo After the April 23 meeting in Jakarta between Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi and Chinese President Hu Jintao, the storm of anti-Japanese demonstrations that had taken place in many urban centers in...

BRI hopes to control UFJ-BRI Finance

BRI hopes to control UFJ-BRI FinanceRendi A. Witular, The Jakarta Post, JakartaState Bank Rakyat Indonesia (BRI) plans to make a number of acquisitions this year, including increasing its share in multifinancing unit PT UFJ-BRI Finance to a majority stake.

Drought begins to affect C. Java

Drought begins to affect C. JavaDEMAK, Central Java: Drought-like conditions have been reported in Demak regency, Central Java in the past few weeks, sparking fear of an imminent harvest failure.Sutikno, a farmer in Waru subdistrict here, said he had hoped to harvest his rice next month, but...

Not simply dispatching goods

Not simply dispatching goodsBurhanuddin Abe, Contributor, Jakarta The domestic courier and logistics industry has shown rapid growth during the past several years, as evident in the mushrooming of new express companies and the increase in the presence of foreign players in the sector.

JP/2/Heads

JP/2/Heads 1. KUTAI: 2 X 27 Kutais use floating booths in RI's first local direct polls 2. EXTREMIS: 2 X 28 Tentena bombing a blow to Muslim, Christian coexistence 3. UAN: 2 X 26 Students in tsunami-ravaged Aceh sit their final exams 4.

Clinton praises recovery work in tsunami-hit Aceh

Clinton praises recovery work in tsunami-hit AcehAgencies, Banda Aceh, AcehFormer U.S. President Bill Clinton on Monday praised Indonesia's efforts to rebuild tsunami-hit Aceh but urged that solid foundations for economic growth be put in place, the official in charge of reconstruction said.

Council spots failures in Sutiyoso report

Council spots failures in Sutiyoso reportDamar Harsanto, The Jakarta Post, JakartaFactions in the City Council Monday have given a thumbs-down to Governor Sutiyoso's accountability speech, saying that his administration had failed to reach its 2004 targets and that it was trying to cover up its...

Kutais use floating booths in RI's first local direct polls

Kutais use floating booths in RI's first local direct pollsRusman and A'an Suryana, The Jakarta Post, Kutai KartanegaraThousands of residents living in remote areas of Kutai Kartanegara regency in East Kalimantan may be unable to vote in local elections on Wednesday due to extensive flooding.

Spirit upbeat in Kutai ahead of direct local elections

Spirit upbeat in Kutai ahead of direct local electionsRusman, The Jakarta Post, Kutai KartanegaraHeavy rain did not dampen Sudrajat's spirits during a campaign drive of a regental candidate in Kutai Kartanegara.

House to meet Myanmar activists

House to meet Myanmar activists JAKARTA: The House of Representatives Commission I on foreign affairs is scheduled to hold a discussion with two Myanmarese pro-democracy activists on Tuesday evening about the latest political developments in the country.

Polio vaccination campaign to start as more cases confirmed

Polio vaccination campaign to start as more cases confirmedYuli Tri Suwarni, The Jakarta Post, Bandung/JakartaJust a day before the start of a mass polio vaccination campaign, the Ministry of Health reported on Monday two more cases of the crippling virus, bringing the number of sufferers to 16.

1. APBD -- 3 col, 3 lines 3 x 18

1. APBD -- 3 col, 3 lines 3 x 18 City Council gives Thumbs-down on Sutiyoso report 2. Tenant -- 3 col, 2 lines 2 x 24 Proximity, security drive residents to apartments 3. Kota -- 3 col, 1 line 1 x 32 'Old Town' vendors face relocation 4. Uan -- 3 col, 1 line 1 x 27 No problems on first day of exams