Indonesian Political, Business & Finance News

Archive: 14 June 2005

70 articles found

Heavy pollution source of concern on Bali beaches

Heavy pollution source of concern on Bali beaches I Wayan Ananta Wijaya, Contributor, Kuta Bali is renowned as a haven for surfers, swimmers and beach lovers. Its beautiful, white-sand beaches attract millions of visitors to the island. Just visit Kuta beach: You will find hundreds of surfers riding the waves, while others lie on its white sand waiting for the sunset.

C. Jakarta to launch vaccination campaign

C. Jakarta to launch vaccination campaign JAKARTA: The Central Jakarta administration is gearing up for an anthrax and avian flu vaccination campaign. Animal Husbandry and Fisheries Office Director Sigit said that the campaign was being mounted to ensure that there would be no outbreaks of the diseases in Jakarta. "The vaccines are free," he said on Monday.

Taiwan export-import value to go up by 20%

Taiwan export-import value to go up by 20% Yuli Tri Suwarni, The Jakarta Post, Bandung Taiwan's economic and trade representative in Indonesia, David YL Lin, has expressed hope that his country's investment in Indonesia would increase by 5 percent this year from last year's US$13 billion. Taiwan is the fifth largest investor in Indonesia after Japan, the United States, Singapore and Britain.

Bogor to launch mosque website

Bogor to launch mosque website BOGOR: The Bogor administration will launch a mosque website to introduce the activities of the city's mosques to the public and strengthen mosque-based organizations. The director of the municipality's Tourism and Culture Agency, Yamin M. Saleh, said on Monday that the launch would take place on Tuesday at City Hall. "It's designed to meet the people's need for information on Bogor's mosques," he said.

Senen, Jakarta's real mess

Senen, Jakarta's real mess From Warta Kota The Senen area in Central Jakarta has long been a gathering place for artists as well as a hoodlum operational area. The predominance of a serious criminal element has now even made the zone "untouchable" --- Jakarta security personnel and police will not go near the area, let alone curb any crime.

Bank, mining SOEs on top of govt list for privatization

Bank, mining SOEs on top of govt list for privatization The Jakarta Post, Jakarta In a reversal from his initial position, State Minister of State Enterprises Sugiharto said the government would fulfill its Rp 3.5 trillion (US$368 million) privatization target by selling some of its stakes at state-owned banks and mining companies before the end of 2005.

Australian apology

Australian apology I would like to apologize for the actions of some radical Australians, who are reacting wrongly to Schapelle Corby's sentencing. I am an Australian citizen and have no opinion of her guilt or innocence, but what I do know is she had a body board bag and it was an illegal substance. I was not in the court room, I did not hear the witnesses or evidence. The Balinese court has found her guilty and she should go through the system as anyone else does.

Lippo buyout report uncorfirmed

Lippo buyout report uncorfirmed PT Bank Lippo, an Indonesian lender partly owned by Raiffeisen Zentralbank Oesterreich AG of Austria, declined to confirm or deny a report that Khazanah Nasional Bhd., Malaysia's state investment arm, is seeking to buy the bank. Bank Lippo's management "is on a roadshow right now along with other Indonesian banks and the roadshow has got nothing to do with Khazanah," Joseph Luhukai, President Director of Bank Lippo, said in a text message to Bloomberg.

'Why is the wealth gap so wide?'

'Why is the wealth gap so wide?' At least 8,455 children under the age of five in Jakarta, one of the wealthiest regions in the country, are suffering from malnutrition. These cases represent almost 1 percent of the total number of children under the age of five in the province, which the local health agency puts at 923,000. The Jakarta Post asked residents for their thoughts on this issue. Pandu, 23, is a photographer and recent graduate of Bandung's Padjadjaran University.

* UN agency asks Malaysia to hire refugees Page 2

* UN agency asks Malaysia to hire refugees Page 2 * Bali prosecutors seek stiffer Corby sentence Page 4 * Unemployment and crime on the rise in Nias Page 5 * Moving toward a more inclusive ASEAN Page 7 * Jakarta police intensify drug operation Page 8 * Pistons head home with Ginobili on their mind Page 9 * RP military officer involved in scandal surfaces Page 11 * Central Bank to accelerate loan cleanup Page 14 * Home is where the hurt is for Daw San San Page 20

* UN agency asks Malaysia to hire refugees Page 2

* UN agency asks Malaysia to hire refugees Page 2 * Bali prosecutors seek stiffer Corby sentence Page 4 * Unemployment and crime on the rise in Nias Page 5 * Moving toward a more inclusive ASEAN Page 7 * Jakarta police intensify drug operation Page 8 * Pistons head home with Ginobili on their mind Page 9 * RP military officer involved in scandal surfaces Page 11 * Central Bank to accelerate loan cleanup Page 14 * Home is where the hurt is for Daw San San Page 20

More soldiers fired for drugs

More soldiers fired for drugs MEDAN, North Sumatra: Two soldiers and a staff official with the province's Bukit Barisan Military Command were dishonorably discharged from the military on Monday for their involvement in drug trafficking. Bukit Barisan military commander Maj. Gen. Tri Tamtomo presided over a special ceremony at the headquarters' compound in Medan to mark the dismissal of the three officers, none of whom will be reported to the police. The two discharged soldiers were Chief Pvt.

Govt mulls revising land decree

Govt mulls revising land decree Tony Hotland, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta The controversial presidential decree on land acquisition may come under revision due to mounting opposition from non- governmental organizations and lawmakers, says Cabinet Secretary Sudi Silalahi. Speaking during Monday's hearing with House of Representatives Commission II on agrarian affairs, Sudi said, however, that the process would not be straightforward.

Part 2 of 2: Democracy, defense and development

Part 2 of 2: Democracy, defense and development Juwono Sudarsono, Jakarta President Soeharto, who presided over the centralized top-down system justified the TNI's role as the praetorian guard of the Indonesian state, much as the Brazilian military in the 1970s and the Turkish army defined themselves in their more recent history.

Award for dirtiest city

Award for dirtiest city A few days ago I wrote about Kupang, East Nusa Tenggara, as a prime candidate to receive an award for the dirtiest city in Eastern Indonesia. President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono now has stated ( The Jakarta Post, June 7) that "A city with a dirty environment shows the inability of its leaders to manage their cities". Noise pollution, of course, should also be added as a major target for the "Dirtiest City Award".

Australia tourism industry big loser in protecting Qantas on US route: SIA

Australia tourism industry big loser in protecting Qantas on US route: SIA Agence France-Presse Singapore Australian travellers and the nation's tourism industry are the losers from Canberra's reported decision to delay Singapore Airlines (SIA) access to the Australia-U.S. route, the Singaporean carrier said on Monday.

Sutiyoso wants to outdo Susilo with radio program

Sutiyoso wants to outdo Susilo with radio program Damar Harsanto The Jakarta Post/Jakarta While President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has offered his cell phone numbers as a means of keeping in touch with the public, his senior in the Army, Jakarta Governor Sutiyoso, said on Monday he would rather make his services available through a radio show. "I have long instructed my subordinates to establish a hotline via the radio so that I could listen and talk to residents while they were driving ...

Home is where the hurt is for Daw San San

Home is where the hurt is for Daw San San Hera Diani, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta It is not unusual for House of Representatives legislators to hold hearings late into the night, especially when high-profile cases are involved. On one particular evening recently, however, only four of 50- something legislators from House Commission I on defense, foreign and information affairs, showed up for the hearing.

Graft tops list of SMS's for Susilo

Graft tops list of SMS's for Susilo The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Reports on corruption and offerings of lucky charms were among the text messages received by the President via his cellular phone not long after he publicly disclosed its number. President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono was sent over 2,000 messages on Saturday, with some of them being read out to him by his assistant, before the system crashed.

Part 2 of 2

Part 2 of 2 Democracy, defense and development Juwono Sudarsono Jakarta 2. Apa -- A step closer towards a more transparent and inclusive ASEAN 1 x 35 Moving toward a more inclusive ASEAN Alexander C. Chandra Jakarta

Students raise fund to fight hunger

Students raise fund to fight hunger BANDUNG: Students from the Bandung Institute of Technology staged a rally here on Monday to demand the government do more to fight malnutrition in the country, and to collect donations to help fight hunger. They said recent reports of malnourished children only represented the tip of the iceberg, with many more children than had been reported by the media suffering from the condition.

President may extend Munir probe team's term

President may extend Munir probe team's term The Jakarta Post, Jakarta The President is mulling both extending the term of the fact- finding team tasked with helping police probe the murder of human rights campaigner Munir and rearranging its members. "As its (June 23) deadline is looming and the team is yet to complete its work, then we may extend its term. We are also considering reshuffling the team in a bid to boost members' performance," Cabinet Secretary Sudi Silalahi said on Monday.

BI to accelerate loan cleanup

BI to accelerate loan cleanup Soraya Permatasari and Arijit Ghosh, Bloomberg/Jakarta Indonesia's central bank will inspect the nation's commercial lenders to ensure they address their bad loans, accelerating a cleanup of the US$132 billion industry. PT Bank Mandiri, the biggest lender, reclassified its loans after the regulator conducted an audit, central bank spokesman Halim Alamsyah said on June 7. The bank's bad-loan ratio surged more than twofold and provisions tripled.

ASEAN chief says cairmanship may encourage Myanmar reform

ASEAN chief says cairmanship may encourage Myanmar reform Associated Press,Kuala Lumpur Allowing military-ruled Myanmar to chair ASEAN next year could speed up the process of democratic reform there, the group's secretary-general said on Monday. Myanmar is due to take over the rotating chairmanship of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, or ASEAN, in 2006.

AG sparks protests over talks with troubled tycoon

AG sparks protests over talks with troubled tycoon Eva C. Komandjaja, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Attorney General Abdul Rahman Saleh drew criticism on Monday for holding an informal meeting last week with businessman Abdul Latief, who owns a TV station being probed by prosecutors for involvement in an alleged loan scam.

Bappenas should be dissolved

Bappenas should be dissolved From Republika I would like to put a question to the President, who is also a populist economist: When will the National Development Planning Board (Bappenas), which follows the New Order regime's top-down economic development pattern, be dissolved? The pattern has produced a handful of multinational corporations, while at the same time impoverishing urban and rural communities.

TV Program: Tuesday, June 14, 2005

TV Program: Tuesday, June 14, 2005 TVRI .TB.30" .90" 5:00 a.m. Religious Teachings 6:00 News: Berita Pagi 7:00 Cartoon: Tabaluga 8:30 Music: Asik-asik 10:00 Talk Show: Agribiz 11:00 News: Berita Nusantara 12:00 p.m.

Headings

Headings 1. RESHUFF: 3 x 18, 36 Sutiyoso orders senior officials to work harder 2. DRUGS: 2 x 24, 40 Officers step up battle against illegal drug trade 3. BLAST: 2 x 30 Police acknowledge difficulties in investigating Pamulang bombing 4. SCHOOL: 1 x 36, 32 Almost 200 schools without desks, chairs 5. SPEAK: 1 x 30 'Why is the wealth gap so wide?'

1 in 5 school-aged children out of school: ILO survey

1 in 5 school-aged children out of school: ILO survey Ridwan Max Sijabat The Jakarta Post/Jakarta A new survey by the International Labor Organization (ILO) has revealed that 19 percent of Indonesia's school-aged children could not afford to attend school, the main factor contributing to the high number of child laborers in the country.

SBY consults tycoon on China visit

SBY consults tycoon on China visit The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Prior to his visit to China next month, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono met on Monday with Indonesian-born tycoon Tong Djoe, asking the latter to help the government gain access into the sprawling Chinese corporate community.

One in five children not in school: Survey

One in five children not in school: Survey Ridwan Max Sijabat, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta A new survey by the International Labor Organization (ILO) has revealed that 19 percent of Indonesia's school-aged children could not afford to attend school, the main factor contributing to the high number of child laborers in the country.

Trade center property industry going fine

Trade center property industry going fine Suhandi, Jakarta In the past two years we have almost always read advertisements offering or announcing the construction of shopping centers, particularly trade centers, in the mass media. These centers are located not only in Jakarta and on its periphery but also in other major cities in Indonesia. This present condition is much different from the situation that prevailed when the monetary crisis hit Indonesia in 1997/1998.

Dayak, Madurese women hold meeting

Dayak, Madurese women hold meeting YOGYAKARTA: Members of a communication forum for Dayak and Madurese women, or Dara Arum as the forum is named, gathered here in Yogyakarta on Saturday for a six-day meeting to discuss peace- keeping efforts between the two conflicting communities. Held under the central theme of "Strengthening the Role and Capacity of Dayak and Madurese Women to Build Peace," the meeting in Yogyakarta is the forum's second national consolidation meeting.

Komnas HAM fails to question policemen

Komnas HAM fails to question policemen JAKARTA: A team set up by the National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) to investigate the abduction of prodemocracy activists between 1997 and 1998 failed to question four middle- ranking police officers on Monday. Team member Koesparmono Irsan said the four officers, identified as Aris Munandar, Hadimulya, Tobing and Aneke, did not appear for questioning even after being ordered to by National Police chief Gen. Da'i Bachtiar.

Rupiah Rates June 13

Rupiah Rates June 13 Banknote rates TT rates Selling Buying Selling Buying Australian dollar 1 7,709.42 6,943.97 7,365.08 7,288.12 Brunei dollar 1 6,051.91 5,450.96 5,781.61 5,721.12 Canadian dollar 1 8,080.49 7,276.79 7,719.58 7,637.44 Swiss franc 1 7,966.62 7,177.15 7,610.80 7,532.86 Danish krone 1 1,646.20 1,482.30 1,572.67 1,555.77 Euro 1 12,246.21 11,033.38 11,699.25 11,580.21 Poundsterling 1 18,323.27 16,508.11 17,504.88 17,326.28 Hong Kong dollar 1 1,301.14 1,172.49 1,243.03 1,230.60...

Moving toward a more inclusive ASEAN

Moving toward a more inclusive ASEAN Alexander C. Chandra, Jakarta In 2005, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) will celebrate its 38th anniversary. Since its formation, ASEAN has undergone a process of deepening integration in the political, economic and socio-cultural realms.

Astra's May vehicle sales down 0.7%

Astra's May vehicle sales down 0.7% JAKARTA: PT Astra International on Monday said its domestic new vehicle sales in May fell 0.7 percent to 23,354 units from 23,526 in April. The nation's largest automotive company was citing data from the Association of Indonesian Automotive Manufacturers (Gaikindo).

Free trade agreement could prevent Thai car sales to Japan

Free trade agreement could prevent Thai car sales to Japan Jeerawat Na Thalang, Asia News Network, The Nation/Bangkok Thailand may not be able to sell cars to Japan after the Thai- Japanese trade deal is finalized because Tokyo is unlikely to lift barriers against imported vehicles, an executive from Ford Motor Co said. Stephen Biegun, vice president of Ford's international government affairs division, said Japan had a broad range of non- tariff barriers in spite of low import duty rates.

Peace, justice, stability must go hand in hand

Peace, justice, stability must go hand in hand Paul Dalton and Fergus Kerrigan, Jakarta Since 1998, foreign observers have followed with hope and concern the progress of Indonesia on its uneven path towards democracy, the rule of law and accountability in government. While the challenges are many, there have been impressive achievements, including significant reforms of the legal system.

Countries work on different plans to escape tsunami

Countries work on different plans to escape tsunami Bill Tarrant, Reuters/Walagedo, Sri Lanka The next time monster waves tear through this quiet little village on Sri Lanka's ruined southern coast, the man who runs the local cafe is poised to sound the alarm. In Indonesia's devastated Aceh province, authorities are planning "escape hills" or mammoth, manmade mounds where people can run up to if there is another tsunami.

Bali prosecutors seek review of Corby's 20-year sentence

Bali prosecutors seek review of Corby's 20-year sentence The Jakarta Post, Denpasar, Bali Taking no notice of some Australians' outrage over the conviction of Schapelle Leigh Corby, 27, prosecutors in the drug case have filed an appeal, demanding that the 27-year-old be imprisoned for life. The Denpasar District Court sentenced Corby earlier this month to 20 years' imprisonment after finding her guilty of smuggling 4.2 kilograms of marijuana into the country.

Govt revises self-sufficiency target for sugar to 2008

Govt revises self-sufficiency target for sugar to 2008 Zakki P. Hakim, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta With annual household consumption reaching 2.5 million tons of sugar, Indonesia needs to revise its self-sufficiency target from 2007 to 2008 as the country's sugar output this year is projected to reach a maximum of 2.2 million tons.

Sampoerna rating up after purchase

Sampoerna rating up after purchase JAKARTA: PT HM Sampoerna's ratings were raised two levels by Moody's Investors Service after Marlboro-maker Philip Morris International completed its takeover of Indonesia's third-largest cigarette maker. Sampoerna's foreign-currency debt rating was raised to the last junk rating of Ba1 from Ba3, Moody's said in a statement. Sampoerna's rating is four levels higher than Indonesia's sovereign rating of B2.

JP/20/SAN

JP/20/SAN Note: If possible, please keep the title. It was taken from U2's Walk On, a song dedicated to Aung San Suu Kyii :) Home is where the hurt is for Daw San San Hera Diani The Jakarta Post/Jakarta It is not unusual for House of Representatives legislators to hold hearings late into the night, especially when high-profile cases are involved.

Experts and parents concerned over education gap

Experts and parents concerned over education gap The Jakarta Post, Jakarta These are the months when many parents of school-age children are very worried, especially parents from the lower income brackets. One can even hear conversations on buses between mothers expressing the fear that their children will not be able to attain a good education due to financial constraints.

Police acknowledge difficulties in investigating Pamulang bombing

Police acknowledge difficulties in investigating Pamulang bombing The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Police said on Monday a lack of evidence was hampering their investigation into a bombing on June 8 in Pamulang, Tangerang, near the house of a Muslim cleric. Jakarta Police chief Insp. Gen.

1 x 35

1 x 35 President may extend Munir team's term JP/4/4Manila 3 x 14 Susilo thanks RP for release of hostages JP/4/CORBY 2 x 28 Bali prosecutors seek review of Corby's 20-year sentence JP/4/land 1 x 31 Govt mulls revising land decree

UN agency asks KL to hire refugees

UN agency asks KL to hire refugees Reuters, Kuala Lumpur Malaysia should allow 50,000 refugees, many from neighboring Indonesia and Myanmar, to work in the country legally in order to make up for a labor shortage, the UN refugee agency urged on Monday. Volker Turk, representative of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), said Malaysia's recent expulsion of more than 100,000 illegal foreign workers had created a void.

Privatization or theft

Privatization or theft It is easy to become increasingly pessimistic about the ability of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's economic team to continue economic reforms -- especially when new evidence emerges indicating how incoherent the policy stance of his economics ministers is.

* UN agency asks Malaysia to hire refugees Page 2

* UN agency asks Malaysia to hire refugees Page 2 * Bali prosecutors seek stiffer Corby sentence Page 4 * Unemployment and crime on the rise in Nias Page 5 * Moving toward a more inclusive ASEAN Page 7 * Jakarta police intensify drug operation Page 8 * Pistons head home with Ginobili on their mind Page 9 * RP military officer involved in scandal surfaces Page 11 * Central Bank to accelerate loan cleanup Page 14 * Home is where the hurt is for Daw San San Page 20

Sutiyoso to outdo Susilo with radio program

Sutiyoso to outdo Susilo with radio program Damar Harsanto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta While President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has offered his cell phone numbers as a means of keeping in touch with the public, his senior in the Army, Jakarta Governor Sutiyoso, said on Monday he would rather make his services available through a radio show. "I have long instructed my subordinates to establish a hotline via the radio so that I could listen and talk to residents while they were driving ...

Disabled people condemn school policy

Disabled people condemn school policy The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Muhammad Arif Budiman, 16, was relieved upon finding out on Monday that his blindness would not prevent him from enrolling in the state high school of his choice: SMA 46 in South Jakarta.

1. SMS: 3 X 14

1. SMS: 3 X 14 Corruption tops list of messages for Susilo 2. ILO: 2 X 20 One in five children not in school: Survey 3. CHINA: 1 X 32 SBY consults tycoon on China visit

Political machine key to Golkar success in regional polls

Political machine key to Golkar success in regional polls Despite its strong association with the New Order regime of former president Soeharto, the Golkar Party managed to dominate not only the last legislative election, but also direct regional elections held in several regencies. The Jakarta Post's Slamet Susanto discussed this with Riswandha Imawan, a political analyst at Gadjah Mada University in Yogyakarta.

UCS tries to combine business with conservation

UCS tries to combine business with conservation Evi Mariani, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta The approach in which businesspeople build a tourist haven, usually restricted to wealthy tourists only while disregarding the poor condition of locals, is on the way out.

All play and no work gets Sutiyoso hot under collar

All play and no work gets Sutiyoso hot under collar Damar Harsanto The Jakarta Post/Jakarta In an attempt to finish a major backlog of big city projects, Governor Sutiyoso has set a deadline of six months for senior officials to shape up or ship out. "I have told them to do their utmost to properly do their jobs. Otherwise, they will face severe sanctions," Sutiyoso told reporters at City Hall on Monday. The sanctions would include replacement and demotion.

Government defends new land decree amid strong protests

Government defends new land decree amid strong protests The Jakarta Post, Jakarta The government has defended the controversial presidential decree that allows the government to forcibly take over privately owned land that has been earmarked for development purposes, even when owners fail to agree on compensation offered to them. Vice President Jusuf Kalla said that despite recent protests by many non-governmental organizations (NGOs) against Presidential Decree No.

Total to Boost Exploration Spending to $6.5 Billion

Total to Boost Exploration Spending to $6.5 Billion Bloomberg/Jakarta Total SA, Europe's third-largest oil company, plans to increase its exploration and production spending to US$6.5 billion this year after crude oil prices rose to a record. "Last year was slightly less and next year will be much, much bigger," Christophe de Margerie, head of exploration and production, said in an interview in Kuala Lumpur, without providing details.

Govt to disburse Rp 744b for polls

Govt to disburse Rp 744b for polls JAMBI, Jambi: Minister of Home Affairs M. Ma'ruf promised on Monday that the central government would soon disburse a total of Rp 744.3 billion (US$783,473) to help local administrations fund direct elections of governors, mayors and regents this year. Each region will receive, on average, approximately Rp 5 billion, he said when inspecting the preparations for the gubernatorial election in Jambi scheduled for June 6.

Marketing Perspective (MALL-- June 14)

Marketing Perspective (MALL-- June 14) Great sales! Shop until you drop Arif T. Syam Contributor/Jakarta Are you a window shopper or a shopaholic? If you are the latter, you will be in your element during the Jakarta Great Sale. During this event, which will be held from mid-June to mid- July, shopping centers in Jakarta will compete with one another to slash prices for buyers.

Asia Pacific to fuel Nokia growth

Asia Pacific to fuel Nokia growth Jessica Tab, Dow Jones, Singapore Nokia Corp.(NOK) expects about half of the mobile-phone market's growth over the next five years to come from the Asia- Pacific region, mainly helped by emerging markets like India, China, Indonesia and Vietnam, said a senior company executive.

What is bilingual education?

What is bilingual education? Jan Dormer Malang, East Java Apparently, misconceptions abound as to the nature and purpose of bilingual education.

All play and no work gets Sutiyoso hot under collar

All play and no work gets Sutiyoso hot under collar Damar Harsanto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta In an attempt to finish a major backlog of big city projects, Governor Sutiyoso has set a deadline of six months for senior officials to shape up or ship out. "I have told them to do their utmost to properly do their jobs. Otherwise, they will face severe sanctions," Sutiyoso told reporters at City Hall on Monday. The sanctions would include replacement and demotion.

Almost 200 schools without desks, chairs

Almost 200 schools without desks, chairs Multa Fidrus, The Jakarta Post, Tangerang With the sixth graders facing final exams and the new academic year about to start in July, officials at a state elementary school in Sepatan district, Tangerang regency, were wondering what to do about the classrooms. "We do not have enough desks and chairs ... the teachers and the students have to sit on the floor in the classrooms," principal Rostiwie told The Jakarta Post on Monday.

Shares end higher on gains in Telkom, Bank Lippo

Shares end higher on gains in Telkom, Bank Lippo Dow Jones, Jakarta Indonesian shares ended marginally higher on Monday, with gains in bellwether Telekomunikasi and Indonesia Bank Lippo driving the main index to break above the key level of 1,100 points. The Jakarta Stock Exchange Composite index ended up 0.4 percent, or 3.946 points, at 1100.878 points. The index last touched 1,100 points on April 15, before falling due to worries over rising interest rates.

Indonesia supports OPEC's decision to increase oil output quota

Indonesia supports OPEC's decision to increase oil output quota Leony Aurora, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Indonesia will support the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) if the oil cartel decides to raise its output quota by 500,000 barrels per day (bpd) to 28 million bpd, a top executive says.

Officers step up battle against illegal drug trade

Officers step up battle against illegal drug trade Abdul Khalik, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Several days into an operation targeting drug manufacturers and dealers, the Jakarta Police have arrested seized suspected dealers and closed down a factory in Subang, West Java, that was reportedly producing 2,200 ecstasy pills a day, an officer said on Monday. Two suspected drug dealers, identified as Adi Teguh, 24, and Heri, 29, were arrested at a club in Mangga Besar, West Jakarta, over the weekend.

Puncak still off list of 10 favorite tourist spots

Puncak still off list of 10 favorite tourist spots Theresia Sufa, The Jakarta Post, Puncak, West Java For two years now, Puncak, a high-altitude tourist resort in West Java, has been off the Association of Indonesian Travel Agents' (ASITA's) list of 10 favorite tourist spots in Indonesia. The association says Puncak is now a dirty, congested area, which is no longer attractive to foreign tourists.

Canada pledges funds for Aceh

Canada pledges funds for Aceh INDONESIA: Canadian Ambassador to Indonesia Randolph Mank will launch a Canadian $6.7 million (US$5.3 million) fund for Aceh's reconstruction during his visit to Banda Aceh on Tuesday and Wednesday, the Canada Embassy said in a media release on Monday. Some CAD 2.95 million (US$2.35 million) of the money is slated to be used for the rehabilitation of the Ar-Raniry State Institute for Islamic Studies (IAIN) in Banda Aceh.

Susilo thanks RP for release of hostages

Susilo thanks RP for release of hostages The Jakarta Post, Jakarta President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has conveyed his personal thanks to his Philippine counterpart, President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, for the safe release of two out of three Indonesians held hostage by Muslim militants.