Indonesian Political, Business & Finance News

Archive: 20 June 2005

76 articles found

Access to clean water major problem

Access to clean water major problem KUPANG, East Nusa Tenggara: A large number of people in East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) have difficulties in accessing clean water, with a recent government survey finding that only 40 percent of the urban population in the province had a supply of clean water available. The situation was worse in rural areas, with only 15 percent of the population enjoying access to clean water.

New Macs to be Intel based

New Macs to be Intel based Arnawa Widagda, Contributor, Jakarta In a surprising turn of events, Apple's CEO Steve Jobs announced at Apple Worldwide Developer's Conference on June 3 that Apple Computer will be using Intel processors for their 2006 line up. Traditionally, Apple have used RISC PowerPC processors jointly developed with Motorola and IBM. This move has been the substance of rumors and speculation for some time, but until now it has always been regarded as "just a rumor".

JP/1/HEALTH

JP/1/HEALTH Over half of community clinics nationwide not working: Minister Blontank Poer and I Wayan Juniartha The Jakarta Post/Karanganyar/Bali A top government official disclosed on Saturday that malnutrition was widespread in the country as 60 percent of the some 200,000 integrated health service posts (Posyandu) nationwide are currently not functioning.

Honda building Vietnam plant

Honda building Vietnam plant HANOI: Japanese carmaker Honda Motor Co. has started construction of its first automobile assembly plant in Vietnam, state-controlled media reported on Saturday. The US$60 million plant is scheduled to begin operating in July next year and is expected to annually produce 10,000 of the company's popular Civic sedans for Vietnam's market, the Youth newspaper said.

Experts, councillors call for more democratic, decentralized Jakarta

Experts, councillors call for more democratic, decentralized Jakarta Bambang Nurbianto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Experts and councillors want the House of Representatives to make Jakarta more democratic by introducing a regulation requiring direct mayoral/regency elections like those held in other regions.

Rebuilding in Aceh painfully slow

Rebuilding in Aceh painfully slow Harry Bhaskara, The Jakarta Post, Banda Aceh The tsunami may have occurred six months ago but reconstruction work on the northeastern side of Aceh has only just commenced. "It was only three days ago that construction work started here," said former Cabinet minister Kuntoro Mangkusubroto recently in Deah Baru village, Lhok Nga, one of the hardest hit areas on the northern tip of Sumatra.

Malnutrition caused by fundamental failure in food security policy

Malnutrition caused by fundamental failure in food security policy Tejo Pramono, Jakarta The child malnutrition outbreak has now spread from West Nusa Tenggara, to West Sumatra, Lampung and now South East Sulawesi Provinces. It is ironic, as these provinces have long been known as rice self-sufficient areas. How is it possible that malnutrition can occur in a place like Indonesia where, as an agricultural country, vast fertile land is available for producing a diverse range of foodstuffs.

True democracy remains distant dream for capital

True democracy remains distant dream for capital Damar Harsanto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta One demonstration after another in the capital doesn't make Jakarta a democratic city and if the current administration has anything to do with it, the city is likely to stay undemocratic for some time. While other regions across the country are busy preparing for the first direct elections of regents or mayors, Jakarta is the single province where the governor still appoints regional officials.

1. Polio -- 1 x 30

1. Polio -- 1 x 30 Agency denies polio vaccine danger 2. Pollute -- 1 x 40 Survey finds pollution remains unchecked 3. Fly -- 1 x 40 Ciputat flyover project to continue 4. Sand -- 3 x 9 Residents complain of sand mining 5. Speaks -- 2 x 20 'Paramilitaries must get out of the capital'

Vietnam boat people's plaque torn down

Vietnam boat people's plaque torn down Fadli, The Jakarta Post, Batam The Batam Industrial Development Authority (BIDA) has removed a large stone plaque erected by former Vietnamese refugees at their one-time camp on Galang island, Riau Islands province. The monument was dismantled at the request of the Vietnamese president on the grounds that it was offensive to Vietnam.

Asia, Mideast to discuss terrorism

Asia, Mideast to discuss terrorism SINGAPORE: Officials from some 40 Middle East and Asian countries are expected to gather in the city-state from Monday for the first official dialogue between the two regions. The dialogue is likely to focus on terrorism and expanding business links, Singapore officials have said.

Security fears skew visa status for Middle East countries

Security fears skew visa status for Middle East countries Novan Iman Santosa, The Jakarta Post, Bangkok Security fears have prevented the Office of the State Minister for Culture and Tourism from granting visa-free entry to a number of Middle Eastern countries despite efforts to attract more tourists from the region. However, the government has granted visa-on-arrival for tourists coming from the Middle Eastern countries of Egypt, Kuwait, Qatar and Saudi Arabia.

Russia eyes Sumatra for investment

Russia eyes Sumatra for investment PALEMBANG, South Sumatra: The Russian government has promised to invest in various sectors in South Sumatra, Ambassador Mikhail M. Bely told the South Sumatra Governor Syahrial Oesman here. After touring Jambi and Riau to assess the prospects of investment, Bely said that he would invite Russian investors to cooperate in trade and economic development here.

Poverty eradicating requires sharper priorities

Poverty eradicating requires sharper priorities Indonesia has 10 years to realize the United Nations' Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), which it agreed to in 2000 along with 190 other nations.

Little to celebrate as Jakarta b-day nears

Little to celebrate as Jakarta b-day nears Damar Harsanto, Abdul Khalik and Bambang Nurbianto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta June and July is a traditionally merry time in Jakarta, with all kinds of attractions and events organized to celebrate the capital's anniversary. Chief among these events if the Jakarta Great Sale, which begins next week, and the Jakarta Fair, which was recently opened.

Admission fees remain out of reach for poor

Admission fees remain out of reach for poor The Jakarta Post, Jakarta/Semarang/Surabaya/Yogyakarta A man in a rumpled shirt and faded-blue thongs appears and hands over a stereo set and a gold ring to a pawn shop attendant in Pondok Labu, South Jakarta. "To pay (my children's) school enrollment fees," Hartono explained to The Jakarta Post. Pawnshop head H. L. Gaol said Hartono was one of many parents who regularly visited the pawnshop at the beginning of the academic year in July.

1 x 40

1 x 40 Haj scam may drag down two more ex-ministers JP/4/FEE 3 x 16 Admission fees remain out of reach for poor JP/4/NIAS 2 x 29 Three villages killed and one missing in Nias landslide

PAS seeks to woo foreign investors

PAS seeks to woo foreign investors Eileen Ng, Associated Press/Kota Bahru, Malaysia Malaysia's sole opposition-led state, Kelantan, has embarked on a campaign to woo foreign investors, especially from China, to shed its image as a rural backwater ruled by a fundamentalist Islamic party. Economic development in Kelantan, which is among the poorest of Malaysia's 13 states, has been sluggish since the Pan- Malaysian Islamic Party known as PAS came into power in 1990. "Kelantan is not poor.

House to propose new bill on citizenship

House to propose new bill on citizenship Tony Hotland, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta After years of delay, the House of Representatives legislation committee will propose a new bill on citizenship, which aims to eliminate discriminatory articles under the current problematic law. Legislation committee chairman Muhammad A.S. Hikam said a new law was important because the existing Law No. 62/1958 was no longer appropriate at a time when democracy and equality should reign.

Mayor asks locals to prevent graft

Mayor asks locals to prevent graft BOGOR: Bogor Mayor Diani Budiarto asked residents to take part in monitoring the municipality's projects in their neighborhoods to help prevent corruption. "Do not hesitate to report any developers who fail to meet the expected quality in their work," he said on Saturday.

AirAsia to get MAS routes

AirAsia to get MAS routes KUALA LUMPUR: National carrier Malaysia Airlines may pass on most of its loss-making domestic flight routes to budget airline AirAsia, the News Straits Times daily reported on Saturday. The newspaper quoted unidentified sources as saying that Malaysian Airline System Bhd (MAS) would probably concentrate on flights to major cities -- Penang, Langkawi, Kuching and Kota Kinabalu -- and give the rest to AirAsia.

National figure Roeslan in ICU

National figure Roeslan in ICU The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Independence figure Roeslan Abdulgani is in the intensive care unit at Gatot Soebroto Army Hospital in Central Jakarta, where he is being treated for a mild stroke and a lung infection. A member of the medical team treating the 91-year-old man, Hafild B. Abdulgani, said on Sunday afternoon that Roeslan, who is better known as Cak Roes, was in critical condition.

Ngawi set to elect regent

Ngawi set to elect regent NGAWI, East Java: Residents in Ngawi regency, East Java, are scheduled to vote on Monday to directly elect their regent, with the region's elections commission hoping for few problems in the poll. "We have prepared exactly 655,790 ballots and so far there have been no problems. We hope that tomorrow's election can proceed safely and smoothly," member of Ngawi General Elections Commission (KPUD) Surat Ashari said on Sunday..

Headings

Headings 1. JAKARTA1 -- 2x24 True democracy remains distant dream for capital 2. JAKARTA2 -- 2x32 Experts, councillor call for more democratic, decentralized Jakarta 3. JAKARTA 3 -- 2x24 Sutiyoso opposes plan to create smaller municipalities 4. PUNCAK (cutline) -- 1x28 Reviving Puncak an uphill battle

PAN chief in hot water over loan

PAN chief in hot water over loan BANDUNG: Businessman and National Mandate Party (PAN) leader Soetrisno Bachir admitted on Sunday he had taken over a bank loan for PT Chirza Putra worth Rp 178 billion (US$18.7 million), which his rival politicians said was a bad debt. The issue of the non-performing loan from the now-defunct Bank Dagang Negara (BDN) was brought up by his rivals as a reason to call for an extraordinary PAN congress to replace Sutrisno.

'Ocean commanders' face a sea of challenges in Aceh

'Ocean commanders' face a sea of challenges in Aceh Annastashya Emmanuelle, Contributor, Banda Aceh, Aceh Solving seafaring-related problems has long been the role of the Panglima Laot, or the Aceh Sea Commanders, but the impact of the tsunami has taken the province's traditional arbiters into new territory. The Dec.

Residents complain of sand mining

Residents complain of sand mining Multa Fidrus, The Jakarta Post, Tangerang Residents of Lengkong Wetan, Serpong district, Tangerang regency, have complained of illegal sand extraction in their village and that the resulting heavy traffic had damaged roads and the environment in the area.

The following articles are based on a three-day visit by [b]Harry

The following articles are based on a three-day visit by Harry Bhaskara of The Jakarta Post to Aceh on June 7. The visit was sponsored by the Melbourne-based Asia Pacific Journalism Center and was made together with eight Australian journalists.

Child health 'better managed' under Soeharto

Child health 'better managed' under Soeharto Iskandar Zulkarnaen, Antara News Agency/Samarinda A letter to the editor appearing in a national newspaper recently asked President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono to lower the price of fuel as the fuel price hike was blamed for the high incidence of malnutrition in many areas across the nation. It would need serious research to determine whether there is positive correlation between the fuel price hike and malnutrition.

Reviving Puncak an uphill battle

Reviving Puncak an uphill battle Theresia Sufa, The Jakarta Post, Puncak, West Java The Bogor tourism agency is fighting to reinstate Puncak as one of the 10 top tourism spots in Indonesia by organizing a paragliding competition. Puncak, the high-altitude tourist resort in West Java, has been off the Association of Indonesian Travel Agents' (Asita's) top ten tourist spots list for two years because Asita considers the region dirty, congested and full of street vendors.

Tourists on religious visit in Kalimantan

Tourists on religious visit in Kalimantan BANJARMASIN, South Kalimantan: Nine Californian tourists have just completed a visit to South Kalimantan province. Instead of visiting normal tourist attractions during their visit to the province, the Californians opted to concentrate on religious and educational institutions.

Janet Steel tells the tale of 'Tempo'

Janet Steel tells the tale of 'Tempo' Emmy Fitri, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta She was the last to know that there would be a surprise on that day, June 8. Everything went on as usual until her class was dismissed for lunch. A birthday cake was brought in to the birthday lecturer, Janet E. Steele. From her look, she seemed genuinely bewildered. "Thank you so much. I don't expect this, really. Thanks again," she told her well-wishers, 14 journalists and activists coming from throughout the country.

China, S'pore central banks seek cooperation

China, S'pore central banks seek cooperation Dow Jones, Denpasar Chinese central bank Governor Zhou Xiaochuan met with the managing director of the Monetary Authority of Singapore, Heng Swee Keat, on Sunday to discuss economic and financial cooperation between the two central banks. Zhou said that they did not discuss the possibility of China adopting a foreign exchange regime similar to Singapore's model, as some recent media reports had speculated.

~Win a trip for two to Hong Kong to take part in the Shopper

~Win a trip for two to Hong Kong to take part in the Shopper of the Year Contest! Simply answer the following questions: 1. "Fashion and Beauty" is one of the four shopping themes of the 2005 Hong Kong Shopping Festival. True or False 2. The Hong Kong Shopping Festival will take place from 25 June 2005 to 31 August 2005.

Autonomous benefits

Autonomous benefits There is some good news regarding Indonesia's decentralization program, which was launched with a big bang in 2001 when the country was still reeling from the severe 1998 political and economic crisis.

Rendra's Bengkel Theater to stage 'Sobrat'

Rendra's Bengkel Theater to stage 'Sobrat' Emmy Fitri, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Even the most complex of works becomes readily comprehensible and ever so relevant to today's world in the hands of renowned director W.S. Rendra. This is as true of Sobrat as it is of any of his other works. Taking West Java as its setting during the colonial era in the 1920s, the play centers around the character Sobrat, who is naive and meek, but strong physically.

'Paramilitaries must get out of the capital'

'Paramilitaries must get out of the capital' Jakarta celebrates its 478th anniversary on June 22. While this is normally a festive occasion, residents spoken to by The Jakarta Post said the commemoration was also a good time for the administration to address a multitude of problems confronting the city. Dian, 26, is a marketing employee at a private radio station. She lives in Pondok Gede, East Jakarta: One of my biggest wishes is that Jakarta will emerge as the safest city in the country.

ASEAN fails to push reforms in Myanmar: Thai academics

ASEAN fails to push reforms in Myanmar: Thai academics Agence France-Presse, Bangkok Thai academics on Sunday criticized Southeast Asian nations for not doing enough to promote democracy in Myanmar, during day-long events to mark the 60th birthday of detained democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi.

JP/5/FOCUS

JP/5/FOCUS 17,000 infants suffer from malnutrition INDRAMAYU, West Java: Although known as one of Indonesia's rice bowls, Indramayu nevertheless has 17,847 malnourished infants. The infants are found in all 28 districts of the regency. Of the 17,847 infants, 1,525 are suffering from marasmus, the worst form of malnutrition, senior health officer Lili Tatiyanti explained.

* Security fears skew visa status for Mideast countries Page 2

* Security fears skew visa status for Mideast countries Page 2 * Very high admission fees cause concern for parents Page 4 * Child health 'better managed under Soeharto' Page 5 * Intelligence agencies must be held to account Page 6 * Poor law enforcement worsens pollution in Jakarta Page 8 * Lebanese vote in final phase of election Page 11 * Oil prices closer to new record, metals prices up Page 13 * Retief Goosen eyes third major crown after brutal day Page 22

1. NTT: 2 X 18

1. NTT: 2 X 18 NTT forced to admit seriousness of famine 2. SERVICE: 2 X 18 Jakarta gets an 'F' in public services 3. IRAN: 2 X 20 Rafsanjani allies seek unity for run-off vote 4. ACEH: 1 X 45 'Ocean commanders' face a sea of challenges in Aceh

Free trade agreement: Is it benefical for countries?

Free trade agreement: Is it benefical for countries? Ivy Susanti, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Skepticism has colored many a free trade deal -- between Indonesia or ASEAN, of which Indonesia is a member, and other countries such as Japan and China -- particularly in regard to Indonesia's ability to compete with its partners.

Poverty widepsread in resource-rich E. Kalimantan

Poverty widepsread in resource-rich E. Kalimantan Rusman The Jakarta Post/Samarinda It was 4:30 in the morning and the sun was not yet shining, but 13-year-old Rizki Gunawan and his little sister Astari had to leave the warmth of their beds and head to the main intersection in Samarinda city, East Kalimantan to sell newspapers "We're used to waking up very early now. We just eat while selling newspapers," said six-year-old Astari, who only has one worn out teeshirt and a pair of short pants.

Sprinter John avoids Sidoarjo shutout

Sprinter John avoids Sidoarjo shutout Moch. N. Kurniawan, The Jakarta Post, Sidoarjo, East Java John Herman Muray saved face for the hosts on Saturday by taking the prestigious 100 meters sprint in a photo-finish at the Asian Grand Prix 2005. As his teammates finished as also-rans behind their Asian peers at Sidoarjo Stadium, John won in 10.45 seconds, ahead of Indians Anil Kumar (10.47) and Kamar Piyush (10.56). "I still can't believe I won," he told reporters after his victory.

Life returns slowly to Aceh[b]

Life returns slowly to Aceh Earthquakes still shake Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam six months after the Dec. 26 tsunami. Banda Aceh residents say the city is jolted every two or three days, mostly by minor quakes. An unusually large one occurred on Sunday June 5. Nevertheless, city life has almost returned to the way it was before the tsunami. Most shops, restaurants and offices have reopened. The streets are clean and the traffic has come back to life.

Intelligence agencies must be held to account

Intelligence agencies must be held to account Aleksius Jemadu, Bandung Building an effective intelligence service in a fragile democracy like Indonesia may be problematic. The recent series of bomb attacks has built an awareness among government officials of the need for an effective intelligence service. Responding to terrorism fears, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has asked for the revival of the Regional Intelligence Coordinating Agency (Bakorinda).

Wild and loony japanese hair trendiness

Wild and loony japanese hair trendiness Evi Mariani The Jakarta Post/Jakarta This year, there has been a new hair trend that suits many kinds of people. It is called the "swing hair style", which has a free movement and textured cut, but the final result still has an air of elegance. The style is not bound by hair length, but inspired by the beautiful shape and sway movement of models sashaying down the catwalk.

A sad story of a malnourished girl in NTT

A sad story of a malnourished girl in NTT Yemris Fointuna, The Jakarta Post, Kupang Her gaze is sharp but blank. She has no appetite. Her stomach is distended and rib bones clearly show. Her hair is unkempt, legs and hands scrawny, and mucus runs from her nose. That's Kristin Lubalu, 13, a girl from Naibonat village in the Kupang regency on the island of Timor. She lays frailly in bed.

Phone operators to allocate 0.75% of revenue for USO

Phone operators to allocate 0.75% of revenue for USO Leony Aurora, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta The government will put into effect within a month a regulation requiring all telephone operators to allocate 0.75 percent of their yearly revenues for the state's rural telephone program, a government minister has said.

Paramilitary groups may worsen land dispute

Paramilitary groups may worsen land dispute The Jakarta Post, Jakarta The police's plan to announce the results of a fingerprint analysis today may put an end to a long-running land dispute between a woman and a developer, which has been worsened by the involvement of organized gangs in the case. West Jakarta Police forensic staff have been analyzing the authenticity of an ownership certificate of a plot of land in the Taman Permata Buana housing complex.

Haj scam may drag down two more ex-ministers

Haj scam may drag down two more ex-ministers Eva C. Komandjaja, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta The haj fund scandal involving billions of dollars at the Ministry of Religious Affairs will likely implicate two other former ministers Tarmidzi Taher and Tolchah Hasan. The interdepartmental corruption eradication team has named as a suspect in the case former religious affairs minister Said Aqil Hussein Al-Munawar, who earlier demanded that Tarmidzi and Tolchah, both his predecessors, be also summoned.

JP/5/CAMPAIGN

JP/5/CAMPAIGN Lampung candidates rely on 'dangdut', T-shirts Oyos Saroso H.N. The Jakarta Post/Bandarlampung Candidates for mayor Sjachrazad Z.P. and deputy mayor Rudy Syawal were surely disappointed when 2,000 people turned up at their election rally last Friday, as they had earlier declared there would be 20,000. The rally, held in a field in Bandarlampung, marked the first day of their election campaign. Most of those present were Golkar Party members and their families.

Network formed for college students

Network formed for college students SEMARANG: Ten prominent state and private universities are sharing their resources and increasing their links to help improve education for college students in Indonesia.

Jakarta Fair a hit with foreigners

Jakarta Fair a hit with foreigners JAKARTA: The Jakarta Fair organizer explained that the event had succeeded in attracting foreign businesspeople, especially from China, Iran, Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand. "The high number of visitors, mostly potential buyers, has prompted many foreign businesspeople to come to the Jakarta Fair," project director Ralph Scheunemann was quoted as saying by Antara on Saturday.

Motorola maintains winning edge design in new handsets

Motorola maintains winning edge design in new handsets The Jakarta Post, Singapore Being fashionably mysterious and svelte was foremost in Motorola's mind when it unveiled two of its latest handsets -- the Motorola PEBL V6 and SLVR V8 -- at the CommunicAsia exhibition in Singapore last week.

Maritime and fisheries setbacks

Maritime and fisheries setbacks From Republika The establishment of the ministry of sea exploration at the start of the reform period in 1999 offered new hopes for public welfare promotion, in view of the fact that Indonesia's sea area constitutes 70 percent of its total territory. This optimism further increased when the maritime and fisheries ministry was formed and a plan for sector development was drawn up by a past cabinet.

Agency denies polio vaccines danger

Agency denies polio vaccines danger Damar Harsanto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta In response to the deaths of four infants after they received polio vaccines last month, the City Health Agency is reassuring parents that the vaccines are safe. The agency says there is no link between the four deaths and the vaccine, and has urged parents to bring their children in for a second round of vaccinations beginning on June 28.

Three villagers killed and one missing in Nias landslide

Three villagers killed and one missing in Nias landslide Apriadi Gunawan, The Jakarta Post, Medan A boy is missing and three people are dead after a landslide hit the remote Loloana Gido village in Nias island on Saturday, an official says. Loloana Gido village head Yaaro Waruwu said three members of a family, Hizaato Waruwu, 58, his daughter, Kaseria, 26, and grandchild Yosua, 7, were found dead at the scene. Hizaato's son, Yusman Waruwu, is still missing.

Govt may launch massive reorganization of Telkom

Govt may launch massive reorganization of Telkom Rendi A. Witular, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta State-owned telecommunications company PT Telekomunikasi Indonesia (Telkom) will likely undergo massive reorganization, including a shakeup of the board of directors and a revision of the management structure.

Govt not addressing Muslim grievances

Govt not addressing Muslim grievances Thailand has failed to address the real grievances of Muslims in its insurgency-wracked south and the situation has gone "too far in the wrong direction," a former Thai foreign minister said in remarks published on Sunday.

Corruption and regional elections

Corruption and regional elections From Kompas Corruption can be grouped into three categories: Corruption by design (done intentionally), corruption by accident (done unintentional), and corruption by need (out of urgent necessity). The first group deserves the most severe punishment. Embezzlers will always deny their involvement though they are unable to conceal their wrongdoing.

Juwai becomes 'father' to villagers after tsunami

Juwai becomes 'father' to villagers after tsunami Harry Bhaskara, The Jakarta Post, Lhok Nga, Aceh Juwai squinted into the horizon as he talked about family members who died in the Dec. 26 tsunami. "We will always remember those who have died but we must help the survivors face tomorrow," he said as he stood beside an empty 100-square-meter plot of land where his house used to stand in the coastal town of Lhok Nga in Aceh.

'Gambus' music played for secular purposes

'Gambus' music played for secular purposes M. Taufiqurrahman, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Jakarta was born over 400 years ago in the midst of bustling trading activities between the Middle East and Chinese merchants and it soon become a thriving city port given its strategic position in the center of the spice-rich archipelago. This endowed Jakarta with the opportunity to absorb the multitude of influences that came along with the trading activities.

TV Program: Monday, June 20, 2005

TV Program: Monday, June 20, 2005 TVRI .TB.30" .90" 5:00 a.m. Religious Teachings 6:00 News: Berita Pagi 7:00 Cartoon: Tabaluga 8:00 Children Drama 8:30 Music: Asyik Asyik 10:00 Talk Show 12:30 p.m.

Life slowly returns to Banda Aceh

Life slowly returns to Banda Aceh Harry Bhaskara, The Jakarta Post, Banda Aceh The following articles are based on a three-day visit by Harry Bhaskara of The Jakarta Post to Aceh on June 7. The visit was sponsored by the Melbourne- based Asia Pacific Journalism Center and was made together with eight Australian journalists. Banda Aceh seems to have a second soul: The commercial part of the city is bustling with life.

ASEAN must stiffen its resolve on Myanmar

ASEAN must stiffen its resolve on Myanmar Yangon has for too long been allowed to take advantage of the wobbles that have plagued the grouping's approach to engagement Until Myanmar's military junta decides one way or another whether it intends to retain the chairmanship of ASEAN in 2006, the wobbly indecisiveness of members of our regional grouping will continue to make it an object of international ridicule.

3 soldiers, 2 rebels killed in Aceh

3 soldiers, 2 rebels killed in Aceh BANDA ACEH: Three soldiers and two Free Aceh Movement (GAM) separatist rebels have died in the latest violence in the tsunami-hit province of Aceh, the military said on Sunday. The three soldiers were killed during an ambush by some 15 rebels in South Aceh district on Friday, said local military chief Jamhur Ismail. The rebels, in a press statement, said the attack was carried out due to "oppressive" actions against Acehnese people by the troops.

Aceh rattled by 20-30 aftershocks every day

Aceh rattled by 20-30 aftershocks every day The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Between 20 and 30 aftershocks have shaken Banda Aceh city and the surrounding area each day following the monster quake that rocked Aceh on Dec. 26 last year. However, most of the aftershocks were not felt by residents as they were too weak. "The aftershocks were only recorded on the seismograph," said Eridawaty, a senior official at the Banda Aceh office of the Geophysics and Meteorological Agency (BMG).

Sutiyoso opposes plan to create smaller municipalities

Sutiyoso opposes plan to create smaller municipalities Damar Harsanto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Governor Sutiyoso has come out against the creation of more, smaller municipalities in the capital, saying the idea is unrealistic and inefficient. "The plan to create more municipalities in Jakarta is extremely unrealistic because we would have to follow it up by building new offices," Sutiyoso said at City Hall over the weekend.

JP/5/BYLAW

JP/5/BYLAW Surabaya to standardize school fees Indra Harsaputra The Jakarta Post/Surabaya With a tired face, Sayuti, 37, takes the thousands of rupiah in notes from a pawnshop employee after cashing in a small bracelet. "I will use this money to pay for my children's school fees," the mother of two children says, smoothing the rumples on her shirt. Sayuti is a regular customer of East Java Pawnshop Office, who often swaps valuables for cash as the new school term begins every July.

Rehabilitation of Aceh and Nias

Rehabilitation of Aceh and Nias Public support for the reconstruction effort in Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam is vital. The task ahead of us is monumental and urgent. To see the devastation first hand is to be moved beyond compassion. The people of Aceh and Nias continue to suffer. Hence, I would like to thank Daniel Kingsley for his recent opinion article, Does the master plan for Aceh rehabilitation drive NGOs away? (The Jakarta Post, May 19).

Survey finds pollution remains unchecked

Survey finds pollution remains unchecked Abdul Khalik, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Jakarta's water, air and land continue to be heavily polluted by poisonous materials originating from households and factories, a survey shows. Data from the Jakarta Environmental Management Agency (BPLHD) revealed that all 13 rivers here have been heavily polluted with industrial and domestic chemical wastes over the last several years.

Bill helps to maintain military impunity

Bill helps to maintain military impunity Tiarma Siboro, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta The House of Representatives has proposed a bill to revise Law No. 31/1997 on military tribunals, but efforts to do away with impunity for soldiers has many obstacles as the draft fails to specify offenses that requires soldiers to stand trial in a civilian court.

China to boost tourists to Bali

China to boost tourists to Bali DENPASAR, Bali: The Chinese government has pledged to increase cooperation in tourism with Bali, Chinese Ambassador to Indonesia Lan Lijun said after meeting with an official from Denpasar municipality, I Made Westra. Westra briefed the Chinese envoy on Friday about the province's security measures, Antara reported. Lan was invited by the Bali provincial authorities to attend the opening of the Bali Arts Festival by President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono on Saturday.

Ciputat flyover project to continues

Ciputat flyover project to continues Multa Fidrus, The Jakarta Post, Tangerang Despite opposition from traders who are refusing to vacate their land, the Tangerang regental administration says it will go ahead with the Ciputat flyover project to ease chronic traffic congestion around the Ciputat Market. Regent Ismet Iskandar argued that only a small number of traders were opposed to the project, which was originally scheduled to start last January.

NTT acknowledges malnutrition problem

NTT acknowledges malnutrition problem The Jakarta Post, Jakarta The number of children who have died because of malnutrition in East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) province since January this year has reached 32, nearly three times more than the figure reported by the local health office. The new figure was revealed on Saturday by NTT governor Piet A.