TEMPO Interactive, Jakarta: J. Purwono, Director General of Electricity and Energy Use at the Energy and Mineral Resources Department, has said that local electricity rates must be applied to all regions under one electricity system. If they were to be applied haphazardly, this could cause social envy. Purwono cited Bogor, which experiences difficulties in applying its own local electricity rates because the area is included in the Java-Madura-Bali electrical system.

TEMPO Interactive, Jakarta: The Business Competition Oversight Commission (KPPU) will scrutinize the government's decision to direct appoint Microsoft to supply computer software in all government offices. The decision was included in an MoU between the government. represented by Information and Communication Minister Sofyan Djalil, and PT Microsoft Indonesia. The MoU was signed by Sofyan Djalil and Chris Atkinson from Microsoft on November 26, 2006. Moch.

A consortium of five state-owned and regional banks has committed itself to providing a total of Rp 25.56 trillion (US$2.8 billion) in loans for the development of plantations across the country, including those producing biofuel feedstock. The banks signed the memorandum of understanding for the loan scheme Wednesday with Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati, Coordinating Minister for the Economy Boediono and Bank Indonesia governor Burhanuddin Abdullah.

Indonesia plans to build power plants powered by peat land in West Kalimantan province with the capacity of 60 megawatts, the governor of the province said on Wednesday. At a press conference after meeting with Vice President Jusuf Kalla, Governor Usman Jafar said that the project was expected to be complete at the beginning of 2008. He said experts from Finland, which has long experienced using such technology, would be involved to handle the projects.