Indonesia's state-owned power firm Perusahaan Listrik Negara (PLN) will start using biofuel to fire 114 small- and medium-scale power plants around the country beginning next year. PLN chief commissioner Alhilal Hamdi said the plan had been approved following the success of pilot projects for the use of biofuel in an 11-MW plant in Lampung and a 1.5-MW power plant in Nusa Penida, Bali, earlier this year.

Denpasar, Bali Province (ANTARA News) - Bali Island, Indonesia`s most famous tourist destination, was visited by around 1.1 million foreign tourists in the January-October period in 2006, or by about 38 percent more than in the same period last year.

The government, concerned over the looting of the country's biological resources and the ensuing loss of intellectual property rights, convened a workshop Thursday to discuss how to respond to the theft. "Samples of some species have been illegally removed from the country for research purposes by foreign scientists, possibly concealed about their persons," the Forestry Ministry's secretary-general, Boen M. Purnama, said on the sidelines of the biodiversity conservation workshop.

At least 10 local and overseas firms have expressed interest in participating in the construction of the Rp 900 billion (about US$100 million) rail link between Manggarai in East Jakarta and Soekarno-Hatta International Airport, Masjraul Hidayat, president director of PT RailLink, which will operate the airport line, said Wednesday in Jakarta that at least 10 companies had so far submitted proposals. "We've received so many expressions of interest.

The Industry Ministry says it intends to focus on promoting four industrial engineering sectors -- the agricultural, factory, electrical and heavy machinery industries -- as part of the government's long-term industrial development program. The ministry's director general of metal and textile industries, Anshari Bukhari, said Friday in Jakarta that the promotion of these four industries would be prioritized so as to reduce the country's reliance on imports.

Dili has been awarded the personal thanks of SMY for the Kentut efforts........

The names Bond.... Junk Bond..... 007

The names Bond.... Junk Bond..... 007

From The Economist print edition Bullish lenders shrug off the growing threats in Indonesia MODEST-sized bond offerings even in volatile countries such as Indonesia do not usually set tongues wagging. They are manufactured in droves on the financial equivalent of an assembly line. But a $110m offering by PT Pakuwon Jati Finance this month has provided a gripping insight into the audacity, if not recklessness, of emerging-market creditors. Pakuwon Jati is an unremarkable property developer.