Electricity Supply Critical in Java and Bali Tuesday, 23 May, 2006 | 16:21 WIB TEMPO Interactive, Jakarta: The electricity supply in Java and Bali are experiencing a deficit because the gas supply to the Muara Karang and Tanjung Priok gas and steam-powered electricity generators (PLTGU) from the off-shore gas field operated by BP West Java is lessened. As a result, electricity supplies for Java and Bali are insufficient by 300 megawatts.

Stock Exchange and Rupiah Collapse Tuesday, 23 May, 2006 | 16:13 WIB TEMPO Interactive, Jakarta: Jakarta's stock exchange collapsed yesterday. The composite stock price index dropped by 6.03 percent to the level of 1,309.045. This was the second biggest single-day drop this week after Monday of last week when the index dropped by 6.31 percent. Jakarta Stock's index once dropped by 6.6 percent after the May rioting in 1998. The rupiah underwent the same thing.

PLN hit by gas supply problem Rendi Akhmad Witular, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta State-owned power utility PLN will have to incur extra expenditure on buying diesel to fire its power plants and avoid massive blackouts in Jakarta and Banten following a disruption to its gas supply. PLN acting president Djuanda Nugraha Ibrahim told reporters Monday that the company would have to spend an extra Rp 115 billion (US$12.63 million) in the next two weeks, or some Rp 8.2 billion per day, on buying diesel.

Govt falls behind revenue targets The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Tax revenue in the first four months of the year amounted to Rp 105 trillion (some US$11.6 billion), the Finance Ministry reported, up 24 percent compared to the same period last year on the back of intensified tax collection. Meanwhile, revenue from customs and excise duties, meanwhile, reached Rp 15.4 trillion, a 6 percent rise, with higher revenue from tobacco excise duty compensating for a slump in import duties.

Wrong investment decision Editorial, The Jakarta Post What a new twist in the saga of Mexican cement company Cemex's eight years of frustrating investment operations in Indonesia.

Incentives for Strategic Industries Monday, 22 May, 2006 | 17:59 WIB TEMPO Interactive, Jakarta: It has been proposed that tax incentive be implemented for strategic industries, which absorb many employees and increase the domestic technologic capabilities. “Tax incentives to be put into effect by the government should be aimed at strategic purposes,” said the Trade Minister, Mari Elka Pangestu.

RI, Japan to renegotiate MRT project Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Indonesia and Japan will renegotiate the terms and conditions for the implementation of a mass rapid tranport (MRT) project in Jakarta with the possibility that a minimum of 30 percent of the materials used in the work would be obtained locally, a cabinet minister said. "There will be a renegotiation.

Govt to complete regulation on infrastructure development in May Jakarta (ANTARA News) - The Indonesian government will complete formulation of all its regulations on infrastructure development by the end of May so that no more regulatory obstacles to investment exist by June before the holding of an infrastructure summit in the country, a spokesman said. "Everything will be completed by the end of May," National Development Planning Minister Paskah Suzetta said here on Monday.