Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Vice President Jusuf Kalla has agreed to a proposal that the severance pay of laid-off workers be paid by state-owned workers` insurance company PT Jamsostek with the understanding that employers increase their premium payments to PT Jamsostek.

TEMPO Interactive, Jakarta: The government is offering tax incentives for new investment that will be far more attractive than tax holidays.There are 15 specific business sectors as well as nine business sectors in certain regions that will be granted the incentives.

To promote greater integration in the mining industry, a new minerals bill will requires investments in the sector to include the establishment of complete upstream-to-downstream processing plants, an official says.

TEMPO Interactive, Jakarta: The government considers that the price increases of fuels for the industrial sector in January 2007 will reduce production competitiveness.Both the steel and textile industries will experience the impact of these fuel price increases.

Ika Krismantari, The Jakarta Post, JakartaFollowing in the footsteps of Shell and Petronas, Total E&P Indonesie -- the local affiliate of the world's second largest LNG producer, Total SA, is to build five gas stations selling high-quality fuels in Greater Jakarta this year.