Jakarta (ANTARA News) - The arrivals of foreign tourists in Indonesia in January 2007 fell 18.74 percent compared with those in the previous month of December, a statistics official said here on Thursday. "But if compared with the corresponding period in 2006, the arrivals of foreign tourists last January upped 6.91 percent," Deputy Head for Economic Statistics of the Central Bureau of Statistics (BPS), Pietojo, said.

Denpasar, Bali (ANTARA News) - France was the biggest buyer for Bali`s handicraft and other non-oil products with a total value of US$40.5 million in 2006, a report said on Wednesday. "France has replaced Italy which was previously the biggest buyer of the product," the report from the local industry and trade office said. The high purchase, it said, was due to the participation of the local businessmen in some exhibition in several European nations, including Germany, France and Spain. (*)

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Bank Indonesia believes current depreciation of the country`s currency, the rupiah, will be only temporary. "As it is only temporary do not say that it will drag on," the the spokesman of the central bank, Budi Mulia, said here on Wednesday. The rupiah was down 80 points against the US dollar closed at Rp9,150/Rp9,160 per dollar that day from Rp9,070/Rp9,092 the day before.

Indonesian exporters to Australia may face difficulties in meeting that country's import requirements unless they keep abreast of the latest information. The growing variety of products exported to Australia means that the Australian authorities have to keep updating their import regulations, says the chairman of the Indonesian Food and Beverage Business Association (GAPPMI), Thomas Dharmawan. And for many Indonesian exporters, Thomas says, the latest Australian rules come as a surprise.

Indonesia's crude oil production fell to 1.01 million barrels per day in 2006 from 1.06 million barrels in the previous year, much less than the government's budget target of 1.05 million barrels per day. Mature fields, high exploration risks, excessive regulation and inefficient production are the key problems causing the drop in crude oil production. Refinery inefficiency exacerbates the problem, making imports a must if the economy is to grow above 6 percent this year.

Despite a slow start to the year, the automotive industry remains optimistic that sales will exceed its 20 percent growth target over the year, betting in part on a doubling of the sport utility vehicle (SUV) market. An SUV is a passenger vehicle that combines the towing capacity of a pickup truck with the capacity to carry five people, plus luggage.

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono affirmed that the government`s commitment to combatting corruption and all its respects, at central government level down to regional administration level would continue.

Great, that means that we are still good at something!

TEMPO Interactive, Jakarta: Indonesia is still ranked as one of the most corrupt countries in the world. Despite a slight improvement in the Corruption Perception Index, based on 2006 data from Transparency International, Indonesia was still ranked 135th out of 136 countries.

JAKARTA (Antara): The government and the House ofRepresentatives' working committee (Panja) on drafting capital investment law have agreed to separate the Capital Investment Coordinating Board (BKPM) from the Trade Ministry and to make itfully responsible to the president. "That is indeed the agreement reached in the meeting between the Panja and the government several days ago," Panja member Zukiflimansyah said on Wednesday.