To help boost the application of open source technology, which could in turn benefit local industry, the government needs to help out with better regulations, an IT firm says. Harry Kaligis, business and marketing general manager of Sun Microsystems Indonesia (SMI), said that although open-source firms had been given the freedom to grow, they were still often subject to "unequal treatment" by the government.

Moving one step closer to the wrapping up of the deliberations on the mining bill, lawmakers and the government clinched a deal Wednesday on a special scheme, similar to the current contract of work (CoW) arrangements, for major mining projects. This means that there is now only one contentious issue left to be ironed out -- the transition period during which existing CoW holders must bring their mining operations into line with the new system envisaged by the bill.

BBC News, Jakarta Borneo Huge swathes of Borneo's jungles are under threat A coalition of environmental groups in Indonesia has called on the United Nations to intervene in a palm oil project being planned in Borneo. The project will allocate up to 1.8 million hectares (4.4 million acres) of land for palm oil plantations. The group fears the project will cause irreparable harm to indigenous people's territories and cultures.

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Indonesia`s economy is estimated to have grown by 6.04 percent in the first half of 2007 on improving economic conditions in June, the Finance Ministry said. "Economic growth hit six-month highs in June. This is very convincing and provides a conducive climate," Anggito Abimanyu, head of the ministry`s fiscal policy board, said here Thursday.