Quote: Food company Siantar Top, which produces snacks, recorded an almost nine-fold drop in net profit during the first quarter of this year to Rp 744 million from Rp 3.02 billion in the same period last year. I do wish they could standardise a number system.

Novia D. Rulistia and Rendi Akhmad Witular, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta While most publicly listed food processing companies have enjoyed hefty first-quarter profits, rising global food crop and energy prices are likely to squeeze earnings in the coming months. A possible slump in people's purchasing power as a result of plans by the government to raise fuel prices, which will cause a rise in the prices of other products, is likely to exacerbate the situation.

Stakeholders said the local shipping industry would not be ready for the implementation of the cabotage principle, scheduled for 2011, without more incentives and regulatory reforms. President director of PT Samudera Indonesia Tbk Randy Effendi said the local shipping industry might need more than three years before it could expand its armada due to unfavorable policies on taxes and a lack of incentives.

Padang, W Sumatra (ANTARA News) - State electricity company PT PLN will appoint China National Technical Import Corporation (CNTIC) to build a government-funded thermal power plant at Teluk Sirih in Padang, West Sumatra, at a cost of Rp2.5 trillion, a spokesman said.

Wednesday, 07 May, 2008 | 13:03 WIB TEMPO Interactive, Jakarta: Vice president Jusuf Kalla has he considers that the government’s performance under President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and himself has not been too bad. He asked members of the general public to also look at economic achievements and other progress made in other sectors recently. Based on the parameter of income per capita of US$2,000 per year, Indonesia has achieved a better economic situation.