yes, that's right, om. hard to believe, but there's corruption in indonesia.

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - The government`s goods and services procurement is the most vulnerable area for corruption. In this sector, corrupt officials have stolen Rp689.19 billion or about 35 percent of the Rp1.9 trillion worth cases handled by the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) since 2005. "The KPK has since its establishment recorded a total of 50 corruption cases in the procurement of goods and services for the government," Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati said on Thursday.

TEMPO Interactive, Jakarta: The government announced plan to remove exit or entrance fee for commodities in Batam, Bintan, and Karimun Free Trade Zone as part of the plan to revise the trade regulation in the area. “We will remove the (free trade) barrier in Batam especially the double taxation,” Coordinating Minister for the Economy Hatta Radjasa said after the Investment Award ceremony at the Investment Coordinating Board's office on Wednesday (9/12).

Forget about competing with China - Indonesia lags behind Vietnam, Thailand and Malaysia in terms of trade and investment relations with EU member countries, an EU study revealed Tuesday. Despite being the largest economy in Southeast Asia, the volume of trade and investment between Indonesia and EU member nations remains low, with the EU study recording European foreign direct investment in the country trailing FDI in Singapore, Thailand and Malaysia.

Jakarta, Indonesia - Three shameful cases brought before Indonesian courts recently reveal that the country’s legal system is in very poor shape. The law is applied forcefully against the poor and vulnerable, while the rich and powerful evade it with impunity. Minah, an illiterate 55-year-old grandmother who lives in a small Indonesian village near Banyumas in Central Java, was taken to court last month for stealing three cocoa fruits worth 1,500 rupiah (US$0.15) from a plantation.

Purwakarta regency in West Java and Yogyakarta city in the special province of Yogyakarta were named the best regions Wednesday in terms of efforts to attract investment in 2009. Purwakarta regency won the award in the regency category, after beating Sidoarjo in East Java which finished second, Sragen in Central Java in third place, Jembrana in Bali, Kudus in Central Java and Bangka in Bangka Belitung.

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Head of the Capital Investment Coordinating Board (BKPM) Gita Wirjawan said his office would announce the negative investment list (DNI) early in 2010. "It will be announced early next year and any change that would be made in it would be aimed at abolishing uncertainties in investment," the BKPM chief said here on Wednesday.

The government is planning to launch an online, integrated documents-processing service for importers in January, the nation’s chief economics minister said on Wednesday. The move is intended speed up the process of submitting documents for traders, and make it easier for them to obtain clearance from state agencies.

The value of direct investment in Indonesia is predicted to rise by up to 15 percent next year after bottoming out in 2009, thanks to stable domestic economic conditions and an expected recovery elsewhere in Asia and beyond, the head of Indonesia’s main investment body said on Wednesday. Investment Coordinating Board (BKPM) chairman Gita Wirjawan said the economies of neighboring Asian countries were likely to accelerate next year, which will have a positive effect on Indonesia.