Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Indonesia and the Netherlands at a meeting here Thursday agreed to step up their bilateral relations in the trade and investment fields. The mutual commitment was formalized in the agreed minutes of the 20th meeting of the two countries` Joint Commission on Bilateral Economic Cooperation signed by their respective representatives.

TEMPO Interactive, Jakarta:There is a protest against the food estate project once again. This time it is the Indonesian Environment Forum (WALHI) that has spoken up. "If this project continues, then Indonesia would enter a period of validated land seizures," said M. Islah, Walhi Campaign Manager for Water and Food in a press release, Tuesday (3 / 2) evening According to Islah, the land seizures would happen if local and foreign big businesses and small farmers are allowed to compete legally.

Bitter divisions in the government’s ruling coalition will stifle policy making and slow reform, but the country’s strong fundamentals, founded on robust domestic demand, should prevent asset prices from suffering much for the moment. Three coalition parties crossed the floor and voted with the opposition on Wednesday to demand a criminal investigation of two key reformist technocrats in President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono’s cabinet over a controversial bank rescue.

The property sector applauded the government’s announcement on Wednesday that it intended to allow foreign nationals to take out property leases of up to 95 years, instead of the current 25-year maximum, but noted that key details of the plan had yet to be released. “It’s good news for the property industry but we need more explanation about the details of the scheme,” said Bayu Utomo, director of business development at property consultancy PT Procon Indah.