Indonesian Political, Business & Finance News

Archive: 2 August 2005

78 articles found

Russian military delegation visits RI

Russian military delegation visits RI INDONESIA: A Russian military and technical cooperation team visited Indonesia from July 25 to July 30 to strengthen collaboration between the two countries, the Russian Embassy in Jakarta said. The Russian delegation, led by V.

MUI slammed over controversial fatwas

MUI slammed over controversial fatwas Hera Diani and Slamet Susanto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta, Yogyakarta More condemnation has been heaped on the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) for issuing draconian fatwas outlawing liberal Islamic thought and pluralism, raising the question as to whether the...

Cooler 'mikrolet' minivans await commuters

Cooler 'mikrolet' minivans await commuters Damar Harsanto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta There is good news for commuters who are forced to squeeze into packed mikrolet minivans to get to and from their offices, enduring claustrophobic conditions sometimes made worse when a fellow passenger lights up a...

2. New -- War-weary Aceh gets chance for peace

2. New -- War-weary Aceh gets chance for peace 1 x 30 A chance of peace for war-weary Aceh Amy Chew New Straits Times Kuala Lumpur

Antam's sales fall on lower nickel output

Antam's sales fall on lower nickel output Bloomberg, Jakarta PT Aneka Tambang (Antam), a mining company 65 percent-owned by the government, said second-quarter sales fell 2 percent as a smelter breakdown cut nickel output. Sales fell to Rp 714.62 billion (US$72.

Cooler Mikrolet minivans await commuters

Cooler Mikrolet minivans await commuters Page 8 It's all in the family for Pia and Bona Page 10 Australia seeks to breed test-tube sharks Page 18

Gun owner arrested for public incident

Gun owner arrested for public incident JAKARTA: After publicly firing his gun in a fight at Cilandak Town Square, South Jakarta, AG, a gun owner was arrested on Monday by the police. "The owner aimed his gun at the roof when he was involved in a fight in the basement of Cilandak Town Square at 1:30...

1. DISCOURSE: 1 X 42

1. DISCOURSE: 1 X 42 'No-strings aid needed if poor states to achieve UN goal' 2. MEDAN: 2 X 22 Buses for tsunami-hit areas stripped for parts 3. TAX: 1 X 40 Govt to raise luxury tax on cars of 1,500-3,000cc 4. SALARY: 3 X 18 Govt may decide against pay rise for top officials

Suggested titles:

Suggested titles: Indocement translates vision of sustainable cement initiatives into reality Indocement has strong commitment to sustainable development ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Cement is an essential material...

House team to lobby U.S. congress on Papua issue

House team to lobby U.S. congress on Papua issue Tony Hotland, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta The House of Representatives plans to send a four-member delegation to the U.S. to lobby congress in an attempt to block passage of a bill that raises questions about the status of Papua.

The people of Nglurah village in Karanganyar regency, Central

The people of Nglurah village in Karanganyar regency, Central Java have been growing flowers and decorative plants for centuries. While many Nglurah people have moved away from the village, they continue to work as flower sellers.

Govt urged to ensure status of Papua

Govt urged to ensure status of Papua Nethy Dharma Somba, The Jakarta Post, Jayapura Papuan leaders reacted cautiously on Monday to the bill recently approved by the U.S. House of Representatives, stressing that Papua is legally part of Indonesia but urging the government to renew its commitment to...

W. Sumatra tourism to get a push

W. Sumatra tourism to get a push PADANG, West Sumatra: State Minister for Culture and Tourism Jero Wacik promised to do more to promote West Sumatra as a tourist destination. "West Sumatra has a lot of potential as a tourist area in Sumatra and should be promoted abroad," he said in Padang on...

What else after Avian influenza?

What else after Avian influenza? Disaster after disaster has marked the ascension of Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (SBY) as President of the Republic of Indonesia inaugurated on Oct. 20 following the historic and peaceful direct legislative and presidential elections last year.

Breeders hit hard by collapsing poultry sales

Breeders hit hard by collapsing poultry sales Multa Fidrus and Theresia Sufa, The Jakarta Post, Tangerang, Bogor Life has become more difficult for poultry and pig breeders in Tangerang, Banten, since the area was declared a "red zone" for after as the first avian flu fatalities in humans occurred...

Govt may decide against pay rise for top officials

Govt may decide against pay rise for top officials The Jakarta Post, Jakarta The government is likely to back off from a plan to raise the take-home pay of senior officials following public criticism. But Cabinet Secretary Sudi Silalahi said the government would raise the salaries of low ranking...

UPC says no to land decree

UPC says no to land decree JAKARTA: The Urban Poor Consortium (UPC) staged a protest on Monday to demand that the city council cease its deliberation of a bylaw draft on land procurement for public projects, saying that it violates the people's land ownership rights.

Three arrested for child trafficking

Three arrested for child trafficking Abdul Khalik, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Jakarta Police arrested over the weekend three Indonesian women and are still hunting down two foreigners -- one American and one Irish citizen -- for their alleged roles in trafficking at least 60 babies out of the...

Teten among Magsaysay award winners

Teten among Magsaysay award winners The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Noted Indonesian antigraft campaigner Teten Masduki has been named as one of the six recipients of this year's Ramon Magsaysay awards, organizer announced on Monday.

Acehnese orphans travel to Japan for special camp

Acehnese orphans travel to Japan for special camp Nani Afrida, The Jakarta Post, Banda Aceh Twenty-six Acehnese pesantren (Islamic boarding schools) students who lost their parents in the tsunami have received the unique opportunity to travel abroad.

Benton junction offers outdoor dining

Benton junction offers outdoor dining The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Choose the weekend, invite a partner -- or two -- set the mood, and pick a venue. Lippo Karawaci's Benton junction, on the corner of the main boulevard, is a nice alternative for those bored with the usual indoor dining experience.

Year-on-year inflation at 7.84% in July

Year-on-year inflation at 7.84% in July Urip Hudiono, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Inflation in the country continued to creep up as an ongoing dry season and the recent avian influenza outbreak pushed food prices higher last month, official figures from the Central Statistics Agency (BPS) show.

~For SPOTLIGHT --- Monday, August 1, 2005

~For SPOTLIGHT --- Monday, August 1, 2005 CHINESE BUSINESS DELEGATION: The World Trade Center Jakarta (WTC) receives a visit from a 7-member business delegation representing seven companies from Shijiazhuang, China.

Zheng He celebrations in full swing

Zheng He celebrations in full swing Suherdjoko, The Jakarta Post, Semarang Chinese-Indonesians from various cities started to arrive in Semarang on Monday to participate in the celebrations marking the 600th anniversary of Admiral Zheng He's epic voyage.

PT Summarecon Agung clarifies

PT Summarecon Agung clarifies With reference to the article in The Jakarta Post, July 17, on page 15, titled A place to escape traffic jams, we would like to correct an error in the article. In the 16th paragraph it said: "...

Danamon focuses on organic growth for consolidation

Danamon focuses on organic growth for consolidation The Jakarta Post, Jakarta To meet the central bank requirement for banks to boost their capital within five years, Bank Danamon is focusing on expanding its business rather than looking at merging with or acquiring other banks.

Fire leaves over 2,000 people homeless

Fire leaves over 2,000 people homeless Andi Hajramurni, The Jakarta Post, Makassar A man died and two were injured when a massive fire swept through a fishing village in Cambaya subdistrict, Ujung Tanah district in Makassar on Monday, razing at least 491 houses and leaving over 2,000 people...

Thailand tougher on maritime

Thailand tougher on maritime Kavi Chongkittavorn, The Nation, Asia News Network, Bangkok By nature, Thailand does not want to get involved with security issues it deems a waste of effort, or pluang tua -- the mind-set that dictates the country's security planning.

China's CNOOC mulling next move in Unocal takeover

China's CNOOC mulling next move in Unocal takeover CNOOC is battling to keep alive its attempt to buy Unocal as worries mount that US political opposition might force it to withdraw its US$18.5 billion offer, reports said on Monday.

For Advertorial: Indocement ----- to be published on August 4,

For Advertorial: Indocement ----- to be published on August 4, 2005 Suggested titles: Indocement translates vision of sustainable cement initiative into reality Indocement has strong commitment to sustainable development...

Police arrest Dutchman for alleged child molestation

Police arrest Dutchman for alleged child molestation Wahyoe Boediwardhana, The Jakarta Post, Buleleng, Bali Police in the Bali regency of Buleleng are questioning a Dutch national who has been arrested for an alleged sexual abuse of minors.

RI cricket team setting sights on Vanuatu

RI cricket team setting sights on Vanuatu Wahyoe Boediwardhana, The Jakarta Post, Denpasar, Bali The country's cricket team is preparing for the ICC Cricket Cup in September in Vanuatu, with a long-term goal to land a spot in the 2011 World Cup.

It is indeed very sad that our country and government

It is indeed very sad that our country and government tolerates fanatical groups of people that dictate their will upon others. I'm talking about the forced closure of the Jamaah Ahmadiyah Indonesia (JAI) headquarters in Parung, Bogor.

Combating taxi crimes

Combating taxi crimes From Kompas There have been frequent reports on taxi passengers being robbed or even raped, but so far no concrete action has been taken by the authorities or the taxi companies to prevent the recurrence of such crimes.

Sampoerna's profit up from sales

Sampoerna's profit up from sales JAKARTA: Indonesian cigarette producer PT HM Sampoerna posted a sharply higher half-year net profit on Monday on the back of stronger sales and gains in the foreign exchange market. The company, a unit of Philip Morris International, reported a 44.

Business as usual won't stop AIDS

Business as usual won't stop AIDS Warief Djajanto Basorie, Jakarta Indonesia estimates it has between 90,000 and 130,000 people living with HIV-AIDS. The alarming matter is that as much as 85 percent of them are in their productive years, aged from 15 to 45.

Pia and Bona are two of a kind

Pia and Bona are two of a kind Moch. N. Kurniawan, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta The spectator took a second glance at a pair playing in the mixed doubles of the 2005 Milo Junior Indonesia Open badminton tournament in Denpasar.

Indian aircraft carrier leave RI

Indian aircraft carrier leave RI JAKARTA: The Indian aircraft carrier, the INS Viraat, along with the INS Rajput, the Ranjit, INS Shakti and INS Khukri left Tanjung Priok harbor on Monday morning. The fleet came to Indonesia on Thursday for a goodwill visit.

Surabaya hotels offer special packages

Surabaya hotels offer special packages SURABAYS: To raise the level of their occupancy rate, several hotels in Surabaya have improved services to their guests, among other things, by offering them a special package. Garden Palace Hotel at Jl.

Program turns farmhands into farmers

Program turns farmhands into farmers Budi Santoso, Antara, Cirebon, West Java The young men of Blok Maja, Jatimerta in North Cirebon have gone through a remarkable change: from spending their days bored and their nights fighting with youths from neighboring villagers to becoming hard-working and...

Regional elections a waste?

Regional elections a waste? From Kompas There have been reports about the rejection of the results in many of the regional elections marked by mobs ravaging public offices. As a layman, I feel disturbed by these incidents.

Lippo Karawaci well on the way to becoming self-sustaining town

Lippo Karawaci well on the way to becoming self-sustaining town The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Note: The steady influx of migrants into Jakarta has been partly blamed for poor public services in the capital.

1. Insight -- 48 pts 7 cols 1line (1x48)

1. Insight -- 48 pts 7 cols 1line (1x48) The need to persuade U.S. House, Senate over Papua 2. Papua (45) - 36 pts 3 cols 2lines (2x24) House team to lobby U.S. congress on Papua issue 3. Kidnapping (45) - 36 pts 3 cols 1line (1x27) Three arrested for child trafficking 4.

Badminton's Pia and Bona are two of a kind

Badminton's Pia and Bona are two of a kind Moch. N. Kurniawan The Jakarta Post/Jakarta The spectator took a second glance at a pair playing in the mixed doubles of the 2005 Milo Junior Indonesia Open in Denpasar.

Buses for tsunami-hit areas stripped for parts

Buses for tsunami-hit areas stripped for parts Apriadi Gunawan, The Jakarta Post, Medan Thirty-seven buses donated by Islamic Relief London for tsunami- hit areas in Aceh were stripped for their parts while waiting to be released by the customs office at Belawan Port in Medan.

Stock prices at the Jakarta Stock Exchange (in rupiah) on Jan. 1, 2005:

Stock prices at the Jakarta Stock Exchange (in rupiah) on Jan. 1, 2005: ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Shares Close Change Trading Volume ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Abdi Bangsa Tbk 275 0 0 Ades...

Making rheumatism treatment better

Making rheumatism treatment better Emmy Fitri, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Seasoned physician John Darmawan has been through the bad and the good times in this country's long journey to what it is has become today.

Rupiah Rates Aug. 1

Rupiah Rates Aug. 1 Banknote rates Selling Buying Australian dollar 1 7,800.25 7,041.72 Brunei dollar 1 6,194.95 5,589.90 Canadian dollar 1 8,417.95 7,597.25 Swiss franc 1 8,011.20 7,231.43 Danish krone 1 1,678.81 1,515.02 Euro 1 12,523.02 11,303.94 Poundsterling 1 18,120.96 16,350.

Gontor to open branch in Aceh

Gontor to open branch in Aceh BANDA ACEH, Aceh: Gontor modern Islamic boarding school is preparing its operation in Aceh, expecting to admit about 250 male students. Abdullah Syukri Zakarsyi, the headmaster of the Aceh branch of Gontor boarding school, said the new academic year would start soon,...

TV Program: Tuesday, August 2, 2005

TV Program: Tuesday, August 2, 2005 TVRI .TB.30" .90" 5:00 a.m. Religious Teachings 6:00 News: Berita Pagi 7:00 Cartoon 8:30 Music: Asik-asik 10:00 Talk Show: Agribiz 11:00 News: Berita Nusantara 12:00 p.m.

Exports up in first semester: BPS says

Exports up in first semester: BPS says The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Despite a slight drop in exports in June, Indonesia's exports over the first six months of the year were still up on strong global demand for the country's mining, industrial and agricultural products, the Central Statistics Agency...

Shares end lower on selling in Medco

Shares end lower on selling in Medco Dow Jones, Jakarta Indonesian shares ended lower on Monday, led by continued selling in gas and oil producer Medco Energi after the company set the price for its secondary offering at a discount, dealers said.

Health posts need Rp 400b

Health posts need Rp 400b DENPASAR: The National Family Planning Board has asked the government for the Rp 400 billion (US$41.23 million) it requires to revitalize some 200,000 health posts (Posyandu) across the country.

'There should be no traffic jams on the expressways'

'There should be no traffic jams on the expressways' The government is planning to increase expressway tolls by at least 15 percent in order to reduce the number of cars using them and raise money for maintenance. The Jakarta Post asked some Jakartans for their opinions on the plan.

Misinformation retards polio purge, officials say

Misinformation retards polio purge, officials say The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Parents' fears of the side effects of the polio vaccination is increasing the risk of exposing their infants to polio, officials say, thus allowing the virus to spread within the country and beyond, particularly in the...

Combating

Combating taxi crimes From Kompas There have been frequent reports on taxi passengers being robbed or even raped, but so far no concrete action has been taken by the authorities or the taxi companies to prevent the recurrence of such crimes.

People with HIV fight discrimination

People with HIV fight discrimination The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Last May, Devi, not her real name, was surprised when none of the nurses congratulated her after she successfully delivered a baby girl. "I was really hurt ...

It is indeed very sad that our country and government

It is indeed very sad that our country and government tolerates fanatical groups of people that dictate their will upon others. I'm talking about the forced closure of the Jamaah Ahmadiyah Indonesia (JAI) headquarters in Parung, Bogor.

Timor Leste commissioners announced

Timor Leste commissioners announced Ivy Susanti, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Indonesia and Timor Leste announced on Monday the names of the 10 members of the Commission of Truth and Friendship (CTF), who will look into the violence that took place in Timor Leste in 1999 (then called East Timor).

A chance of peace for war-weary Aceh

A chance of peace for war-weary Aceh Amy Chew, New Straits Times, Kuala Lumpur Indonesia's province of Aceh became a cause for the world when the killer tsunami of Dec. 26 brought death and destruction, taking more than 126,000 lives.

...GAM, the military and the Indonesian government have to

...GAM, the military and the Indonesian government have to learn to trust one another in order to give peace a chance in the disaster-ravaged and war-torn Aceh.

The 'peace' virus

The 'peace' virus God bless those who never gave up hope and are full of goodwill. For many of this generation, the conflicts in Aceh and Northern Ireland have been a staple part of their general consciousness.

Diarrhea hits Kupang city

Diarrhea hits Kupang city KUPANG, East Nusa Tenggara: Some 30 Kupang residents, mostly children, have been affected by an outbreak of diarrhea. Many of the victims sought treatment at WZ Johannes Hospital, leaving the facility overwhelmed and unable to cope with the rush of patients.

Thai-Japan free trade agreement agreed in principle

Thai-Japan free trade agreement agreed in principle Associated Press, Bangkok Thailand and Japan have agreed to forge a free trade agreement and expect to sign the deal next April unless disagreements arise over details, the head of the Thai negotiation team said on Monday.

State Secretariat caught in graft probe

State Secretariat caught in graft probe Eva C. Komandjaja, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta The interdepartmental anticorruption team has found indications of widespread corruption at the State Secretariat, a crime that may affect some powerful and influential people.

Easing trade restrictions: Critical to boost Asia-Pacific's

Easing trade restrictions: Critical to boost Asia-Pacific's poorest countries Hafiz A. Pasha Jakarta As high-ranking representatives from 53 Asia-Pacific countries gather here tomorrow to review progress toward the global anti- poverty goals, we must recall that our ambitions -- upon which the...

'No-strings aid needed if poor states to achieve UN goals'

'No-strings aid needed if poor states to achieve UN goals' Indonesia is hosting the Asia Pacific Ministerial Meeting on Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) beginning Wednesday through Friday. Erna Witoelar, the United Nations Special Ambassador for MDGs, spoke to The Jakarta Post's Riyadi Suparno...

New era unfolds for Malaysia's ailing Proton

New era unfolds for Malaysia's ailing Proton Eileen Ng, Associated Press, Kuala Lumpur Selling off a chunk of Malaysia's national car maker Proton to Volkswagen AG -- and possibly surrendering management control -- would likely be a blow to Malaysian pride, but analysts say such a move would be...

Susilo sends condolences to Saudi people

Susilo sends condolences to Saudi people The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono conveyed his condolences to the Saudi people on Monday for the death of King Fahd, a presidential spokesman said. "The President conveys his condolences for the passing of King Fahd.

Govt to raise luxury tax on cars of 1,500-3,000cc

Govt to raise luxury tax on cars of 1,500-3,000cc The Jakarta Post, Jakarta The government has made a proposal to raise the luxury tax on cars with an engine displacement of between 1,500 cubic centimeters (cc) and 3,000 cc up to 10 percent.

Foreign monitors discuss division of labor

Foreign monitors discuss division of labor Photo: AP/Achmad Ibrahim Aceh peace monitoring team member from the European Union Pieter Feith (left photo above), Crisis Management Initiative (CMI) member Juha Christensen and Indonesian Minister of Communications and Information Sofyan Djalil (right)...

Ministers urged to deal with regional issues

Ministers urged to deal with regional issues Tony Hotland, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Activists from some Asian countries began a two-day discussion on Monday ahead of the Regional Ministerial Meeting on Millennium Development Goals (MDG) in Asia and the Pacific, which is scheduled to commence on...

Astratel, Citigroup buy toll road stake

Astratel, Citigroup buy toll road stake JAKARTA: PT Astratel Nusantara and its partner Citigroup Financial Products Inc. bought a 54 percent stake in toll road operator PT Marga Mandalasakti in a deal valued at Rp 255.3 billion (US$26 million), Astratel said on Monday.

Al-Qaeda bankrolled Jakarta bombing: Report

Al-Qaeda bankrolled Jakarta bombing: Report Osama bin Laden's al-Qaeda network bankrolled last year's bombing outside the Australian embassy in Jakarta, a key militant charged for the attack told Indonesian police, the Australian newspaper said on Monday.

Women sent to work as prostitutes in Singapore from Batam

Women sent to work as prostitutes in Singapore from Batam Fadli, The Jakarta Post, Batam Eighteen-year-old "Ani" was shocked. The native of Palembang could no longer return to Singapore where she used to work as a prostitute.

The need to persuade U.S. House and Senate over Papua

The need to persuade U.S. House and Senate over Papua Neles Tebay, Rome The government is beginning to pay the price for its reluctance to honor its commitment to fully implement Law No. 21/2001 on special autonomy for Papua.

PLN to get $93.5m from China for power plant

PLN to get $93.5m from China for power plant Leony Aurora , The Jakarta Post, Jakarta State power firm PT Perusahaan Listrik Negara will get US$93.5 million in loans from China to build a coal-fired power plant in West Kalimantan, a company executive says.

Lawmaker supports death penalty

Lawmaker supports death penalty SURAKARTA, Central Java: A legislator threw his weight on Monday behind an idea to impose the death penalty for corruption convicts, saying the crime was as extraordinary as acts of terrorism.