Indonesian Political, Business & Finance News

Archive: 3 February 2000

71 articles found

Reforestation urged to stop anthrax spread

Reforestation urged to stop anthrax spread JAKARTA (JP): The Purwakarta local government should ban the 70-hectares anthrax-plagued ostrich husbandry in Ciparung Sari village now isolated from any use for 10 years, and transfer it into a forest area instead. "Reforestation will calm the anthrax virus and restrict the spread of the disease," the Ministry of Agriculture's Director of Animal Research, Kusuma Diwyanto, said here on Tuesday.

President urged to reopen 1998 kidnap cases

President urged to reopen 1998 kidnap cases JAKARTA (JP): Political activist Andi Arief demanded on Wednesday the reopening of a number of 1998 abduction cases on student activists, in which military representatives had admitted their involvement. "At least 12 activists were kidnapped.

PDI-P determines sole candidate

PDI-P determines sole candidate MEDAN, North Sumatra: After months of internal dispute in the provincial council here, the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) finally decided on Wednesday to submit Achmad Azhari as its sole candidate as council speaker. The election of a new speaker is slated for Thursday. Continuous arguments within the legislative council were triggered by PDI Perjuangan's persistence in naming two candidates, while other factions only named one.

Foreign investors

Foreign investors The address delivered by John Arnold, chairman of the British Chamber of Commerce in Indonesia, on Jan. 18 at Hotel Sahid Jaya in Jakarta was published in The Jakarta Post on Jan. 28 and Jan. 29: Attracting new investment in Indonesia. I was grateful to the Post for printing this important address. The speech gave so many tips worthy of comment and quotation that it will have to suffice to quote just a number of these tips for immediate comment.

Two killed in clash in Aceh

Two killed in clash in Aceh BANDA ACEH, Aceh: Two people were killed in Aceh during the latest clash between separatist rebels and security forces. Sgt. Hastam Budi and an unnamed civilian were killed as security forces and rebels exchanged fire in the Matangkuli area of North Aceh district on Tuesday, local military chief Lt. Col. Suyanto said. Suyatno said the civilian was killed by a stray bullet.

Robber suspect shot dead

Robber suspect shot dead TANGERANG (JP): Local police shot dead an alleged long-time criminal identified as Dadi, 35, in the wee hours on Tuesday, said Capt. A. Rahmad Wibowo, Tangerang Police detective chief. "Dadi was known as one of a gang of robbers who have run their operation in Teluk Naga regency for quite some time," Rahmad said. Dadi was reportedly shot in the leg and the back after resisting arrest at his house in Kampung Besar village in Teluk Naga, Rahmad said.

Stock quotations on JSX

Stock quotations on JSX Stock prices on the Jakarta Stock Exchange (in rupiah) on Feb. 2, 2000: Shares Close Change Trading Volume --------------------------------------------------------- Ades Alfindo 850 0 0 Adindo Foresta Indonesia 925 425 55,099,000 Alakasa Industrindo 475 0 0 Alfa Retailindo 950 0 1,263,000 Alter Abadi 375 -25 72,500 Alumindo Light Metal 1,100 0 16,000 Aneka Kimia Raya 450 -50 5,000 Aneka Tambang (Persero) 1,225 -50 3,438,000 Anwar Sierad 325 -25 1,000 APAC Centertex Corp.

Where to go in Bali for Thursday, Feb. 3, 2000

Where to go in Bali for Thursday, Feb. 3, 2000 Festival * Contemporary Theater Festival: Workshops, performances, at Sai Sai Bar, Jalan Monkey Forest, Ubud, in March. For further information contact the organizer Mai at 0361 975869 or e-mail g.gepeng@mailcity.com . Museums and Galleries * Blue Moon Gallery, Jl. Tirta Tawar, Banjar Kutuh Kaja, Ubud (Phone: 0361 976727), daily, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. * Museum Puri Lukisan - Yayasan Ratna Warta, Jl. Raya Ubud, Gianyar (Phone: 0361 975136), daily, 8 a.m.

Man falls into hot tin liquid

Man falls into hot tin liquid JAKARTA (JP): A man was severely injured on Wednesday after falling into a container filled with hot liquefied tin. The incident happened at 9 a.m. when 20-year-old Partahian, who had just begun his first day of work with equipment maintenance firm PT Bumi Kaya, was trying to repair a piece of construction equipment located above the 6 x 4.5 meter container.

Door-to-door operation

Door-to-door operation TANGERANG (JP): Lots of middle-class and luxurious houses have not paid their land-and-building tax, forcing the Tangerang administration to set a door-to-door operation to collect the levies. The administration's prime target are the housing complexes which are spread in five districts. They are Villa Cinere Mas, Bintaro Jaya, Pamulang Permai, Witana Harja, Bumi Serpong Damai, Gading Serpong, Villa Melati Mas and Alam Sutra.

Sweep nets illegals, beggars and prostitutes

Sweep nets illegals, beggars and prostitutes JAKARTA (JP): In a bid to improve law and order in the city, the Central Jakarta mayoralty conducted a sweep of illegal immigrants, street hawkers, beggars and prostitutes early Wednesday morning. Twenty-three nationals of Mali, Nigeria, Cameroon and Guinea and one Mexican residing in the Tanah Abang area were detained by immigration officials, who participated in the operation to search for foreigners overstaying their visas.

Shops gear up for Imlek

Shops gear up for Imlek TANGERANG (JP): Shops and business centers gear up for Chinese New Year celebrations next Saturday, displaying ornaments, cookies, cards and clothes symbolizing the Sin Cia fiesta. Ethnic Chinese shoppers were seen along Jl. Ki Samaun near the Vihara Padumuttara Buddhist temple here on Wednesday, as sidewalk vendors offered various merchandise.

Japan to cut LNG imports from RI

Japan to cut LNG imports from RI TOKYO (Dow Jones): Tohoku Electric Power Co. and Tokyo Electric Power Co. (Tepco) will cut imports of Indonesian liquefied natural gas (LNG) by 2.5 million metric tons to about a combined one million tons a year, after the current contract expires in December 2004, sources at the firms said Wednesday, The Nihon Keizai Shimbun reported in its Thursday morning edition. Indonesia is Japan's largest source of LNG.

NGOs establish body in campaign to fight drug abuse

NGOs establish body in campaign to fight drug abuse JAKARTA (JP): Some 200 Jakarta-based non-governmental organizations (NGOs) joined hands in a massive campaign against drugs by establishing a consortium on Wednesday to consolidate all their forces and resources into creating a drug-free capital, an official said. "We realize that working alone is not enough to achieve our common goal," Imron Fadhil Syam of the People Against Drugs (Geram) movement told reporters at City Hall.

C. Java judokas want golds in PON

C. Java judokas want golds in PON SEMARANG (JP): Central Java judo coach Amin Pambudi is optimistic his judokas will win two golds in the 15th National Games (PON) in Surabaya, East Java, in June, despite their poor physical test results. Amin said on Wednesday that he was drilling his judokas to improve their physical performance. He added the athletes were not discouraged although their opponents in West Java and host East Java hired foreign coaches.

RI shuttlers told not to let poor record discourage them

RI shuttlers told not to let poor record discourage them JAKARTA (JP): Indonesian shuttlers must not let faltering performance discourage them, especially with the poor performance of women players recently, according to motivator Andrie Wongso. He said in a meeting with the Thomas and Uber Cups teams on Wednesday that Indonesia used to be known as a great force in badminton but the image was declining recently, especially with the absence of Susy Susanti and Mia Audina.

Daiwa Bank to slash RI stake

Daiwa Bank to slash RI stake TOKYO (AFP): Japan's Daiwa Bank Ltd. said Wednesday it would reduce its stake in an Indonesian bank under its control to below 50 percent as it prepares to withdraw from overseas operations. Daiwa is negotiating with other shareholders of PT Bank Daiwa Perdania to cut its stake in the bank from 84.95 percent now to 47.28 percent, said a spokesman who declined to be named.

Telkom branches get awards

Telkom branches get awards BANTUL, Yogyakarta (JP): PT Telkom, the state-owned domestic telecommunications provider, presented World Class Operator (WCO) internal accreditation awards on Wednesday to 86 branch offices in the country's major provinces. Telkom's president Asman Akhir Nasution officially gave the WCO accreditation to the heads of the branch offices in a ceremony held here. The 86 Telkom branch offices are from Sumatra regional division (Div.

Conservation part of the game in Bali

Conservation part of the game in Bali DENPASAR, Bali (JP): In response to Bali's rapid environmental degradation resulting from development projects, the Balinese are learning ecological conservation through game-playing. The approach, designed and introduced by environmental activists, aims to improve people's awareness about ecology. "Remember the cellular phone maker who promoted a game feature?

Donors pledge $4.7 billion in loans

Donors pledge $4.7 billion in loans JAKARTA (JP): The country's major donors in the Consultative Group on Indonesia (CGI) demonstrated their full support for President Abdurrahman Wahid's administration on Wednesday by pledging some US$4.7 billion in loans, including an unprecedented amount of grants.

More armed police needed for bank security: Rusdihardjo

More armed police needed for bank security: Rusdihardjo JAKARTA (JP): National Police chief Lt. Gen. Rusdihardjo said on Wednesday that more armed police officers would be deployed to secure bank withdrawals, following the attempted robbery on Monday in which a North Jakarta Police officer was shot. "Personnel and weapons will be added ...

Two die, 100 hurt in Bangladesh

Two die, 100 hurt in Bangladesh DHAKA (AFP): At least two people were killed and 100 injured in a series of bombings and brawls ahead of a 36-hour anti- government strike which gripped Bangladesh on Wednesday, police and reports said. Several bombs exploded in the main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) office building in downtown Dhaka before dawn leaving one person dead and an unspecified number injured, police said.

Swept away by Bali's underwater adventures

Swept away by Bali's underwater adventures DENPASAR, Bali (JP): Bali is a haven for divers. The island is home to beautiful and rare marine life comparable to that in Hawaii and other excellent dive sites in the world. With clear water and a moderate temperature of 27 to 28 degrees Celsius all the year round, Bali offers great underwater adventures. The island of Bali offers numerous diving and snorkeling areas mostly located on the east coast, such as Padang Bai, Candi Dasa, Tulamben and Amed.

UNCTAD protests allowed

UNCTAD protests allowed BANGKOK (AFP): Thai police chiefs promised on Wednesday to permit anti-globalization protests during a major United Nations trade summit here, despite earlier banning demonstrations near the venue. National Police Chief Gen. Pracha Promnog said police were conducting a search for suitable sites for protests in areas which didn't inconvenience Bangkok citizens or disrupt traffic.

KONI says no favoritism in Olympics training

KONI says no favoritism in Olympics training JAKARTA (JP): The National Sports Council (KONI) will not discriminate against any of the 11 sports which are being prepared for the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney in September. Olympic training director Arie Sudewo said on Wednesday that he would not give special treatment for badminton in terms of funding, although it was a priority in the training program.

Honda chairman sees growth potential In Southeast Asia

Honda chairman sees growth potential In Southeast Asia BANGKOK (Dow Jones): Honda Motor Co.'s (HMC or 7267) chairman said Wednesday the company plans to pump more resources into Southeast Asia to meet new demand as the region's economies recover. "The economy of Thailand is on the recovery path, as are economies of other Asean markets," Yoshihide Munekuni told reporters.

Conversion Rates

Conversion Rates Bank Indonesia's conversion rates on Feb. 2, 2000: Bank notes rates Buying Selling Rp Rp U.S.

Two Indonesians jailed in Australia

Two Indonesians jailed in Australia PERTH, Australia (AFP): Two Indonesians have been jailed in Western Australia for smuggling 140 Middle Eastern boat people from Java to Christmas Island, in the Indian Ocean. Rusdin Ali, 44, received a four-and-a-half year sentence, and 21-year-old man Darmondo was imprisoned for three years. They were sentenced late Tuesday at the South Hedland District Court, in Western Australia's northwest.

Destroyed crops dismay farmers

Destroyed crops dismay farmers BANJARNEGARA, Central Java: At least 7,000 hectares of potato crops in the mountainous area of Dieng were washed away after a persistent downpour and strong wind swept the area here for three days, Banjarnegara regent H. Nurachmad said on Wednesday. "This incident will cause severe hardship to about 25,000 local farmers in the area who depend on these crops," Nurachmad said.

Lifting of luxury tax on sports equipment sought

Lifting of luxury tax on sports equipment sought JAKARTA (JP): The National Sports Council (KONI) is discussing with the office of the state minister of youth affairs and sports on the possibility of exempting imported sports equipment from luxury tax. KONI secretary-general Rudolf S. Warouw told reporters on Wednesday that both institutions wanted to set up a tight system to prevent illegal practices in the purchasing procedure.

Abdurrahman reassures investors on stability

Abdurrahman reassures investors on stability PARIS (JP): President Abdurrahman Wahid assured French President Jacques Chirac and foreign investors here that he was fully in control of the situation in Indonesia and security and political stability would prevail. Speaking to journalists after meeting with Chirac, Abdurrahman said there was no rivalry within the government. "I can handle the country as a whole, and I don't have personal enemies," Abdurrahman said after the 90-minute meeting.

Ali Rahman denies quitting Cabinet

Ali Rahman denies quitting Cabinet JAKARTA (JP): State Secretary Ali Rahman cautiously denied his impending demise from the Cabinet, but insinuated that his duties should remain in close proximity to the President. When asked by reporters if he had submitted a letter of resignation, Ali asserted it only contained an outline of the vision of the State Secretariat in accordance with President Abdurrahman Wahid's vision.

President should consult with DPR

President should consult with DPR Mr. Dimyati suggested that the Commission of Inquiry into Human Right Violations (KPP HAM) in East Timor also calls on Habibie, who, he deems is responsible for the East Timor postreferendum chaos and atrocities. May I ask for your kind help to educate me and the public. Was, and is, the president entitled to offer any province in our republic a referendum to separate from the republic?

Wiranto should resign

Wiranto should resign The misfortune, if one can call it that, that has befallen our former chief of the Indonesian Military and the current coordinating minister for political and security affairs, Gen. Wiranto, together with his reactions to the matter and the consequences that the whole affair could have for this nation are all illustrative of Indonesia's problems in this time of democratic transition.

HACCP certificate for Gizindo

HACCP certificate for Gizindo JAKARTA (JP): Child-foods producer PT Gizindo Prima Nusantara, a subsidiary of PT Indofood Sukses Makmur, has received the Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) certificate from SGS International. Indofood's chief executive officer (CEO) Eva Riyanti Hutapea received the certificate from SGS International's president Erik Roger here on Wednesday.

Property sector recovery to be led by retail market

Property sector recovery to be led by retail market JAKARTA (JP): The ailing property sector in the capital is expected to gradually recover this year with the retail market leading the process, according to property consultant Procon Indah/Jones Lang LaSalle.

Don't leave Megawati home alone

Don't leave Megawati home alone The absence of Abdurrahman Wahid, for about two weeks, in search of what he claims to be international support for Indonesia's economic restructuring efforts has left Vice President Megawati Soekarnoputri alone at home in charge of the nation's business. Some have decried what they view as the irresponsibility of the President in entrusting a woman to run the affairs of the state. What would happen if there was a fire or car accident?

Forex reserves reach $17b

Forex reserves reach $17b JAKARTA (JP): The country's net foreign exchange reserves rose by US$361 million to $17.06 billion in the week ending Jan. 31, from $16.7 billion a week earlier. Bank Indonesia said in its latest weekly report on Wednesday that the increase was mostly due to disbursement of the World Bank's loans to the country on Friday. The World Bank disbursed $300 million of a suspended $600 million loan package destined for the country's social safety net program.

Asian currencies down on yen slide and Indonesian politics

Asian currencies down on yen slide and Indonesian politics SINGAPORE (Dow Jones): A surge in the U.S. dollar to a four- and-a-half month high against the yen pushed Asian currencies lower late Wednesday. The U.S. currency rose above Y109.00 for the first time since mid-September on concerns that Japan's burgeoning fiscal deficits haven't stimulated domestic demand sufficiently to ensure a self- sustaining recovery. An expected interest rate rise in the U.S.

Govt has no plan to remove CPO export tax: Minister

Govt has no plan to remove CPO export tax: Minister JAKARTA (JP): Minister of Trade and Industry Jusuf Kalla ruled out on Wednesday a plan to remove the export tax on crude palm oil (CPO) products. "We won't remove the tax. It's still 10 percent," Kalla told The Jakarta Post on the sidelines of a meeting of the Consultative Group on Indonesia (CGI), the group of Indonesian creditors.

Making sense of Beijing's conduct in S. China Sea

Making sense of Beijing's conduct in S. China Sea By Santo Darmosumarto JAKARTA (JP): Last week, quarrels broke out again between China and the Philippines after the latter protested the presence of Chinese fishing boats around Scarborough Shoal in the Spratly Islands, just 128 miles west of Luzon. In recent years, the Philippine Navy has repeatedly intercepted Chinese fishermen encroaching in its waters; at times, violence has broken out when these fishing boats were boarded.

Principal's solvency soars

Principal's solvency soars JAKARTA (JP): Principal Indonesia announced on Wednesday its solvency margin reached 821 percent at the end of 1999, based on the new required risk-based capital calculation. The company said this figure was far above the government's minimum requirement of 5 percent for the first quarter of this year, and far above the United States standard, which ranged between 120 percent and 150 percent.

Misuse of Indonesian passports continues

Misuse of Indonesian passports continues JAKARTA (JP): Rampant misuse of Indonesian service passports continues to be a large problem, which needs serious and coordinated attention from all state ministries. In the last year, over 150 people have allegedly improperly obtained a service passport after getting a departmental or state agency recommendation.

ASEAN has enough members for now

ASEAN has enough members for now In the past five years, ASEAN has nearly doubled in size. Vietnam joined the grouping in July 1995, Burma and Laos in July 1998 and Cambodia in April 1999, bringing the number of Asean member countries to 10. Geographically, the only country which could be considered inside the current ASEAN boundaries which is not a member is the embryonic nation of East Timor.

Police find it difficult to ban 'tablig akbar'

Police find it difficult to ban 'tablig akbar' YOGYAKARTA (JP): A noted sociologist said the police could not issue an official ban on Muslim gathering, locally called tablig akbar', unless the gathering is proven to be organized to generate anarchy. Lambang Triyono of the Gadjah Mada University here said on Wednesday that the police could not, in general, prohibit people from organizing such an event.

Man killed in city violence

Man killed in city violence JAKARTA (JP): A man was beaten to death and another suffered from a cut wound in violence that took place in separate areas of the capital on Wednesday. An unidentified man in his thirties was beaten to death when attempting to steal a motorbike in the Kebayoran Lama area, South Jakarta. Residents of the neighborhood, who saw his attempt, approached him and beat him to death.

NTB duo set for Bangkok meet

NTB duo set for Bangkok meet JAKARTA (JP): Two women beach volleyball players from West Nusa Tenggara (NTB) will represent Indonesia in the World Beach Volleyball Championship in Bangkok, Thailand, from Feb. 15 to Feb. 20. The executive chairman of the West Nusa Tenggara chapter of the Indonesian Volleyball Association (PBVSI), H. Misbah, said Tini Yudani and Elizabeth were selected because they won the national championship last October.

Politicians, experts split over Wiranto

Politicians, experts split over Wiranto JAKARTA (JP): Coordinating Minister for Political Affairs and Security Gen. Wiranto, now under the spotlight over the East Timor debacle, attended a routine Cabinet meeting on Wednesday, shrugging off mounting calls for his immediate resignation. Politicians and observers, meanwhile, were split over whether Wiranto should condone President Abdurrahman Wahid's demand that he leave the Cabinet.

Group foresees unrest in Irian Jaya

Group foresees unrest in Irian Jaya JAYAPURA, Irian Jaya (JP): A local rights group has warned of possible unrest as local leaders have been campaigning and heightening the expectancy of independence for Irian Jaya. Deputy chairman of the Jayapura-based Institution for Human Rights Studies and Advocacy (IHRSTAD) Aloysius Renwarin told The Jakarta Post on Wednesday that influential local figures in the province were going to many villages and districts making claims about imminent independence.

BPK set to audit eight banks over alleged misconduct

BPK set to audit eight banks over alleged misconduct JAKARTA (JP): The Supreme Audit Agency (BPK) said on Wednesday it would start auditing later this month eight commercial banks receiving Bank Indonesia's emergency liquidity credits to investigate alleged malfeasance in the usage of funds.

Water firm workers in a lather over renegotiated agreement

Water firm workers in a lather over renegotiated agreement JAKARTA (JP): About 100 employees of the city-owned tap water company PAM Jaya held a rally at the City Council on Wednesday to protest a renegotiated agreement between the city administration and two foreign firms. "We still demand the city administration and the City Council cancel the water management deal with both foreign firms," chairman of PAM Jaya's workers union Amir Tanjung told councilors on Wednesday.

Sutiyoso backs cleanup drive for Jakarta Bay

Sutiyoso backs cleanup drive for Jakarta Bay JAKARTA (JP): Noting Jakarta Bay was the city's gateway, Governor Sutiyoso said on Wednesday that cleaning up its waters would boost the capital's appeal as a service city. "I hope Jakarta Bay can be turned into a beautiful bay just like Baltimore Bay in the United States or Tokyo Bay in Japan," he said in his opening address to a workshop on the bay's management.

Forestry woes reflect local tragedy

Forestry woes reflect local tragedy By Wimar Witoelar JAKARTA (JP): The World Bank has endorsed more debt for the government including forestry sector programs. This relates to an important seminar held recently in Jakarta by the government and sponsored by the World Bank. An aftermath of last year's Conference of the Consultative Group on Indonesia in Paris, the topic is the management of our forests, an urgent topic overshadowed by Indonesia's troubled transition.

Survey calls Astra and Indosat best managed

Survey calls Astra and Indosat best managed JAKARTA (JP): Car producer PT Astra International was the best managed Indonesian company in 1999, followed by state telecommunications company PT Indosat, according a survey conducted by Hong Kong-based financial magazine Asiamoney. Cigarette makers PT Gudang Garam and PT HM Sampoerna ranked third and fourth in the category, followed by retail chain PT Ramayana Lestari Sentosa in fifth place, the survey said.

Corruption keeps money from wage earners: Official

Corruption keeps money from wage earners: Official JAKARTA (JP): A senior government official called for a nationwide campaign to stop the high-cost economy, which he blamed for employers' inability to raise their workers' wages.

Newcrest to resume operation

Newcrest to resume operation MELBOURNE (Dow Jones): Civil unrest on the Indonesian island of Halmahera appears to be dissipating, leaving Australia's Newcrest Mining Ltd. hopeful that it can shortly reopen its Gosowong mine. "We hope to be back in the not too distant future," said Peter Bird, a spokesman for the gold mining company. He declined to clarify whether that means in a few days or a few weeks.

C. Java eyes five wushu golds in PON

C. Java eyes five wushu golds in PON SEMARANG (JP): Central Java wushu athletes are eying at least five golds in the 15th National Games (PON) in Surabaya, East Java, in June. "In my estimation, our athletes can earn seven golds. Five golds are the minimum target," team manager Arie Permadi said on Wednesday. He said two golds were expected in the SanShou event and another three from Taulo.

Community speaks up to prevent unrest in jittery Bali

Community speaks up to prevent unrest in jittery Bali By I Wayan Juniarta DENPASAR, Bali (JP): The once peaceful Bali is being threatened by fresh violence and riots, but the local community is taking action to protect their home. No one in Bali could have predicted that their peaceful island would be rocked by unrest, but last October they saw brutality, violence and hatred spread across the island of the gods.

Maman's works show the bare basics of people's lives

Maman's works show the bare basics of people's lives By Tarko Sudiarno YOGYAKARTA (JP) : Tertangkapnya Kambing Hitam (The Capture of the Black Goats), that is the title given to a painting by Maman Rahman in one corner of Bentara Budaya Yogyakarta. It shows two caught black goats: one is carried on the shoulder by Petruk while the other one by two persons walking behind him.

BRI restructures Rp 3.56t of NPLs

BRI restructures Rp 3.56t of NPLs JAKARTA (JP): State-owned Bank Rakyat Indonesia (BRI) said here on Wednesday it had successfully restructured about Rp 3.56 trillion (about US$490 million) of its nonperforming loans (NPLs). The bank said the figure represented 64 percent of its corporate NPLs, reducing the value of its total problematic loans to Rp 1.96 trillion at the beginning of the year 2000. The bank expected it would be able to restructure all its remaining NPLs in the next three months.

Company debuts new sports shoe

Company debuts new sports shoe JAKARTA (JP): U.S. footwear manufacturer Converse launched its new model Converse Helium in the country on Wednesday. Managing director of the company's Asia-Pacific office Michael Ricketts said the shoe was different from other sports shoes because it was like having a shoe within a shoe. "We have created the Converse Helium so athletes could feel more comfortable and play better," Ricketts said.

CDIB Taiwan, Lippo tie up

CDIB Taiwan, Lippo tie up JAKARTA (JP): Lippo and CDIB Taiwan signed a strategic alliance agreement in Taipei on Wednesday covering a wide range of technology, cyber Internet and e-commerce sectors in Indonesia. Under the terms of the agreement the two business groups will work together in development and investment areas over the next 10 years.

Inaccurate reporting

Inaccurate reporting May I take issue with gross inaccuracies in your article Lombok island post riots devoid of tourism (Jan. 30, 2000). Ms. Schumacher was indeed a guest at "Homestay Santai" for two days from Jan. 13, leaving here two days before the disturbances started in Mataram. During her stay at Santai Beach Inn she was neither "plundered" nor did she lose her goods and money. I have contacted both the Senggigi district police station and West Lombok Police Resort in Mataram.

Maluku burning

Maluku burning From Sinar Pagi It is indeed pathetic to see the Indonesian Military (TNI) and the National Police (Polri) compelled to continually fight the culprits in Maluku. Many sides have appealed to the government, TNI and the police to immediately take steps to halt the clashes. Apparently, the appeal has not been heeded and there is even the impression that the government is nonchalant in handling the case, while TNI is always ready act on the President's orders.

E. Timor findings 'must go to trial'

E. Timor findings 'must go to trial' JAKARTA (JP): Attorney General Marzuki Darusman said on Wednesday that the findings of a national inquiry into last year's violence in East Timor, in which top military generals, including former Indonesian Military (TNI) chief Gen. Wiranto, were implicated, must result in a trial. "It must reach (the courts). We cannot just let it hang," Marzuki told reporters before a Cabinet meeting which was also attended by Wiranto.

Poor get Rp 13.5b in funding

Poor get Rp 13.5b in funding BOGOR (JP): Forty-five villages and subdistricts in six districts in Bogor are set to receive Rp 13.5 billion in funding for poverty alleviation programs. Chief of the Bogor regional development agency Dedi S. Hamdan said on Wednesday that the fund, allocated from the Bogor mayoralty's 2000-2001 budget, would be channeled through each subdistrict.

SE Asian recovery depends on banking

SE Asian recovery depends on banking KUALA LUMPUR (AFP): Southeast Asia's continuing recovery depends on banking and corporate reforms and there are still concerns about the ability of policymakers to implement extensive changes, Standard and Poors said Wednesday. The region's financial markets also remain vulnerable to volatile capital movements, the United States ratings agency said.

PT Indosat reports 21.5 percent growth in net income 1999

PT Indosat reports 21.5 percent growth in net income 1999 JAKARTA (JP): Publicly listed PT Indosat, the state-owned international telecommunications provider, reported on Tuesday a 21.5 percent increase in net income to Rp 1.39 trillion (about US$195.77 million) in 1999 from Rp 1.14 trillion in 1998. Indosat president Indra Setiawan said the company's international call traffic dropped by 9.2 percent to 644.7 million minutes last year from 710.4 million minutes in 1998.

Ten bodies exhumed from mass grave in East Timor

Ten bodies exhumed from mass grave in East Timor DILI, East Timor (AP): UN officials in East Timor Wednesday found the remains of ten bodies in a burial site they fear may contain up to 60 victims killed by anti-independence militia gangs. UN spokesman Manoel de Almeida e Silva said the bodies were recovered near the border town of Pasabe, in the isolated enclave of Oecussi.

Japan returns orangutan to RI

Japan returns orangutan to RI One of four orangutans flown back to Jakarta on Wednesday is taken out of its cage (above) in a Kobe zoo before departing for Indonesia. The four orangutans and two gibbons were returned to Indonesia after being illegally poached and smuggled to Japan eight months ago.

Ex-minister Muladi resigns from Golkar

Ex-minister Muladi resigns from Golkar JAKARTA (JP): Golkar Party chairman Akbar Tandjung confirmed on Wednesday that former justice minister and state secretary Muladi has resigned from the party. "I haven't heard directly from Muladi but I know he has decided to quit the party," said Akbar, also the House of Representatives Speaker. Despite his regret, Akbar said he could understand the motive behind Muladi's decision.