Tue, 18 Nov 2003

Civil servants get Idul Fitri bonuses

SURABAYA: Some 1,400 East Java provincial administration civil servants, often criticized for their poor performances, have received Idul Fitri bonuses totaling Rp 1 billion (US$117,647).

The bonuses are equivalent to one month's pay, an official said.

Mohammad Munir, the head of the personnel department at the provincial administration, said Monday that the bonuses, paid for by the taxpayer, were intended to increase the welfare of civil servants.

It is the second year civil servants have been paid bonuses. -- Antara

;JP;ASA; ANPAa..r.. Across-Maluku-Timor Navy to build security posts in Maluku JP/5/navy

Navy to build security posts in Maluku

AMBON, Maluku: The Indonesian Navy is to build naval bases to monitor security on the borders with East Timor and Australia.

Eastern Fleet Command chief Rear Adm. Slamet Subiyanto said Monday that the small bases would be built on Wetar and Kisar islands, hundreds of kilometers South West of Ambon, the capital of Maluku province.

Subiyanto said construction of the bases was also aimed at protecting Maluku's territorial waters from encroaching foreign fishing vessels. -- JP

;JP;ASA; ANPAa..r.. Hamengkubuwono-award-UGM UGM to present Awards JP/5/across

UGM to present Awards

YOGYAKARTA: Gadjah Mada University (UGM), Indonesia's oldest, will give Hamengkubuwono IX Awards to figures with outstanding achievements in their respective fields.

The awards will be bestowed in conjunction with UGM's 54th anniversary, which falls on Dec. 19.

Rector Sofian Effendi said over the weekend that the awards would be given to, among others, a student with the highest academic achievements and a lecturer with the best research outcome this year.

Sofian said candidates would be announced just prior to the awards ceremony.

As part of the anniversary celebrations from Dec. 12 to Dec. 21, a number of events were planned, including a Japanese art performance, a parade from Yogyakarta Palace to the UGM campus, and a gala dinner at the Yogyakarta Palace, where the awards would be given.

Previous winners include the late sociologist Selo Sumardjan, historian Sartono Kartodirdjo, former UGM rector Herman Johannes and former minister of foreign affairs Mochtar Kusumaatmaja.-- JP