Ford to launch new models in RI

Ford to launch new models in RI

PT Ford Motor Indonesia, the country's sole agent for the U.S.-based car maker Ford Motor Company, said it would launch a number of new models this year to strengthen and expand its business in the Indonesian market.

President of Ford Motor Indonesia Will Angove said that at least three new Ford models, including the Ranger, Lynx and Escape, would brighten the Indonesian automotive market this year.

"This aggressive product and dealership strategy demonstrates our long-term commitment and confidence in the future of the automotive industry within Indonesia," Angove told reporters.

The company expects to sell about 1,500 cars this year.

The company said that the Ford Ranger model would be launched next month.--JP

Chrysler recalls Jeeps, Dodge pickups

DETROIT: The Chrysler arm of DaimlerChrysler AG will recall about 585,000 Jeeps and pickups for two separate problems, federal regulators said on Tuesday.

The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said Chrysler would recall 316,148 Jeep Wrangler sport utility vehicles made between June 1989 and December 1995 to fix parking brakes that can release on their own without warning.

Chrysler will also recall 268,740 Dodge Ram pickups to fix an alternator wire that can come loose and create a fire hazard. That recall covers 2001 model year pickups built between January and August 2000.

Chrysler spokeswoman Angela Spencer Ford said there had been 11 complaints about the Wrangler's parking brakes, including four injuries. Dealers will install a stiffer spring in the parking brake to fix the problem. --Reuters

Brunei oil firm plans investments

State-owned Brunei National Petroleum Company PetroleumBRUNEI is reviewing oil and gas investment opportunities in the Southeast Asian region, according to the company's chief executive officer.

"We have been discussing this for some time, and we have a number of proposals to do some of these flagship projects within the (Southeast Asian) region," CEO Mohd Alimin Abdul Wahab said.

He declined to identify any potential investments, but said PetroleumBRUNEI was ready to carry out some of the projects "in the near future."

The company is now working on budget allocations for its potential oil investments, he added. -- Dow Jones.

Philippines gears for Napocor roadshows

MANILA: The Philippine government is set to launch a series of roadshows this year for the planned sale of state-owned National Power Corp's transmission assets, Energy Secretary Vincent Perez said on Wednesday.

"I think we would be undertaking a series of roadshows this entire year. There is one scheduled at the end of February and early March and I am sure there will be more following," Perez told reporters at a government economic briefing.

"I think in an environment where there is global economic softness and where there is still repercussions and shockwaves from the Enron collapse, we need to be aggressive in promoting the Philippines."

Perez earlier said the roadshow would cover Asian countries such as Japan, Korea, and Singapore. --Reuters