JAKARTA: Minister of Health Achmad Sujudi has said that

JAKARTA: Minister of Health Achmad Sujudi has said that Malaysia was planning to recruit 555 general practitioners, medical specialists and dentists from Indonesia to be posted in hospitals and clinics in Sabah, Serawak and Semenanjung states.

Vacancies are open only to applicants having at least two years of work experience and who have graduated from 11 state-run universities in Indonesia.

These include North Sumatra University in Medan, Andalas University in Padang, Sriwijaya University in Palembang, University of Indonesia in Jakarta, Padjadjaran University in Bandung, Gadjah Mada University in Yogyakarta, Diponegoro University in Semarang, Udayana University in Denpasar, Hasanuddin University in Makassar, Brawijaya University in Malang and Airlangga University in Surabaya.

"The vacancy offers attractive packages for a three-year contract, such as allowances on housing, entertainment, emergency conditions and travel expenses for three dependents," Sujudi said on the sidelines of the ministry's national meeting on Wednesday.

The Malaysian government offers between Malaysian Ringgit 3,786 and Ringgit 4,870 for medical specialists and between Ringgit 2,072 and Ringgit 3,909 for dentists and general practitioners. --JP

Book on Akbar's graft case withdrawn

JAKARTA: A book detailing the alleged role of House of Representatives Speaker Akbar Tandjung in the Rp 40 billion graft scandal of the State Logistics Agency (Bulog) has been withdrawn from sale by its publisher, Akbar's lawyer said on Thursday.

Lawyer Amir Syamsuddin said the withdrawal of the book, titled Abdurrahmangate, Akbargate, Megaskandal, started on Tuesday after Akbar's legal team filed a complaint against the publisher and authors on July 15.

"The complaint was based on the fact that they had used Pak Akbar's picture on the book's cover without consent.

"We have no problem with the content of the book, however the use of my client's picture is the real issue of our complaint," Amir said, adding that he had received a formal apology from the publisher and authors.

Akbar and two other defendants are accused of misusing Bulog's nonbudgetary funds, which were allocated to feed the poor in 1999.

Prosecutors have demanded that Akbar serve a four-year jail term. Judges have not yet issued a verdict in the case, while Akbar insists he is innocent.--AFP

TNI, police to get more money in new budget

JAKARTA: The Indonesian Military (TNI) and the National Police will be among four priorities for extra funding in next year's budget, a minister said on Thursday.

"The planned increase should not be regarded as the return of a 'militaristic' state, rather as the means to improve the 'absolutely low standard' of military and police equipment," State Minister of National Development Planning Kwik Kian Gie said.

Kwik, speaking to reporters after a Cabinet meeting on economic affairs, did not give figures for next year's budget. He said the funds would also be used to improve infrastructure, education and health.

A House of Representatives budget committee agreed last Friday to allocate an additional Rp 1 trillion (US$113 million) to the security forces -- Rp 650 billion for the TNI and Rp 350 billion for the police.

The TNI, battling separatist insurgences and religious unrest around the country, has complained that budget limitations have forced many ships and aircraft out of service.

Reports have said that only 30 percent of the Navy's 117 ships and 45 percent of the Air Force's 220 planes are operaerational. --AFP

400 kite-flyers to break record

JAKARTA: 400 kites will take to the sky at the same time on Sunday, setting a new Indonesian kite-flying record.

The director of the Indonesian Museum of Records (MURI), Paulus Pangka, said in Semarang, Central Java, on Thursday that the idea for breaking the record for the most number of kites flown at the same time came from Jakarta-based beverage producer PT Coca-Cola. He did not say what the current record was.

The kites, which will be flown by 400 junior high school students, will hit the skies on Sunday starting at 2 p.m. The event will take place at the East Ancol Beach in Ancol Dreamland in North Jakarta.

Another record is expected to be set on Aug. 17, when a 2,447,787-square-meter Indonesian flag will be displayed at the Yogya Returns Monument in Yogyakarta, in celebration of Indonesia's Independence Day.--Antara

MPR Annual Session to cost Rp 19.8b

JAKARTA: The Annual Session of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR), which will be held from Aug. 1 to Aug. 10, is expected to cost Rp 19,838,900,000, according to a report.

A special ad hoc committee of the MPR's Working Body said during a plenary session of the Working Body on Thursday, that the allocated budget had been approved by the director general of the state budget at the Ministry of Finance, Anshari Ritonga.

The special committee reported it had agreed to provide legislators with accommodations at the nearby Hotel Mulia Senayan during the Annual Session. The same hotel was used to accommodate the legislators during last year's Annual Session.

The special committee also reported that the Annual Session's main agenda would include the presentation of progress reports by high state officials and institutions -- the President, the Supreme Advisory Council, the House of Representatives, the Supreme Audit Agency and the Supreme Court.

It will also include a general overview from the MPR's factions on the reports of these high state officials and institutions. --Kompas.com