Lippo Village to

Lippo Village to
have star hotel

PT Prudential Hotel Development, a subsidiary of the Lippo
Group, is building a five-star hotel in the posh housing complex
of Lippo Village in Karawaci, Tangerang.

Herman Widjaya, managing director of the project, said
yesterday the development of the US$65 million Century Hotel and
Resort was now in its final stages.

"The hotel is expected to open in mid-September," Herman said.
He added that the development of the hotel began last July.

The hotel and resort, which will be managed by the Hong Kong-
based Century International Hotels, will have 152 rooms and
suites as well as 48 garden cabanas.

Herman also said that the hotel will offer a full range of
five star amenities, including a nine-hole golf course, banquet,
meeting rooms, swimming pools, numerous restaurants, health club
and spa, tennis and squash courts.

The hotel, to be built in Lippo Village, a fast growing
satellite town 23 kilometers west of Jakarta, is designed to
cater to the demand of expatriates working for companies in
Tangerang.

"Our target is business people working in Tangerang," said
Brian Deeson, president and Chief Executive Officer of Century
International Hotels who was accompanying Herman in the press
meeting.

Meanwhile, Malcolm McLauchlan, the general manager of Imperial
Century Hotel and Resort, said the hotel's occupancy rate is
expected to reach at least 50 percent in the first year of its
operation.

"More guests are expected to stay in our hotel soon after the
opening of a toll road linking Karawaci and the (Soekarno-Hatta
international) airport," Malcolm said. (has)

Buddhists will
clean graveyard

Buddhists who are members of Buddha Nichiren Syosyu Indonesia
(NSI) will do volunteer work Sunday by cleaning graves at
Kalibata, South Jakarta -- a cemetery for national heroes.

Randy Arifin Porta, chairman of the Jakarta chapter of NSI,
was quoted by Antara as saying that the work will be
done in connection with the celebration of Waisak (Buddha
Enlightenment) Day, which fell on Wednesday.

"The voluntary work is a manifestation of our gratitude to the
freedom fighters who fought for the independence of the country,"
Randy said.

The voluntary work is part of a series of NSI's programs in
connection with the celebration of the Waisak Day, which includes
donating blood and giving gifts to the poor. (has)

Two tried over
killing of physician

Gunadi, 42, a soothsayer, and Ridwan S. Dhanu, 50, a part
owner of a automobile dealer, are on trial at the North Jakarta
District Court for the murder of a 44-year-old physician.

Prosecutors Omsin Subarkah and Yuswa Kusumah told the district
court that doctor Riyama Yawoga was murdered by Gunadi on Jan. 15
at her house on Jl. Kapuk Raya in Penjaringan, North Jakarta. The
murder was allegedly committed at the behest of the victim's
lover, Ridwan S. Dhanu.

Gunadi and Ridwan are being tried in separate proceedings.

Ridwan allegedly gave Gunadi Rp 20 million (US$9,300) as an
advance for the murder of the doctor and promised to give another
Rp 100 million ($46,500) the day after the deed was carried out.

The prosecutors said that the murder was plotted by Ridwan
because Riyama was pressuring him to marry her. Prosecutors also
said that he wanted to free himself from a debt worth Rp 200
million ($93,000) to the victim.

Ridwan is a married man with a number of sons while the
divorced Riyama was a mother with two sons.

The trial was adjourned until next week to hear statements
from the defense. (bsr)

Jatinegara residents
are living in fear

Dozens of residents living in a plot to be bought by a private
developer on Jl. Jatinegara Barat, East Jakarta, are reportedly
being terrorized by a group of anonymous hoodlums.

A delegation, who claimed to represent 60 families living in
the 4,300 square meters of land, spoke to reporters at Suara
Pembaruan. They complained about what they referred to as the
"dirty tactics" used by the developer to persuade them to accept
compensation.

The plot is located in front of the Kampung Melayu bus
station.

A delegation member, who asked not to be named, said residents
feared to go out in the evening because a number of drunkards
often pelted their houses with rocks.

Another delegation member said a developer wanted to build an
office building on the land and had previously asked residents to
sell their property.

Most of the 60 families had already agreed to sell their land
and set the price of Rp 1.5 million per square meter. However,
that figure was considered to be unreasonable by the developer.
(has)