Jakarta Post articles from February 2002

Jakarta Post archives from February 2002

PM Howard's recent visit and its future impact.
February 28, 2002... The prevailing mood in government circles in Canberra after Prime Minister Howard's visit to Jakarta, as reported in the Australian press, was of a lack of interest and empathy for Indonesia. There seems to be a deliberate -- although...

Princen sided with people.
February 28, 2002... Anyone who cares about human rights in Indonesia will mourn the passing of one of the greatest champions of human rights, and more broadly the poor and oppressed in Indonesia. While working in the U.S. Embassy from 1996 to 1999, I met...

Tommy's lawyer questioned.
February 28, 2002... JAKARTA: Hutomo "Tommy" Mandala Putra's lawyer, Elza Syarif, was questioned by the Jakarta Police on Wednesday as a witness in a defamation complaint filed by former first lady, Sinta Nuriyah Abdurrahman Wahid. Elza, who was questioned...

KAI' new management pledges company audit.
February 28, 2002... Omar Berto, president of state-owned railway company PT Kereta Api Indonesia (PT KAI), has pledged an audit of the company's assets, including its routes in Java and Sumatra, in the next three months to improve operational safety. Omar...

Two books on Gus Dur launched.
February 28, 2002... Two books on former president Abdurrahman Wahid, popularly known as Gus Dur, will be launched on Thursday -- one by Wimar Witoelar, a former spokesman of Abdurrahman, and the other by Greg Barton, a researcher from Australia-based Deakin...

IBRA's poor peformance hurts confidence: Bank.
February 28, 2002... As in the last two years, investment will remain hard to come by this year, according to Citigroup Asset Management, partly due to the lack of credibility in the government privatization program and the sale of assets under the Indonesian...

Economists see govt back down on debt extension plan.
February 28, 2002... The government appears to be backing down on a controversial plan to extend the repayment period for large debtors, opting instead to stick with the original debt deals with some revisions, said economists on Wednesday. Economist Sri...

Gresik sale to go through DPR.
February 28, 2002... Knowing that a lack of political support could prove costly when asset sales fail, the government would now seek legislators' consent for the troubled sale of PT Semen Gresik, a senior government official said on Wednesday. Ministry of...

Marriott set to expand business in Indonesia.
February 28, 2002... Marriott International's hotel division is looking at several properties outside of Jakarta as part of its expansion plan in Indonesia, president director Edwin Fuller said on Wednesday. While declining to name the cities where Marriott...

SBI rate declines to 16.88%.
February 28, 2002... JAKARTA: The weighted average interest rate on one-month Bank Indonesia SBI promissory notes fell to 16.88 percent at Wednesday's weekly auction from 16.89 percent, the central bank said. Bank Indonesia also said it accepted Rp 27...

Two minds come together 'In-Contro'.
February 28, 2002... When it comes to culture, Italy isn't just about Roman ruins. "We want to encourage young people to engage with modern Italian culture," said the Italian Ambassador to Indonesia, Alessandro Merola. And that means going abstract, if...

StanChart, Farallon move to next stage in BCA bid.
February 27, 2002... Two foreign consortia are neck and neck as they vie for a majority stake in Bank Central Asia (BCA) after passing the first round of tests by the Indonesian Bank Restructuring Agency (IBRA). British-based Standard Chartered Bank Plc and...

Fire at Cepu gas field displaces 1,000 people.
February 27, 2002... More than 1,000 villagers have refused to return to their villages after a major fire at the state-owned oil and gas company Pertamina's oil and gas exploration field in Cepu, Blora regency, Central Java on Monday. The fire is...

Indonesia, East Timor, Australia end talks.
February 27, 2002... Indonesia, Australia and East Timor concluded their first trilateral talks on Tuesday with a pledge to boost cooperation between the three neighboring countries after years of bloody violence and diplomatic squabbling. The talks...

Fires destroy plantations, forests in Riau.
February 27, 2002... Fires had charred 10,906 hectares of plantations and protected wildlife forest reserves in Bukit Batu subdistrict in Bengkalis regency, Riau, an official said on Tuesday. Head of Riau's Environmental Impact Management Agency (Bapedalda)...

Ministers gather in Bali to discuss people-smuggling.
February 27, 2002... Ministers, officials and observers from 61 countries and multi- national organizations have gathered in Bali for a two-day conference on illegal migrants and related international crimes, including people- smuggling. The conference...

Relocate or go home, Horta refugees.
February 27, 2002... Jose Ramos Horta has called on East Timor refugees now residing in West Timor to either go home or accept the Indonesian government's offer to be relocated to other provinces. "If they opted to stay in Indonesia they have to accept the...

Abdurrahman supports NU change of guard.
February 27, 2002... Former president Abdurrahman "Gus Dur" Wahid revealed on Tuesday that a group of influential Muslim clerics kyais are demanding a snap Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) congress that could lead to the ouster of current chairman Hasyim Muzadi. ...

City signs agreement on garbage processing.
February 27, 2002... The city administration signed two memoranda of understanding (MoU) on Tuesday with two local companies which are working cooperation with two North American companies. They will invest a total of US$378 million to process the city's garbage...

Xanana, East Timor leaders face human rights questioning.
February 27, 2002... The East Timor Commission for Truth, Reception and Reconciliation is planning to question several proindependence leaders, including Jose Alexandre "Xanana" Gusmao, for allegedly committing human rights abuses in the territory during the...

Prosecutors fail to get more info from Habibie.
February 27, 2002... State prosecutors have wasted two important days in their efforts to unveil the alleged misuse of Rp 40 billion in State Logistics Agency (Bulog) funds involving former state secretary Akbar Tandjung as they failed to expose the underlying...

KPP HAM to summon military officials again.
February 27, 2002... The Commission of Inquiry on Human Rights Violations (KPP HAM) will re-issue summonses to former military and police generals believed to have been involved in the Trisakti, Semanggi I, and Semanggi II killings, Albert Hasibuan, the...

Reshuffle at Semen Gresik.
February 27, 2002... A new board of executives has taken over state-owned cement maker PT Semen Gresik less then three months after laborers there foiled attempts to sell the company to Mexico's Cemex SA de CV. Semen Gresik's extraordinary shareholders...

Boediono upbeat on meeting key IMF programs.
February 27, 2002... Minister of Finance Boediono expressed optimism on Tuesday that the government would be able to meet a list of "prior actions" set out by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) as prerequisites for maintaining the Fund's support. IMF...

ASEAN launches e-Farmers project.
February 27, 2002... Indonesian farmers will be able to sell agricultural products via the Internet thanks to an ambitious project launched by the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) on Tuesday. ASEAN and its partner, a Singapore-based company...

Three oil firms invest $1.6b this year.
February 27, 2002... Three oil and gas companies -- ChevronTexaco Corporation of the United States, TotalFinaElf of France and Gulf Indonesia Resources of Canada -- have planned a combined investment worth US$1.6 billion this year to develop the country's oil and...

Indonesia through to semis at ASEAN U-17.
February 27, 2002... Indonesia secured a place in the semifinals at the Southeast Asian U- 17 Soccer Championship after booking a 6-0 win over the Philippines at Teladan Stadium here on Monday. In another match held separately at T.D. Pardede Stadium,...

50% of donated medicines sold illegaly: YPKKI.
February 26, 2002... Half of the subsidized and donated medicines for low-income people and flood victims have allegedly been sold in black markets across the capital. The Indonesian Health Consumer Empowerment Foundation announced its findings from market...

Habibie answers more Bulog questions.
February 26, 2002... Former president B.J. Habibie admitted on Monday that he assigned his minister/state secretary Akbar Tandjung to administer the use of state funds belonging to the State Logistics Agency (Bulog) for a food for the poor program in 1999. ...

No evidence that Ba'asyir is terrorist leader: Police.
February 26, 2002... Indonesians detained in Malaysia failed to provide solid evidence to prove that Indonesian Mujahidin Council chief Abu Bakar Ba'asyir was a terrorist leader as suspected by the two countries, National Police detective chief Insp. Gen....

Indonesia and East Timor end talks, signing two agreements.
February 26, 2002... Indonesia and East Timor ended bilateral talks on Monday, signing two agreements on direct postal service links and technical arrangements to facilitate the movement of people and goods between the enclave of Oecussi and other parts of East...

Timor gap to be center of tripartite talks.
February 26, 2002... Indonesia, Australia and East Timor will begin tripartite talks on Tuesday, which will zero in on the issue of oil rich Timor gap. Indonesian Minister of Foreign Affairs Hassan Wirayuda said on Monday that the representatives of the three...

Lee's outburst not in keeping with ASEAN way.
February 26, 2002... A needless row is brewing among friends, and all because someone simply could not keep his mouth shut! The last thing that Indonesia or Singapore need at the moment is a shouting match. The two regional "giants" should be comrade in...

Angry crowd blocks Jl. Raya Bogor.
February 26, 2002... JAKARTA: Around 500 people, wearing black uniforms on which were printed the letters BPPKBB (Banten people's organization for the development of their potential), blocked Jl. Raya Bogor in front of Kramat Jati wholesale market in East Jakarta...

Tommy threatened Syafiuddin: Witness.
February 26, 2002... JAKARTA: Former president Soeharto's youngest son Hutomo "Tommy" Mandala Putra had threatened the late Supreme Justice M. Syafiuddin Kartasasmita, according to witness' testimony on Monday. Witness Yopi Prayogo Darmono, a car vendor,...

France offers more access to education.
February 26, 2002... Compared to other foreign destinations of study, France appears to be one of the least favorite places among Indonesians despite the fact that it has opened many cultural centers across the country, diplomats say. Indonesian Education...

Military personnel committing 'KKN' to be tried in public court.
February 26, 2002... Barring the unexpected, the Public Servants' Wealth Audit Commission (KPKPN) will soon sign a memorandum of understanding with the Indonesian Military (TNI), the National Police and the Attorney General's Office to allow active and former...

PAN to discuss chairmanship.
February 26, 2002... JAKARTA: The National Mandate Party (PAN) is set to hold a national meeting this Sunday to discuss a plan by its chairman, Amien Rais, to relinquish his chairmanship of the party. Amien Rais, who is also speaker of the People's...

Govt to complete bonds swap policy in March.
February 26, 2002... The government expects to finalize in March a policy that will allow fixed-rate bonds in four banks to be replaced with bonds carrying a variable interest rate, according to director general of financial institutions Darmin Nasution. ...

Semen Cibinong to up sales 10%.
February 26, 2002... JAKARTA: Cement producer PT Semen Cibinong has said in a statement on Monday that it has targeted a 10 percent increase in cement and clinker sales volume this year, from 6 million tons last year. The statement said that last year's...

Kideco sign coal contract.
February 26, 2002... JAKARTA: Coal-mining company PT Kideco Jaya Agung said on Monday it had signed a sales contract worth US$173 million with PT Indonesia Power, a subsidiary of state-owned electricity company PT PLN, to supply the latter with 6.5 million tons...

IPA convention starts today.
February 26, 2002... JAKARTA: The Indonesian Petroleum Association (IPA) announced it would hold its 28th Annual Convention and Exhibition on the oil and gas industry starting on Tuesday. The three-day convention would be attended by some 1,500 local and...

JICA helps RI to promote investment.
February 26, 2002... The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) said on Monday that it was committed to providing assistance to the government of Indonesia on how to attract more foreign investment. JICA resident representative Kanda Michio said that...

Alberola creates silk screen magic.
February 26, 2002... The work of French painter Jean-Michel Alberola has raised a thousand and one questions in the minds of art lovers here. "I did not imagine that silk screen prints could be so effective as fine art," confesses Azizah Asnawi, public...

Leaders want govt to act on terrorism.
February 25, 2002... Indonesian Muslim leaders called on the government on Sunday to act quickly to limit the possible damage in its current row with Singapore over the latter's accusations that Indonesia is harboring terrorists. Chairman of the country's...

Habibie arrives, saying he's ready to face questioning.
February 25, 2002... Former president B.J. Habibie said on Sunday he was ready to face questioning at the Attorney General's Office on Monday in connection with a Rp 40 billion scandal implicating the Golkar Party's chairman, and his former minister Akbar...

Indonesia, East Timor begin bilateral talks.
February 25, 2002... Representatives from Indonesia and East Timor will begin high-level talks in Bali on Monday to discuss the administrative transition over many leftover problems ahead of the official declaration of East Timor's full independence on May 20,...

'Indonesia must initiate anti-terror drive'.
February 25, 2002... The policy statements coming from the United States amounts to "unilateralism" in the ears of many outside the country. Former defense minister Juwono Sudarsono shared his thoughts on the issue with The Jakarta Post. Question: What are...

UNFPA clarifies.
February 25, 2002... I always value the sense of fair judgment of your editorial staff in quoting news resources and also their high commitment in presenting accurate information to the readers. However, I would like to clarify some statements from a news excerpt...

Don't throw in the towel on customs or reform.
February 25, 2002... Two weeks ago, when a team from the IMF was in Jakarta reviewing the effectiveness of customs procedures in Indonesia, I was dismayed to read an article in which a senior editor of The Jakarta Post effectively threw in the towel on reform...

Disobedient hospitals rebuked.
February 25, 2002... JAKARTA: Governor Sutiyoso should inform the public of the names of private hospitals that have refused to provide free medical treatment to flood victims, a health observer said on Sunday. "The free medical service is based on a...

Sutiyoso renomination encounters some objections.
February 25, 2002... City Governor Sutiyoso might announce his intention to join the next gubernatorial election in October, in effect eating his own words that he would not seek reelection. But his nomination for a second five-year term has already been...

Surakarta mayor under fire for signing deal with Unicef.
February 25, 2002... Local legislators are attempting to oust Surakarta Mayor Slamet Suryanto in Central Java for "unlawfully" signing a cooperation agreement with the United Nations Children's Fund (Unicef). Slamet signed the agreement on Feb. 13 in Jakarta...

Govt cooperates with NGOs to help flood victims.
February 25, 2002... The government has intensified cooperation with volunteers from a number of nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) to deal with diseases which originated from the flooding that has paralyzed Jakarta and other major cities in recent weeks. ...

Women workers urged to unionize.
February 25, 2002... Indonesian women employed in the transport and tourism field should form their own union to put an end to widespread gender discrimination in the workplace, an activist said. The head of the Indonesian Sailor's Association (KPI), Hanafi...

IBRA's asset securitization difficult: Experts.
February 25, 2002... Issuing commercial papers using assets of the Indonesian Bank Restructuring Agency (IBRA) may sound promising, but doubts over asset quality and market demand undermine the effectiveness of the securitization plan, according to analysts. ...

'Govt must select SME debtors carefully'.
February 25, 2002... The planned debt restructuring scheme for small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), currently being prepared by the government, should avoid generalizing to ensure the incentive package reaches the intended targets. While citing the...

Indofood profits up 15%.
February 25, 2002... JAKARTA: Publicly listed instant noodle giant PT Indofood Sukses Makmur said its consolidated net profit increased by 15 percent to Rp 746.3 billion (US$73.1 million) in 2001 from Rp 646.2 billion a year earlier. Indofood said in...

'Windows XP' excellent but way too expensive.
February 25, 2002... I have probably written so many articles on Windows XP that people may be thinking that I am a member of Microsoft's marketing team. However, my previous articles were based mainly on my two-week experience with the Release Candidate 2 on a...

RI says rift with Singapore due to differing perceptions.
February 24, 2002... Indonesian officials welcomed Singapore's offer to provide evidence about terrorism in Indonesia on Saturday, but added that the underlying causes in their ongoing disagreement were thediffering perceptions between a democratic state and an...

S'pore rejects hundreds of Indonesians.
February 24, 2002... INDONESIA: More than 300 Indonesians have been denied entry to Singapore and Malaysia via Batam in Riau province since January, amid rising fears of terrorist attacks in the two neighboring countries, a local immigration official said on...

Abused children find safety at shelter.
February 24, 2002... Statistics on the number of abused children in the country do not add up to much in comparison to the life-altering tragedy for the child involved. A list of recent cases is shocking and sobering. A 15-year-old girl living in Bekasi is...

Eyes really can be a window into ailments.
February 24, 2002... There's more in the eyes than meets the eye. Search it through iridology analysis, and you'll find out that your current health condition is reflected in your irises. Iridology analysis, pioneered by Hungarian doctor Ignatz von Peczely...

A good cheese is something to sniff at.
February 24, 2002... Cheese does not come cheap. Especially when you consider that 1,000 liters of milk is needed to make one wheel of Emmenthal cheese, which can weigh up to 80 kilograms. Then there is the length of time to produce cheese, which can take months....

Indonesia suffers surprise 2-3 upset to Hong Kong in Uber Cup semis.
February 24, 2002... Top seed Indonesia suffered a surprise 2-3 defeat at the hands of underdogs Hong Kong in the semifinals of the women's Uber Cup qualifying round in Melbourne, Australia on Saturday. "Theoretically, we should have won the match but...

Rinds that bind: Picking your cheese.
February 24, 2002... When it comes to choosing cheese, Kempinski Jakarta's executive chef Donald Pezar compares it to developing an affinity for fine wine: As people get more educated about it, they develop their own taste. "When you start drinking wine, you...

The wine flows at intimate Vino Vino.
February 24, 2002... Wine, wine and more wine. No, I'm not referring to Her Majesty's loyal subjects from Down Under (who reportedly "wine" even more than the Poms). But rather the fact that Jakarta seems to be chock-a-block at the present time with wine bars....

China and the WTO: Teaching RI some lessons.
February 24, 2002... China and the WTO, Changing China, Changing World Trade By Supachai Panitchpakdi and Mark L. Clifford John Wiley & Sons (Asia) Pte Ltd, 2002 US$21.95 Since I moved from Hong Kong to Jakarta two years ago I have been struck by the extent...

Modjo in concert: Tunes fail to get fans going.
February 24, 2002... Modjo; Jakarta Convention Center; Thursday, Feb. 14, 2002 If French duo Modjo were to be given an award or a label, it would be the-band-most-misidentified-as-DJs, or simply as the-lads-who-sing-Lady (Hear Me Tonight). The latter is...

Distrust hurts Indonesia-Singapore bilateral relations, says analyst.
February 23, 2002... The statement by Singapore's Lee Kuan Yew on terrorism reflects the city state's distrust of Indonesia and will hamper stable bilateral relations between the two neighbors and cooperation among members of the Association of Southeast Asian...

More on Mercantile Club.
February 23, 2002... I would like to add my full agreement with the letter from Mr. Sia Ka-Mou entitled Desperate Mercantile Club (The Jakarta Post, Feb. 15, 2002). I am also a Life Member of the Mercantile Club, Jakarta and have also raised strong...

Hundreds of houses burned near Kalijodo brothel.
February 23, 2002... Another brawl occurred in Kalijodo brothel and gambling complex in North Jakarta early on Friday, just a week after the last riot that claimed one life. The brawl also resulted in the burning down of hundreds of houses on nearby Jl. Jembatan...

West Java administration suspends industrial logging.
February 23, 2002... The West Java administration has decided to suspend all industrial logging for the next three years in an attempt to regreen its barren forest areas, which have contributed to environmental deterioration and natural disasters such as floods...

'Terror allegations not matched with evidence'.
February 23, 2002... Despite the Malaysian Police sharing extensive information with their Indonesian counterparts on the alleged involvement of three Indonesian Muslim clerics in a regional terror network, the Indonesian Police claim they cannot act on the...

MoU to be signed to empower wealth audit commission.
February 23, 2002... The Public Servants' Wealth Audit Commission (KPKPN) will sign a Memorandum of Understanding that will allow an investigation into state officials, including military officers, whom the commission suspects of having been involved in...

Obituary.
February 23, 2002... Leading human rights activist H.J.C. Princen died of a stroke at the age of 76 at 5 a.m. at his home in Utan Kayu, East Jakarta on Friday. Many fellow activists, including Muchtar Pakpahan, Luhut Pangaribuan, Chris Siner Key Timu and...

Equal treatment key to stable society.
February 23, 2002... Speaker of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) Amien Rais underscored on Thursday the importance of respecting differences between people and the need for equal treatment for all as basic tenets of civil society in Indonesia. ...

BI to finish screening of BCA bidders soon.
February 23, 2002... Bank Indonesia will submit the results of its fit-and-proper test on the bidders of Bank Central Asia (BCA) to the Indonesian Bank Restructuring Agency (IBRA) by next week, according to senior deputy governor Anwar Nasution. "We will...

'No restructuring in new SME debt scheme'.
February 23, 2002... A new scheme for restructuring the debts of small and midsize enterprises (SME) falls short of providing for just that, an SME expert said referring to the government's plan to kick start the payment of some Rp 39 trillion (about US$3.8...

RI seeks to reschedule over $5b in debt.
February 23, 2002... The government is seeking to obtain a rescheduling facility for more than US$5 billion worth of external debts maturing between April 2002 and December 2003 from the Paris Club of creditor nations, according to a senior official at the...

Stock Exchange.
February 23, 2002... Stock prices on the Jakarta Stock Exchange (in Rupiah) on Feb. 21, 2002 Shares Close Change Trading Volume Ades Alfindo 1,150 25 83,500 Adindo Foresta 70 0 0 AGIS 120 0 804,000 Akbar Indo Makmur 230 -20 7,500 ...

5-0 loss does not bar RI shuttlers from semis.
February 23, 2002... Being battered 5-0 by South Korea did not stop the Indonesian badminton team from cruising to the semifinals stage of the women's team Uber Cup qualifying round in Melbourne, Australia, on Friday. After scoring two victories against host...

Businessman eyes hosting Tyson-Lewis bout here.
February 21, 2002... Few would ever have thought the words "Indonesia" and "Mike Tyson" would ever have been mentioned in the same breath, but if a local entrepreneur has his way the capital could be the venue for the Tyson- Lennox Lewis fight. Businessman...

Woman gets four years jail term for illegal firearms possession.
February 21, 2002... A close friend of Hutomo "Tommy" Mandala Putra was sentenced to four years in jail for the illegal possession of firearms and ammunition. Defendant Hetty Siti Hartika, 39, burst into tears when presiding judge Musa Simatupang read out...