Daily life activities

Jakarta – President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono called on Indonesians not to criticize or reprimand the government that is trying to step up public welfare and alleviate poverty. “Don’t criticize. We should honor the ones that are currently governing the nation, taking over what was good from the previous governments and further improving it to fight poverty,” he told participants of a national meeting of PNPM (national program of Mandiri Community Empowerment) at the State Palace Wednesday (30/4). The president wants regional governments to take active part in efforts aimed at increasing public welfare and exercise tight supervision over programs intended to empower the community. “I hope that leaders in the regions be directly involved in the campaign to increase welare and empower the community. This is the consequence of being elected direct by the people,” he added. The president said that the government allocation for the alleviation of poverty kept on increasing fMore Details Read More

Jakarta – The government has not considered increasing the price of BBM (oil fuel) because the 2008 APBN (state budget of revenues and expenditures) could still subsidize the commodity despite the fact that oil on the world market is nearing USD 120 per barrel. This was stated by the Minister for National Development Planning/Bappenas chairman Paskah Suzetta here Wednesday (30/4). He quoted the Finance Minister as saying that “Our APBN could bear the burden of BBM subsidy at least until the second semester of this year.” He said the government had not considered borrowing from overseas to reinforce the APBN. “Japan could help but it could not help us optimally. So for the time being we have to stand on our own feet,” Suzetta said. Asked on a suggestion of Kadin (Chamber of Commerce and Industry) that the government increase the price of BBM by 10-30%, the Bappenas chairman said the government would consider it following reports of the first and second quarter. “WMore Details Read More

Jakarta – Vice President Jusuf Kalla suggested examples of case study to convince Saudi investors it is good to do business in Indonesia. This was stated by Sandiaga Uno, chairman of Hipmi (Association of Young Indonesian Businessmen) after neeting the vice president here Monday (28/4). “I asked him how to lure Saudi investors and he said we have to convince them by relating to them cases of fellow Saudi investors that have scored success in Indonesia,” Uno said. Citing an example, Kalla mentioned Emar and Saudi Telekom. These two investors might attract Middle East businessmen to invest in Indonesia. Moat attractive to Saudi investors at the moment might be projects in the sectors of food, such as oil palm, corn and sugar, and energy, such as bio and hydro carbon, such as gas. Hipmi, Uno said, will have a new board of directors in July this year. Before that, in June, Hipmi will send a 100-man delegation to the Middle East in a bid to try to find investors willing toMore Details Read More

Jakarta – KPK (Commission for Corruption Eradication) here Monday (28/4) questioned the wife of detained MP Al Amin Nur Nasution, Kristina, for a case other than the alleged bribe related to the conserved forest land in Bintan regency, Riau islands. Spokesman of KPK Johan Budi Monday was not available for comments beyond saying that Kristina was being questioned for a new casde. The new case cannot as yet be revealed as it is still under investigation. Investigators questioned her about 45 minutes. She went out of the office for lunch as there was no canteen at the Attorney General’s Office and would come back later for further questioning. (T.As/id/ton) More Details Read More

Jakarta – Indonesia and France agreed to revise a joint MOU on civil aviation. Agreement to revise the 1999 MOU was reached when a delegation of the Indonesian Air Transportation Directorate General visited France on April 21, 2008. Air Transport Director General Budhi M. Suyitno said the French air transport agency (DGAC) agreed to help Indonesia to implement the Civil Aviation Transformation Team (CATT). Suyitno said CATT is Indonesia’s commitment to reform service but this is not easy to implement within a short time. He said France is paying serious attention to flight safety and security and France has got sizeable interest in Indonesia. At a meeting with his French counterpart, Suyitno related the mission of his department to improve flight safety and security and France is willing to help. Restructurization and reorganization of the air transport directorate general is in line with ICAO (Interntional Civil Aviation Organization}. (T.Dw/De/toeb/ton) More Details Read More

Jakarta 29/4/2008 (Kominfo-Newsroom) – President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono at the State Palace here Tuesday (29/4) had a visit from Timor Leste Prime Minister Xanana Gusmao, the first since Gusmao was named head of government in Aug. 2007. Xanana Gusmao and a retinue comprising several ministers arrived at 1010 hours local time and were welcomed by President Yudhoyono and a number of Indonesia Bersatu cabinet. The two leaders witnessed the signing of a number of MOUs in the sectors of education, trade, industry and businesses. After lunch, the president and his guest will visit the House Speaker, MPR (Congress) chairman, State Police Chief and TNI Commander in Chief. PM Xanana Gusmao and party will leave Indonesia on May 2. (T.Tr/toeb/ton) More Details Read More

Jakarta – State Police Chief Police General Sutanto appealed to Indonesians to maintain calm and self-restraint and not to be easily provoked by those who intimidate members of Ahmadiyah. He stated this to the press at the State Palace here Tuesday (29/4) after the airing of videos, trough the internet, provoking people to intimidate Ahmadiyah members. Sutanto said there should be no provoking and intimidating. The most important thing is to maintain unity and integrity.There is no need for fanning or making people angry. In the small hours of Monday (28/4), an Ahmadiyah mosque in Sukabumi, West Java, was put on fire. General Sutanto denied police were unaware of the incident. The fact is that when it happened there were only a very few policemen on guard. According to Police Inspector General Abubakar Natakusuma, of the Police HQ Public Relations, there were only six policemen whereas there were around 200 people putting fire to the mosque. “It is not true that police reMore Details Read More

Bekasi is a fast growing city in west Jawa Indonesia, the real located is the east of Jakarta but the province name is Jawa Barat and the popular name called the Jabotabek (Jakarta, Bogor, Tangerang and Bekasi) region. As a sub-province (kabupaten) , Bekasi is located in the West Java province. The city has a population of about 2 million within the city limits, while additional, substantial urban areas surround the city. It serves as a commuter city for Jakarta, although it has its own industries, notably trade, business and processing industries which are mostly located at the area of Karawang. Bekasi is divided into 12 subdistricts: West Bekasi, East Bekasi, South Bekasi, North Bekasi, Medan Satria, Rawalumbu, Bantar Gebang, Pondok Gede, Jatisampurna, Jatiasih, Pondok Melati and Mustika Jaya. Being a “middle city” (kotamadia), Bekasi is a regency of West Java. The capital is Cikarang, 20 kilometers east of Bekasi(beckgh-ag-shee) city. In recent years, due to the fact thMore Details Read More