LARGER BUDGET NEEDED TO STOP ACCIDENTS WITH AGING MILIY PLANES

Jakarta, May 22 (ANTARA) – The crash of a Hercules C-130 of the Indonesian Air Force (TNI AU) in Magetan district, East Java, which killed about 100 military personnel and civilian passengers on Wednesday has prompted many quarters to urge the government to provide a special budget for the maintenance and rejuvenation of the Indonesian Defense Forces (TNI)’s main armament system (Alutsista).   “This is another accident of a series of airplane mishaps experienced by the TNI-AU. The government should now make a special budget for the purchase of TNI-AU equipment so that such an accident will not recur,” Priyo Budi Santoso, chairman of the Golkar Party faction in the House of Representatives (DPR), said.

PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES AVOID NEO-LIB IN FACE OF POLLS

Jakarta, May 21 (ANTARA) – These days the liberalism-based market mechanism has all of a sudden become the most ‘dreadful’ economic label for some quarters in Indonesia in the run-up to the upcoming July 8, 2009 presidential race.     Presidential aspirants are trying to convince the public that they are advocates of pro-people economy. This is because economic demagogues and anti-neo-lib demonstrators have ‘opened’ fire at a vice presidential hopeful whom they believed to be an accessory to neo-liberal economy.

        The naming of Boediono, a true professional and a technocrat, as a vice presidential candidate by Democratic Party presidential hopeful Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (SBY) was met with resistance and rallies. “Boediono, No! Budi Anduk Yes,” one of the banners read, referring to comedian Budi Anduk.

GOVT TO FINISH CALCULATION OF NEWMONT DIVESTMENT

Jakarta, May 19 (ANTARA) – The government is resolved to finish calculating the value of PT Newmont Nusa Tenggra (NNT) assets this week so that an agreement can be reached with the giant mining firm on the price at which it is to acquire MNT shares this month. “The government team will calculate the value of the company’s mineral reserves, assets and financial conditions. We will use the result of our calculation as a reference in negotiations with NNT,” Director General for Mineral Resources, Coal and Geothermal Bambang Setiawan said here on Tuesday.

RI’S ECONOMIC POLICIES UNLIKELY TO CHANGE NO MATTER WHO GOVERNS

Jakarta, May 18 (ANTARA) – Three presidential pairs-up will compete in the upcoming presidential polls, but observers say Indonesia’s economic policies will unlikely change significantly, no matter who wins the race and governs the country.

SOME OBSERVERS GIVE THUMBS DOWN TO BOEDIONO

Jakarta, May 14 (ANTARA) – Democratic Party (PD) chief patron Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (SBY) has reportedly decided to pick Bank Indonesia (BI) Governor Boediono as his running mate in the upcoming July 8 2009 presidential polls.      The PD presidential hopeful’s decision to run with Boediono, a true professional and technocrat, has sparked resistance from cadres of political parties in the PD-led coalition. 

PRO-YUDHOYONO PARTIES QUESTION HIS PLAN TO PICK BOEDIONO

Jakarta, May 12 (ANTARA) – Amid his efforts to approach the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDIP) and reports that he is going to pick Boediono as his running mate in the upcoming presidential race, Democratic Party (PD) chief patron Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (SBY) is facing a threat of reduced support from party cadres in his coalition.     Cadres of political parties which built a coalition with the PD are questioning Yudhoyono’s reported plan to pick Boediono, governor of Bank Indonesia (BI/the central bank) as his running mate, a move seen by many quarters as an attempt to approach PDIP.

WOC TO TRY SAVING LIVES OF COASTAL PEOPLE

Jakarta, May 11 (ANTARA) – The ongoing World Ocean Conference (WOC) in Manado, North Sulawesi, will formulate efforts to save not only the seas and marine resources but also the lives of people living in coastal areas.    “The adaptation and mitigation framework that the meeting will formulate is aimed at safeguarding not only the seas and the resources they hold but also the lives of people living in coastal areas,” Indonesian Minister for Maritime and Fisheries Affairs Freddy Number said when opening a WOC senior officials’ meeting in Manado on Monday.

ICW, LAWMAKERS AT ODD OVER ANTI-GRAFT VALIDITY ISSUE

Jakarta, May 9 (ANTARA) – The Indonesian Corruption Watch (ICW) says that lawmakers must have misinterpreted the law when they questioned the validity of decisions to be taken by the collective leadership of the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK).   House’s Commission III for legal affairs in a meeting on Thursday with KPK asked the collective leadership of the anti-graft body not take principle decisions after the suspension of its chief for alleged involvement in the murder of Nasrudin Zulkarnaen, director of PT Putra Rajawali Banjaran (PRB) last March.

SPECULATION ARISING ON PDIP-PD COALITION ATTEMPT

Jakarta, May 7 (ANTARA) – Speculations are now arising that the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDIP) and the Democratic Party (PD) are approaching each other to build a coalition, but leaders of both parties have denied it.    Public speculation arose following a visit to PDIP leader Megawati Soekarnoputri by Minister/State Secretary Hatta Rajasa on Wednesday which was seen as part of an approach by President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, the PD’s chief patron, to cooperate with the PDIP.

BANKS ORDERED TO CUT LENDING RATES

Jakarta, May 7 (ANTTARA) – Amid calls by businesses and economic observers for significant cuts in banks’ lending rates, the government ordered state-owned banks to lower the interest rates of their credits in order to stimulate the real sector. Acting Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Sri Mulyani Indrawati has said banks which have been operating efficiently should lower their lending rates because Bank Indonesia (BI/the central bank) has cut its benchmark rate. “We emphasize that state banks whose balance sheets are good and efficient should lower the interest rates of their credits,” the minister said.