SYMPATHY FOR DETAINED ANTI-GRAFT BODY COMMISSIONERS RISING

Jakarta, Oct 31 (ANTARA) – How strongly the Indonesian people wish to see corruption in their country rooted out can perhaps be seen in the growing public sympathy for Bibit Samad Rianto and Chandra Hamzah, two Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) deputy chiefs, who have been detained by police on bribery and abuse of authority charges. 
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BIZMEN PROJECT ECONOMIC GROWTH OF 7 PCT NEXT YEAR

Jakarta, Aug 10 (ANTARA) – Economists and businessmen are optimistic Indonesia’s economic growth will reach seven percent next year, much higher than the government’s projection of 4 percent – 4.5 percent.
“Driven by the global economic recovery which is expected to take place in the middle of next year, the Indonesian economy may grow 6 percent [...]

PLAN TO AUDIT ANTI-GRAFT BODY SPARKS CONTROVERSIES

Jakarta, June 27 (ANTARA) – The Development Finance Comptroller (BPKP)’s plan to audit the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) has sparked controversy with experts saying the move would weaken the anti-graft body while the BPKP had no right to audit a state institution outside the executive branch of government. However, BPKP chief Didi Widayanti said his [...]

INDONESIA EXPECTED TO INCREASE CPO EXPORTS TO PAKISTAN

Jakarta, March 1 (ANTARA) – Indonesia, the world’s biggest crude palm oil (CPO) producer, is expected to increase its exports of the commodity to Pakistan after the latter has agreed to cut by 10 percent its import duty on Indonesian CPO exports under a preferential trade agreement (PTA) scheme.
“During the on-going talks [...]

MK WARNS OF POTENTIAL DISPUTES IN COMING ELECTIONS

Jakarta, Feb 13 (ANTARA) – The struggle of 11 small political parties against the 2.5-percent parliamentary threshold clause in the election law came to naught on Friday when the Constitutional Court (MK) rejected their demand for a judicial review of the rule. The parties had filed a lawsuit with the MK demanding a judicial review [...]

MIANGAS ISLAND BELONGS TO INDONESIA

Jakarta, Feb 13 (ANTARA) – Miangas island in North Sulawesi which shares borders with Mindanao island in the Philippines clearly belongs to Indonesia. So, there is no need to kick a fuss over its ownership status, Foreign Minister Hassan Wirajuda says. Electronic and print media have in the past several days focused on a report [...]

HOUSE INITIATIVE TO END GOVT’S DUAL ROLE IN HAJJ BUSINESS?

Jakarta, Dec 17 (ANTARA) – Labeled as the worst-managed in Indonesia’s history, this year’s hajj pilgrimage has become the subject of a motion of at least 121 legislators for a parliamentary inquiry into the government’s performance in organizing the annual activity. The lawmakers proposed on Tuesday the establishment [...]

DESPITE DEFICIT, RP45 BILLION OF BUDGETS REMAIN UNSPENT

Jakarta, Dec 12 (ANTARA) – The steep decline in the world crude price from US$147 a barrel in July 2008 to below US$50 in December has cut the state budget deficit from Rp94.3 trillion in the 2008 revised state budget to about Rp50 to Rp70 trillion. If only [...]

ARE MUSLIMS ALLOWED TO PRACTICE YOGA?

Jakarta, Nov 29 (ANTARA) – A report that Malaysia’s Islamic regulatory body MFKM has banned the practice of Yoga by Muslims has stirred up some public debate in Indonesia, the country with the largest Muslim population in the world. In Indonesia, where over 80 percent of its 220 million [...]

GOVT TO PROTECT BANK CUSTOMERS’ MONEY AMID FINANCIAL CRISIS

Jakarta, Oct 11 (ANTARA) – The House of Representatives (DPR) and the government have been holding intensive consultations this week to discuss anticipatory measures in the face of the on-going global financial crisis that have forced the Indonesian Stock Exchange (BEI) to close its trading activities since Wednesday. Among the issues the DPR and the government [...]