IDUL FITRI TRAVELERS WARNED OF HEALTH PROBLEMS

Jakarta, Sept 15 (ANTARA) – Dehydration and communicable diseases are feared to affect Idul Fitri travelers on their home-bound trips to celebrate the post-fasting Idul Fitri holidays at the end of this week. The mobility of around 27 million Idul Fitri travelers is a potential medium for swine flu to spread from one region to another if preventive measures are not taken. After all, the H1N1 strain of the virus is now spreading in the country.

GOVT READY TO SERVE OVER 27 MILLION IDUL FITRI TRAVELERS

Jakarta, Sept 12 (ANTARA) – In the face of next week’s exodus of about 27 million home-bound Indul Fitri travelers, the government said it was now ready to provide services for the revelers with the focus on three main things – security, safety and comfort. In order to ensure its readiness to cope with the Idul Fitri ‘ exodus, the government held a coordination meeting among the relevant agencies on Friday.

GOVT DECIDES TO IMPORT SUGAR FOR NEXT YEAR’S STOCKS

Jakarta, Sept 11 (ANTARA) – The Indonesian government has decided to import 180,000 tons of raw sugar in an effort to increase its sugar stocks and to secure sugar supplies in the country in the first five months of 2010. The government’s decision to import sugar came up amid hope that sugar cane farmers at home should be protected from imported sugar. Vice President Jusuf Kalla had stated on several occasions that the government would close the sugar import pipeline this year in an effort to protect sugar cane farmers.

HAZE STILL HAMPERING FLIGHTS IN KALIMANTAN

Jakarta, Sept 10 (ANTARA) – Haze that has blanketed at least three airports in West and Central Kalimantan provinces has been disturbing flight activities to and from the regions in the past few days. Pontianak’s Supadio airport of West Kalimantan was closed for one hour on Thursday while Beringin airport of Muara Teweh of Central Kalimantan still remained quiet from flight activities.

NEXT CABINET NEEDS PROFESSIONALS

Jakarta, Sept 8 (ANTARA) – The need to form a small cabinet, embrace a big number of political parties and accommodate professionals may be a difficult issue for President-elect Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono before he announces his cabinet lineup in October.
“The president-elect needs to be cautious in making his choice for his cabinet lineup because basically naming a minister could reflect whether or not he takes side with the people,” Ruslan Ismail Mage, a political observer of the Indonesian Political Investment Study Center, said.

RI MAY PURCHASE KILO OR CHANGBOGO CLASS SUBMARINES

Jakarta, Sept 8 (ANTARA) – Indonesia has yet to decide the prospective supplier country for its plan to purchase two submarines to reinforce its navy in 2011 or 2012. So far, Indonesia has four optional prospective countries from which it expects to purchase the strategic military equipment, namely Germany (U-209), South Korea (Changbogo), Russia (Kilo class) and France (Scorpen).

RECENT QUAKE POSES NO HARM TO TOURIST

Jakarta, Sept 7 (ANTARA) – Last week’s magnitude-7.3 earthquake which rocked several parts of West Java and killed at least 74 people has prompted tourists to question whether it is now still safe to visit tourism objects in the region. Moreover, there are irrational rumors that are circulating in regions which were affected by the powerful earthquake, saying that aftershocks will soon occur and trigger tsunami. “Thesa are irrational rumors. There will be no tsunami,” Head of Tourism Service of Sukabumi, one of the districts affected by last Wednesday’s earthquake, Iyos Sumantri, said.

ASSISTANCE TO WEST JAVA QUAKE VICTIMS FLOWING

Jakarta, Sept 3 (ANTARA) – Relief aid has begun to flow for the victims of Wednesday’s 7.3 magnitude earthquake which rocked several parts of Java and killed at least 57 people up to Thursday and prompting over 5,000 others to evacuate to emergency tents. “The Ministry of Health has sent medicines, three tons of baby milk, electric generators, 75 body sacks and operational funds amounting to Rp150 million to help the disaster victims,” Rustam S Pakaya, head of the Health Ministry’s Crisis Management Center (PPK), said here on Thursday.

PINDAD TO BE INVESTIGATATE OVER ARMS SALES

Jakarta, Sept 1 (ANTARA) – The Ministry of State Enterprises (BUMN) will investigate state-owned weapon factory PT Pindad in the wake of its arms sales now being confiscated in the Philippines. “The investigation will be carried out to assure whether or not there is irregularity in the sales of arms produced by Pindad,” BUMN Minister Sofyan Djalil said on Monday.

BPK TO AUDIT BANK CENTURY

Jakarta, Aug 29 (ANTARA) – The State Audit Board (BPK) is soon to audit ailing Bank Century into which the government has injected fresh funds totaling Rp6.7 trillion or far in excess of the Rp1.3 trillion the government had previously mentioned to the House of Representatives (DPR).”BPK will soon follow up a request for the auditing of the bank. We actually have began a preliminary investigation which is expected to be completed before the end of this fasting month. After the fasting month, we will carry out examinations on every details,” BPK’s chief auditor Syafri Adnan Baharuddin said.