Sunday, August 31, 2008
Hundreds of Indonesians Leave New Orleans to Escape Hurricane Gustav
New York - Hundreds of Indonesian nationals in New Orleans are reported to have fled the southern United States city as Hurricane Gustav is predicted to pound the Louisiana coast this week, Indonesian consul general in Houston Kria Fahmi Pasaribu told ANTARA here on Sunday.

Government’s Infrastructure Investment in 2009 to Reach Rp 70.89 Trillion
Jakarta - The government has set itself a new infrastructure investment target of Rp70.89 trillion in 2009 to be carried out under a government-private cooperation scheme (KPS), an official of the National Development Planning Ministry / National Development Planning Board (PPN/Bappenas), said here over the weekend.

Political Parties Urged to Obey Law and KPU Regulations
Jakarta - Political parties in Indonesia have been urged to remain obeying law No 10, 2008 on general elections and General Election Committee (KPU) regulation No 19/2008 on guidelines pertaining to the implementation of the general elections.

Friday, August 29, 2008
Obama Extends Greetings to IACI on RI's Independence Commemoration
Jakarta - US Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama has extended warm greetings to the Indonesian American Community of Illinois (IACI) during the commemoration of the 63rd anniversary of Indonesian Independence in Chicago, it was reported here Thursday.

Subsidized Fuel Consumption May Swell
Subsidized fuel consumption this year may exceed the capped volume of 35.5 million kiloliters by close to 10 percent, possibly prompting the government to increase fuel subsidy spending, a ministry official says.

RI to Explain Its Investment Potential During CABIS
Beijing - Several investment potentials in ASEAN (Association of South East Asian Nations) countries, including Indonesia, would be explained in the 5th China-ASEAN Business and Investment Conference (CABIS) held in Naning, special autonomy region of Guangxi, China, on October 22, 2008.

RI Plans to Produce One Million Cars by 2011
Karawang, West Java - The Indonesian government projects national car production in 2011 at one million units, Industry Minister Fahmi Idris said.

Trade Ministry Allocates Rp 2 B to Boost SMEs' Exports
Bantul - The Trade Ministry allocates Rp2 billion in funds every year to boost export-oriented small and medium enterprises (SMEs) to improve the quality of their products, an official said on Friday.

Indofood Enjoys Strong Growth in Sales, Profit
PT Indofood Sukses Makmur, the world's largest instant noodles maker, said Thursday its net profit more than doubled in the first semester compared to last year on robust sales.

Wednesday, August 27, 2008
RI Hopes Myanmar Dialog to be Resumed
Jakarta - The Indonesian government has expressed hope the dialog between Myanmar opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi and the government under General Tan Shwe which were stalled since January will be resumed, a spokesman said.

ASEAN Agrees Region to Have Nuclear Power Plants
The ASEAN working group on the establishment of nuclear power plants announced on Wednesday that the ten member countries supported all current nuclear projects in the region.

Sultan the Most Competent Leader: Study
Sri Sultan Hamengkubowono X has been deemed the country's most competent presidential candidate, defeating both President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and his predecessor, Megawati Soekarnoputri, according to a study released here Tuesday.

Parliament Affirms Commitment to Complete Bill on Corruption Court
Jakarta - The Indonesian Parliament (DPR RI) has affirmed its commitment to complete a bill on the formation of a corruption court (Tipikor), a spokesman said.

Bali Bombers Execution Postponed Until After Holy Month
The Attorney General's Office (AGO) has officially postponed the executions of three convicted Bali bombers, Amrozi, Ali Ghufron and Imam Samudra, until after Ramadan.

RI Free From Food Crisis : Agriculture Official
Jakarta - Indonesia will not experience a food crisis such as is happening in many neighboring countries, a senior agriculture official said.

BI to Form Regional Inflation-Controlling Team
Kediri, E Java - Bank Indonesia (the central bank/BI) is looking into the possibility of forming a regional inflation-controlling team involving a number of officials and economists, an official said.

Insight: Climate Change Poses Security Threat to Indonesia
In his speech on foreign policy marking the 63rd anniversary of Indonesia's Foreign Ministry on Aug. 19, President Susilo Yudhoyono spoke about Indonesia and the global crises. He specifically dwelled on three looming global crises -- energy, food and climate change -- and what Indonesia should do about it.

Tuesday, August 26, 2008
U.S. Maintains Presence in Asia-Pacific
The United States will continue its military presence in Asia-Pacific to protect its strong and enduring interests, in the wake of China's growing power.

Defense Ministry not to Revise Strategic Plans on Defense for 2004-2009
Jakarta - The Defense Ministry will not revise strategic plans on defense for the 2004 - 2009 period following a decline in the budget defense allocation for 2009 now standing only at Rp35 trillion.

Government Upbeat 2009 Economic Growth Target to be Achieved
Jakarta (ANTARA News) - The government is optimistic the country’s economic growth will reach the target figure of 6.2 percent in 2009, Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati said.

Slovakia has Positive Perception of Indonesia’s Business Climater
Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Slovakia has a positive perception of the business climate in Indonesia as its embassy in Jakarta now has a commercial section which was only set up in August 2008, Slovakia’s envoy said.

NEAT Tells Asian Governments to Support Joint Development
Experts from 13 Asian nations have urged ASEAN Plus Three (APT) governments to ease trade regulations and temper political egos in order to support regional infrastructure development.

KPKN Denounces Minister’s Regulation on Oil Contractors’ DMO
Jakarta - An organization calling itself Committee to Save State Assets (KPKN) has denounced the issuance of a ministerial regulation on private oil and gas contractor companies' obligation to meet domestic need, saying the policy had the potential of causing the state to lose trillions of rupiah.

QTel Wants 51% Majority Stake in Indonesian Telco Indosat
Jakarta (ANTARA News/Asia Pulse) - Qatar Telecom (QTel) said it wants to have more than a 50 per cent stake in Indonesia's second largest telecommunications company PT Indosat.

Corrupt Government Feared to Lure TNI Back Into Politics
A weak and corrupt government, rather than a lower defense budget, will one day lure the military back into politics, Defense Minister Juwono Sudarsono says.

Monday, August 25, 2008
GM to Make Indonesia a Production Base in ASEAN
Jakarta (ANTARA News/Asia Pulse) - General Motors Corp. will make Indonesia the production base for multi-purpose vehicles (MPV) in this region, an official of the industry ministry said.

SBY Calls on Indonesians to Vote
President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has renewed calls for all eligible voters to exercise their right to vote, either in national or regional elections.

Next Year’s Polls not to Affect Inflation : Bappenas
Jakarta, (ANTARA News) - The National Development Planning Agency (Bappenas) has predicted the 2009 general elections will have no impact on inflation so that the country`s inflation rate target of 6.5 percent for next year can be achieved.

RI Hopes Doha Round can be Resumed in September
Jakarta, (ANTARA News) - The Indonesian government hopes the the Doha Round of negotiations which failed to yield an agreement not long ago can be resumed in September, a presidential spokesman said.

Top Golkar, PDIP Figures Raise Possibility of Coalition
Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Top figures of the two dominant political parties in the House of Representatives (DPR), Golkar and the Indonesian Democracy Party-Struggle (PDIP), raised the possibility here Monday the two parties would cooperate or form a coalition in the face of the general elections in 2009.

Din Syamsuddin Prepared to Run for Presidency
Makassar (ANTARA News) - Din Syamsuddin, chairman of Muhammadiyah, the second largest Muslim organization in Indonesia, said he was prepared to run for president or vice president if a political party nominated him and his organization pemitted it.

Loan Agreement on Sukhoi to be Signed in September: Air Force Chief
Jakarta - Air Force Chief of Staff Marshal Soebandrio said the loan agreement on the purchase of six Sukhoi aircraft from Russia would be signed in September, 2008, and they were expected to arrive in Indonesia in the same month.

Indonesia Minister’s Beijing Visit Yields Constructive Results
Beijing (ANTARA News) - Indonesian Trade Minister Mari Elka Pangestu`s visit to Beijing on August 22-24 has yielded "very constructive things" for the two countries` trade ties, an Indonesian diplomat said.

RI, China to Ink Trade Cooperation Expansion Accord in November
Beijing, (ANTARA News) - Indonesia and China will sign an agreement to expand their bilateral trade and economic cooperation at a meeting of their joint commission in Yogyakarta in November this year, Indonesian Trade Minister Mari Pengestu said.

Friday, August 22, 2008
RI Already Free From Economic Crisis: President
Jakarta - President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said Indonesia is already free from the economic crisis but still facing many challenges to achieve a better future.

SBY Says Regional Democratization Noteworthy
President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono says regional democratization over the past four years is noteworthy.

President Admits Disparity Still Occurs in Regional Developments
Jakarta - President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said the acceleration of developments in some of underdeveloped areas in Indonesia was needed as disparity still occurred in regional developments in the country.

DPD Chief: Food, Energy Security Equally Crucial to RI
Jakarta - Food security is as crucial to Indonesia as energy security, Regional Representatives Council (DPD) Chairman Ginandjar Kartasasmita said.

Government not to Tolerate Misappropriation of Budget: President
Jakarta - President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said the government will never tolerate misappropriation of the state budget (APBN) and regional budget (APBD), arguing the budgets are the public funds that must be used to the greatest benefit of the people's interest and welfare.

Australian Minister Vows to Boost Funds in RI Agriculture Sector
Australia's visiting agriculture, fisheries and forestry minister Tony Burke pledged Thursday to encourage Australian companies to increase investments in Indonesia's agriculture sector.

KPU Blames Poor Census for Flawed Voter Lists
The General Elections Commission (KPU) on Thursday deflected criticism over findings that more than 36 million eligible voters nationwide were still not registered, six days before the registration deadline.

Thursday, August 21, 2008
ILO: Indonesia’s 2008 Economy Shows Sound Improvement
Jakarta - Indonesia's economy has been growing positively but the labor market has not yet developed significantly, according to a report of the International Labor Organization (ILO) on Labor and Social Trends in Indonesia 2008, Wednesday.

Indonesian Shares Firmer in Early Trade, Led by Commodity Stocks
Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Indonesian shares were slightly higher in early trade on Thursday after a rebound in oil prices revived buying interest in palm oil plantation and coal mining stocks.

Some 36 Million Voters Unregistered: Survey
More than 36 million voting-age citizens might be staying at home for the 2009 legislative election, as a recent survey shows their names are not included in the official preliminary list of eligible voters (DPS).

Candidates' Registration Over, Hurdles Unresolved
While most of the provincial general elections commissions (KPUD) officially closed registration for legislative candidates on Tuesday at midnight, a number of political hurdles remain unsolved.

Nepotism Feared to Weaken House
With history showing many cases of leaders who failed to groom quality successors among their kin, the recruitment of legislative candidates through bloodlines has raised concern over future legislative bodies.

Wednesday, August 20, 2008
Parties Choose Loyalty Over Democracy in Polls
Political parties will use alternative mechanisms to select legislators despite the election law requiring selection based on the numerical order system, which is a closed election process.

Defense Attaches must Support RI’s Diplomacy: Mily Chief
Jakarta, (ANTARA News) - Indonesian Military (TNI) Chief Gen Djoko Santoso said defense attaches must be able to support the country’s foreign diplomacy within the frame of free and active foreign policy.

RI's Natural Rubber Exports Reached US$4.6 Billion in 2007
Yogyakarta - Indonesia's natural rubber exports in 2007 reached a total value of US$4.6 billion, accounting for 40 percent of the overall amount the country earned from export of agricultural commodities, Agriculture Minister Anton Apriyantono said.

Yudhoyono Says Education can Help Solve Mankind’s Problems
Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Education can play an important role in overcoming various problems that mankind is facing at present, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said on Wednesday.

28 Countries Meet for Turtle Conservation in Bali
Representatives from 28 countries held a meeting in Denpasar, Bali, to discuss action plans to save marine turtle habitats.

Tuesday, August 19, 2008
President Asks Diplomats Always to Uphold Rationality
Jakarta - President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has called on the country's diplomats always to uphold rationality in the performance of their duties.

Government Challenged to Control Inflation in 2009
Jakarta (ANTARA News) - The Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Kadin) said that the government’s major challenge in 2009 was to take inflation under control owing to the fact that oil and commodity prices in the world market are still difficult to predict until the beginning of 2009.

International World Expected to Continue Safeguarding Peace in Aceh
Banda Aceh - Deputy Governor of Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam Muhammad Nazar hoped that the international world continued safeguarding peace in that region so that the local population could rebuild and reconstruct the region.

Government to Auction Bonds Worth Rp 3 Trillion
Jakarta (ANTARA News) - The government plans to sell three types of state bonds worth Rp3 trillion in an auction on August 26, a Finance Ministry spokesman said.

E-procurement System to be Applied in 25 State Enterprises
Jakarta (ANTARA News) - The State Enterprises Ministry will soon make the use of an e-procurement system standard practice in 25 state-owned companies to promote transparency in the organization of tenders, an official said.

Religious Leaders can Function as Inter-Faith Dialogue Pioneers
Jayapura, (ANTARA News) - Religious leaders in Papua, the easternmost province of Indonesia, were resolute to play a role as inter-faith dialogue pioneers to enable their adherents to live in peace and brotherhood.

Government's Ambitious Customs System Hits Snag on Available Manpower
The government aims to fully implement this year the so-called Indonesia National Single Window (INSW) system, which is aimed at streamlining export and import flow and preventing smuggling.

Monday, August 18, 2008
Nation Celebrates Independence Day
Indonesia marked the 63rd anniversary of its independence Sunday in a festive mood, thanks to various pieces of good news that, for a short while at least, eclipsed the lingering problems of poverty and unemployment.

Government Earmarks Rp 2T for Climate Change Campaign
The government plans to take environmental issues mainstream, setting aside Rp 2 trillion (about US$217 million) from the state budget to improve public awareness and cooperation in dealing with the impacts of climate change.

House Members Warn Public About 'Tricky' Leap in Education Budget
Lawmakers expressed skepticism Sunday over the government's plan to allocate 20 percent of the 2009 state budget to education, warning the amount could be used to "fool" the public because it lacked transparency.

State Budget Must Focus on Infrastructure Development: HIPMI
Jakarta - The Indonesian Association of Young Entrepreneurs (Hipmi) said spending of the 2009 state budget should be focused on the development of infrastructures in order to improve the investment climate and reduce the poverty rate.

Saturday, August 16, 2008
Government Proposes to Reduced Fuel Subsidy
Given recent trends showing a decline in oil prices, the government has proposed to cut budget expenditure on the fuel subsidy by 43.76 percent for 2009.

Friday, August 15, 2008
President: Indonesia Becoming Safer
Jakarta - Indonesia's people, from the country's westernmost Sabang (Aceh Province) to easternmost Merauke (Papua Province), were beginning to feel that the country was becoming safer, according to President Susilo Bambnag Yudhoyono in his presidential State of the Nation Address on the Draft 2009 State Budget and Financial Notes before the House of Representatives (DPR)'s plenary session at the Parliament Building, here on Friday.

President: RI’s Regional Polls Already on Right Track
Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Indonesia’s regional administration chief elections (Pilkadas) are already on the right track because the degree of people’s participation in the polls held so far was as high as 74 percent, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said here Friday.

President : Accelerated Economic Development Caused Rapid Decline in Poverty Rate
Jakarta - Part of the positive impact of accelerated economic development in Indonesia has been a rapid decline in the open unemployment and poverty rates, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said.

President: Indonesian Growth Seen Steady in 2009
Economic growth in Southeast Asia's largest economy is expected to hold steady at just over 6 percent in 2009, Indonesian's president said Friday in his State of the Union address.

Indonesia to Tackle Power Crisis: Yudhoyono
Indonesia's president vowed Friday to begin tackling a national power supply crisis next year through projects to develop alternative energy and expand electricity capacity by more than 30 percent.

President: Indonesia Still Threatened by Terrorism
Indonesia's president warned Friday that terrorism is still a threat to the world's most populous Muslim country, which has not suffered a major attack in nearly three years following a crackdown on Islamic militants.

Legislator: Yudhoyono`s State-of-The-Nation Address His Best so Far
Jakarta (ANTARA News) - The State-of-the Nation Address delivered by President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono at the House of Representatives (DPR)`s plenary session here on Friday is his best so far, according to Yuddy Chrisnandi, a legislator of the Golkar Party.

Strong Parliament Key to Sound Democracy: House Speaker
Jakarta (ANTARA News) - House of Representatives (DPR) Speaker Agung Laksono said a strong parliament is an important key to the implementation of sound democracy.

Thursday, August 14, 2008
RI Economy Expands 6.4 percent in Q2
The Central Statistics Agency (BPS) on Thursday reported that the country's economy in the second quarter grew by 6.4 percent compared to the same period last year.

Political Parties Advised to Adopt Regulations on Internal Conflict Resolution
Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Political parties in Indonesia should adopt regulations on the resolution of internal conflicts or disputes as they still lack clear-cut rules on out-of-court settlement of problems arising within their own ranks, a group advocating reform in political party affairs said.

Government to Raise Spending on Education Next Year
Bowing to legal pressure from the Constitutional Court, the government Thursday finally stated that it will raise its budget allocation for education next year.

SBY Claims Credit for Open Elections
In a move that could enhance his prospects in the 2009 presidential election, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono on Wednesday claimed the credit for proposing a new way of selecting legislators.

Most Voter Lists Remain Invalid: Survey
More than half of all the preliminary lists of eligible voters (DPS) released by villages and subdistricts throughout the country contain outdated data, a survey says.

Government not to Interfere in Indosat’s Contract with Al Manar
Jakarta (ANTARA News) - The Indonesian government will not interfere in how telecommunication company PT Indosat responds to the United States government’s request to terminate its contract with Al Manar TV station in Lebanon, a minister said.

State to Save up to Rp2.6 trillion if Oil Price Stays at US$120 per Barrel
Jakarta - The state will be able to save up to Rp2.6 trillion if the average oil price stays at US4120 a barrel until the end of 2008, a Finance Ministry official said.

Government Continuing Efforts to Achieve Poverty Reduction Target
Jakarta (ANTARA News) - The government continues to make efforts to lower the poverty rate in Indonesia as its target in the matter has yet to be achieved, a spokesman said.

Wednesday, August 13, 2008
President Demands Prompt Resolution to Coal Tax Refund Problem
President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono is demanding an immediate resolution to the coal royalty and tax refund problem so as to avoiding damaging impact to the country's investment climate.

Golkar Seeks Change After Defeats, Party Discord
A series of defeats in regional elections and threats of disunity have led Golkar Party leadership to scrap its control of the distribution of legislative seats in next year's polls.

Fisheries Department Prevented Loss of Rp489 B to Illegal Fishing
Batam (ANTARA News) - During the first semester of this year, the Department of Marine Affairs and Fisheries (DKP) was able to prevent the country from losing Rp489 billion to illegal fishing, a DKP official said.

Solo to Host Euro-Asia World Heritage Cities Conference
Solo, a cultural city located in Central Java, will host the International Conference of World Heritage Cities for Euro-Asia from Oct. 25 to 28, 2008.

Indonesia's Construction Sector Facing Tough Challenges
The cost of an average Indonesian construction project during the January to May period this year was US$10.4 million. In 2007 the full-year average cost was $7.2 million.

Tuesday, August 12, 2008
RI Rejects US Congressmen's Request on Two OPM Activists
The Indonesian government will not meet the request of a group of United States Congressmen to release two convicted sympathizers of the outlawed separatist Free Papua Organization (OPM), a spokesman said.

Indonesia to Invite Foreign VIPs to Attend National Day Celebrations
Jakarta (ANTARA News) - President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono will invite a number of foreign dignitaries to attend celebrations of the Indonesian Independence Day which falls on August 17.

Consumer Confidence Bounces Back in July
The country's consumer confidence finally turned away from its waning path in July and began to show a slight improvement, according to a survey by the central bank.

Government to Pay Tax Restitutions to Coal Mining Firms
Jakarta (ANTARA News) - The government will grant tax restitutions to coal mining companies that have paid taxes in excess of their obligations, a spokesman said.

Indonesia to Produce One Million Tons of Cocoa in 2013
Jakarta - The Agriculture Ministry, through a national movement to increase the production and quality of cocoa launched by Vice President Yusuf Kalla, has projected cocoa production in 2013 at one million tons.

RI Proposes Marine Product Certification
Indonesia is proposing that marine products produced and sold in Asia Pacific undergo certification in order to increase their esteem on international markets and to discourage poaching.

Team Considers Scrapping TNI's Central Cooperatives
8 A national team preparing for the transfer of Indonesian Military (TNI) assets to the state is considering recommending that hundreds of its central cooperatives be dissolved.

Monday, August 11, 2008
President Vows to Beat Energy Crisis
President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono looks to never run out of steam when it comes to national energy efficiency.

New Analysis: 34 Parties, but Only Eight Have Much of a Chance
Seventeen of the 24 parties contesting the 2004 election won seats in the House of Representatives.

Government Encourages CPO, Cacao Exports: Trade Minister
The government is encouraging the export of the country's premier commodities in order to increase export volumes following the recent decline in the world oil price, says Trade Minister Mari E. Pangestu.

Geothermal Energy Hangs on Pricing Plan
The government has said geothermal power will contribute 30 percent to its 10,000 megawatts (MW) electricity program, but investment in the clean energy source is being threatened by an unexpected pricing plan.

Australia Commits Up to $2.5 Billion for Poverty Eradication in RI
Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Australia will provide up to AUD 2.5 billion (21.25 trillion rupiah) over the next five years to Indonesia to tackle poverty and assist it to achieve its social and economic development priorities, the Australian embassy said in its website on Monday.

Sunday, August 10, 2008
President: Religious Propagation Important for National Progress
Jakarta - President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said that religious propagation needs to be developed to improve the life of the nation, both physically and spiritually.

Saturday, August 9, 2008
RI Economy to Improve in 2009: Economist
Jakarta - The Indonesian economy in 2009 is expected to be in a better shape than in 2008, an economist said.

VP Expects RI to be Rice Exporter in 2009
Makassar, S Sulawesi - Vice President M Jusuf Kalla expects Indonesia to become a rice exporting nation by 2009.

Friday, August 8, 2008
RI Reelected to Two Important Bodies in Universal Postal Union
Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Indonesia has been elected to membership in two important bodies in the Universal Postal Union (UPU), namely the Council of Administration (CA) and the Postal Operations Council (POC), for a second term (2008-2012), according to a report from Geneva.

President: Results of Innovations, Research Must Benefit Society
Jakarta (ANTARA News) - President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said the results of innovations and research should be applied for the benefit of the common people.

KPK the most credible body: Survey
The Indonesian public considers the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) the law enforcement institute with the highest integrity, a new survey revealed on Thursday.

Medco to Speed up Blok A Gas Production to Tap High Gas Prices
PT Medco Energi International, the country's second largest gas producer, plans to speed up by one year the development of the Blok A gas project in Nangroe Aceh Darussalam.

Foreign Tourists Arrive in Wamena fot Baliem Valley Festival
Jayapura - Hundreds of foreign tourists have arrived in Wamena, the capital of Jayawijaya district in Papua, to savor the local cultural attractions to be offered by the Baliem Valley Festival to begin on Friday (Aug 8).

Tourist Flow to Mt Rinjani in NTB Increasing
Mataram, W Nusa Tenggara (ANTARA News) - The number of tourists coming to Mount Rinjani (3,726 m above sea level), one of West Nusatenggara (NTB)`s main tourist attractions, is rising every year, a local official said.

Thursday, August 7, 2008
President : RI Should Fight For Justice in WTO
Jakarta - President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said Indonesia should fight for justice in the World Trade Organization (WTO) so that its agricultural products would gain a proper place in world markets.

RI Expected to Achieve New Record in Tin Bar Exports
Jakarta - Indonesia is expected to achieve a new record in tin bar exports which are estimated to reach US$1.7 billion this year thanks to the upward trend in the commodity's price in the world market, a senior official said.

Amien: Three Solutions to Overcome Crisis in Indonesia
Jambi - Former Chairman of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) Amien Rais said there were only three solutions to overcome the current economic, social and cultural crisis in Indonesia.

Energy, Food Crises Top Asian Science Camp's Agenda
With global food and energy crises in full swing, young scientists will come to the rescue in the nick of time and save Indonesia and the world from catastrophe.

Peace Meet Says Violence the Fault of Big Powers
Major powers are blamed for persistent global violence due to increased arms production and sales to conflict areas, mostly developing countries, an international peace conference concluded in Jakarta on Wednesday.

Wednesday, August 6, 2008
Foreign Ministry Intensifying Diplomacy to Support National Food Resilience
Foreign Affairs Minister Hassan Wirayuda said his ministry was intensifying its diplomatic efforts to help the nation achieve food resilience by proposing discussions on the current food crisis to the UN and other multilateral meetings.

Lower Election Threshold 'Can Allow' for Young Candidates
The quest for a young candidate to win the presidency next year will rely on political parties' acceptance of a lower electoral threshold, a discussion heard Tuesday.

Parties 'Serve Corporate Interests'
Indonesia has seen regime changes, but the tyranny of capital has always determined the road to power, with the democratic process benefiting only the wealthy groups at the expense of the poor majority, political experts said Tuesday.

Political Parties Urged to Immediately Report Campaign Teams
Jakarta - Political parties have been asked to immediately report the names of those involved in their campaign teams and the schedules of their campaign activities to the General Election Commission (KPU).

BI Raises Key Rate; Bank Loans Still Robust
Bank Indonesia, the country's central bank, has raised its benchmark rate a fourth consecutive time to 9 percent amid high inflationary pressure.

Exxonmobil to Start Explorations in Mandar Block in Late 2008
Makassar, S Sulawesi - Exxon Mobil Oil Indonesia Inc will be ready to start oil/gas explorations in the Mandar Block, West Sulawesi, after completing a survey on the block's potential reserves, a company spokesman said.

Family Planning Back on the Cards Due to Worrying Growth
The government plans to revitalize the largely abandoned family planning program to put the brakes on population growth, which will soon reach an alarming rate if no action is taken.

Tuesday, August 5, 2008
President Yudhoyono Stresses on Importance of Cultural Diversity
Kendari, - President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said Indonesia's cultural diversity could serve as basic capital for the nation to make progress and achieve excellence.

New Strategy to Boost Creative Industries
The West Java Trade and Industry Agency has designed a business strategy to develop creative industries in order to increase revenue for the province.

Increase in BI Rate not to Affect Economy: BI Governor
Jakarta, - Bank Indonesia (BI) said the increase in the central bank's benchmark interest rate (BI rate) by 25 basis points to 9.00 percent would not affect Indonesia's economic activities.

RI Welcomes Foreign Students Keen to Learn More
They come from different countries and represent different cultures, but they have one thing in common: They all love Indonesia and its unique culture.

Court Okays Incumbent for Rerun
The Constitutional Court on Monday annulled an article in the regional autonomy law, thus allowing Lampung Governor Sjachroedin Z.P. to keep his post while running for reelection.

House Agrees for KPK to Monitor Its Sessions
Leaders of the House of Representatives and the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) on Tuesday agreed to allow the anti-corruption body to take part in sessions deliberating state budgets bill.

Monday, August 4, 2008
Much Progress Made in RI's Legal Reform: President
President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said Indonesia had made much progress toward legal reform although there were many weaknesses still needing to be overcome.

Kalla Hints at Leaving SBY for 2009 Race
Vice President Jusuf Kalla indicated Saturday that he would seek to stay in power after the 2009 presidential election, but not necessarily with President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.

Survey: Megawati Slightly More Popular than Yudhoyono
Jakarta (ANTARA News) - A recent survey by the Reform Institute shows former president Megawati Soekarnoputri to be slightly above incumbent President Soesilo Bambang Yudhoyono in popularity as a presidential hopeful.

Yudhoyono Opens Biotechnology Conference at IPB
Bogor (ANTARA News) - President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono is to officially open the Fourth Indonesian Biotechnology Conference (IBC-2008) at State Palace here Tuesday.

BI Advised to Abandon Classical Policies to Curb Inflation
Jakarta - The National Development Planning Agency (Bappenas) has expressed hope Bank Indonesia (the central bank/BI) will no longer take classical steps by tightening monetary policies and raising interest rates to anticipate high inflation pressure until the end of this year.

VP Asks LIPI to Provide Nation with Optimism
Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Vice President Jusuf Kalla said the Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI) should give the nation optimism about the future instead of issuing critical reports all the time.

Saturday, August 2, 2008
US Exploring Possibility of Cooperation With RI's Islamic Organizations
New York - The United States is looking into the possibility of cooperation with Islamic mass organizations in Indonesia particularly in the fields of education, health service and culture.

Improved Life is Main Target to Overcome Conflicts, Foreign Minister Says
Jakarta, (ANTARA News)- Foreign Minister Hassan Wirajuda believed that an improvement in social and economic life is the first that needs to be achieved by Muslim scholars in efforts to bring about peace in the muslim world.

Regional Youth Interfaith Dialog Highlights Common Challenge of Climate Change
Jakarta, (ANTARA News) - Australian Ambassador to Indonesia Bill Farmer has welcomed Australia’s participation in the Asia Pacific Interfaith Youth Camp 2008 held in Surabaya from 27-31 July 2008, the Australian embassy said in its website here on Friday.

Friday, August 1, 2008
Yudhoyono Calls on Muslims to Restore Islam's Greatness
Pangkal Pinang (ANTARA News) - President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono called on all Muslims in Indonesia to strive to restore the greatness of Islam so that it would really be a "blessing for the universe."

ICIS Meeting Closes with Call to Eliminate Islamophobia
The Third International Conference of Islamic Scholars (ICIS) ended its four-day meeting here Friday with the issuance of a call for efforts to reduce Islamophobia in the world.

Prioritize Local Market: Kalla
Vice President Jusuf Kalla urged companies to emphasize meeting local demand, in particular those operating in remote regions, to help prevent conflicts with neighboring communities which would disrupt their business operations.

Medco Buys Back 10.668 million Shares
PT Medco Energy International Tbk (MEDC) has bought back 10.688 million of its shares worth a maximum of US$80 million, says a company spokesperson.

Indonesia’s July CPI Up 1.37 pct vs June, Up 11.9 pct/yr
Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Indonesia's consumer price index (CPI) in July rose 1.37 percent from June and was up 11.9 percent from a year earlier mainly due to supply shortages, an official said on Friday.

Indonesia Should Ignore EU's Flight Ban, Legislator Says
Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Mutammimul Ula, a legislator from the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS), said Indonesia should ignore the European Union (EU)`s ban on Indonesian airline flights because it was a unilateral decision.