News Archives - February 2008

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Friday, February 29, 2008
47 Political Parties Undergo Verification for 2009 Election
The 47 parties were selected from 112 political groups registered with the Justice and Human Rights Ministry to take part in the 2009 national polls.

Citizenship Law 'Needs Further Publication'
The revolutionary new citizenship law, passed in 2006, has brought new hope to transnational couples, but the public needs more information to be able to take full advantage of it.

Fight Against Poverty Focuses on Women
A new attitude toward the fight against poverty has seen three cities encourage public participation in policy-making and design budgets that embrace women and the underprivileged.

Wednesday, February 27, 2008
Government Urged not to Set High Growth Target
Jakarta - The House of Representatives (DPR) is set to call on the government during deliberations on the revised 2008 state budget this week not to set its economic growth rate target at the high figure of 6.4 percent for this year on the ground it will put a further strain on the state's debts.

RI Wants Myanmar Junta to Allow Suu Kyi in Elections
JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia wants Myanmar to allow detained pro-democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi to participate in the military junta's planned referendum and elections in order to make the process credible and inclusive, Foreign Minister Hassan Wirayuda said Wednesday.

Government to Speed Up Formation of Geothermal Company
Jakarta - The State Ministry of State Enterprises (BUMN) is to speed up the formation of a new geothermal mining company to explore and exploit geothermal potentials in the country, a spokesman said.

Tuesday, February 26, 2008
U.S. Offers Help with Defense
The United States offered Monday to help Indonesia address its defense problems, which have forced the archipelago to depend on aging war machines.

RI Considering Buying Six US-Made F-16s
Jakarta - Indonesia is considering buying six US-made F-16 Fighting Falcon jet fighters to increase its air force's combat readiness, Defense Minister Juwono Sudarsono said.

US Defense Secretary: RI Plays Important Role in Asian Region
Jakarta - The U.S Government believed that Indonesia plays an important role in the Asian region with a world-wide impact, prompting many countries to establish cooperation with the Indonesian government, including in the military field.

Wednesday, February 20, 2008
Indonesia Still Seen as Key U.S. Partner
The United States deems supporting democratization in Indonesia a priority, and whoever wins the American presidency will consider the Southeast Asian country an important partner, a U.S. Congressman says.

President: Indonesian Democracy Now at Point of No Return
Jakarta - President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said that democracy in Indonesia has reached a point of no return.

RI Has no Reason to Delay Recognition of Kosovo: Analysts
President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has no reason to delay Indonesia's recognition of Kosovo's independence as the nation has fulfilled all requirements to become a free state, analysts say.

Tuesday, February 19, 2008
President: RI Still Waiting for Outcome of UNSC Discussion on Kosovo
Jakarta - The Indonesian government is still waiting for the results of a discussion in the UN Security Council to adopt a stand on Kosovo's independence, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said.

US Business Players Still Question Security Conditions in RI: Envoy
New York - Security conditions in Indonesia are still being questioned by many US business players and regarded as one of the factors that discourage them from investing in the country, Indonesian Ambassador to the United States Sudjadnan Parnohadingrat said.

US Congress to Give Democracy-Strengthening Assistance to Aceh Lawmakers
Banda Aceh - The US Congress is to provide Aceh Legislative Assembly members with assistance to strengthen democracy in the province, the spokesman of a visiting US Congress delegation said.

Din Syamsuddin: Next US President Should Change Attitude toward Islam
Jakarta - The next US president in dealing with Islam must be able to distinguish between Islam and political practices and expressions by Islamic political actors who have distorted Islam as a terrorist religion, a religious leader says.

Friday, February 15, 2008
Indonesian GDP Growth Slows in 4th Quarter, but 2007 Growth is Highest in Decade
JAKARTA (AP): Indonesia's economy grew at a slowerpace in the fourth quarter compared to the third, but its 2007 growth rate was the fastest in a decade because of rising investments and commodity exports, the government said Friday.

US Defense Secretary to Visit Indonesia
Jakarta - US Defense Secretary Robert Gates will visit Indonesia later this month to discuss maritime security in South East Asia, Indonesian Defense Minister Yuwono Sudarsono said here on Thursday.

Indonesian Students Safe in U.S. Shooting
DEKALB, Illinois (JP): No Indonesian students were among the dead or injured in the deadly shooting Thursday afternoon (Friday morning in Jakarta) at Northern Illinois University (NIU) in the U.S.

Thursday, February 14, 2008
Govt, House Plan to Cut Corporate Tax to 25%
Aiming to boost private sector investment, the government and the House of Representatives are planning to cut corporate income tax to a single rate of 25 percent in an amendment of the income tax law.

RI Calls for Harder Work to Implement Climate Change Action Plan
New York – Indonesian Environment Minister Rachmat Witoelar called on all countries in the world to work harder to implement the Bali Action Plan agreed on at the Climate Change Conference in Bali last year.

UN Says Okay to Proposals on Climate Change, Myanmar
The UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has accepted Indonesia's two initiatives including to form a high-level contact group on climate change and to solve Myanmar's problems.

Monday, February 11, 2008
President Condemns Ramos Horta's Shooting
Jakarta - President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has condemned the shooting of his Timor Leste counterpart, Jose Ramos Horta, by rebel soldiers.

RI Ministry Still Seeking Confirmed Information on Shooting of Horta
Jakarta - The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is still contacting the Indonesian Embassy in Dili to seek confirmed information on the security situation in Timor Leste following the shooting by rebel soldiers of President Ramos-Horta in a pre-dawn attack on Monday.

Friday, February 8, 2008
Economic Growth, Poverty-Unemployment Reduction Key to SBY's Electoral Sentiment: LSI
Jakarta - Good economic growth, reduction of the unemployment and poverty rates will be the key to Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (SBY)'s electoral sentiment in the 2009 general election, according to a survey conducted by the Indonesian Survey Institute (LSI).

Thursday, February 7, 2008
Indonesians Rooting for Democrats
Hundreds of Indonesians were briefly Americans here Wednesday when they cast their vote in a mock "Super Tuesday" election with the Democratic Party snatching a landslide win over the Republicans.

Tuesday, February 5, 2008
RI Poised to Become Nuclear Powered Nation Within Decade
Jakarta (ANTARA) - For the Indonesian government, nuclear energy appears the only fuel source able to sustain the country's growing population. Having invested in nuclear technology for over 30 years, Indonesia is stepping ever closer to building its first power plant which could be the first in South-East Asia.

RI to Take Advantage of ASEAN Single Window System
Jakarta - Indonesia will take advantage of the Asean Single Window (ASW) system which is being implemented in accordance with the blueprint of the Asean Economic Community (AEC), Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Boediono said here on Tuesday.

Monday, February 4, 2008
Bush to Ask Congress for $16M in Indonesian Military Funding
U.S. President George W. Bush is poised to deliver his annual budget request Monday, proposing US$186 million in bilateral assistance to Indonesia in 2009, including some $16 million for military funding.