Minister sees off employees going on home-bound Idul Fitri trip

Purnomo Yusgiantoro.

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Defense Minister Purnomo Yusgiantoro saw off around 700 employees of his office and their families who embarked on a trip to their home towns or villages to celebrate the post-fasting holiday of Idul Fitri here on Friday.

They left in 36 buses which the ministry normally uses for the daily transportation of employees from home to office and vice versa.

"We wish to help them in their travel as they are members of the ministry`s extended family," the minister said after seeing-off the employees and their families to areas around Yogyakarta and Solo in Central Java.

He hoped the employees would not be wasteful in using their money while on the holiday. "Do not let it happen that they have to continue to fast after returning to Jakarta again (because they lack money). They have a lot of money coming from their salary, Idul Fitri allowance, remuneration, September salary and others," he said.

The minister gave the assurance that the buses although not air-conditioned were all road worthy. "We have checked them all and even briefed the drivers with regard to safety," he said.

The employees were expected to return to their respective jobs on September 5. Those who did not return to the office on schedule would be given a sanction, he said.

"So far no employee has failed to come on schedule (after the holidays). Those who did fail to come happened to be sick," he said.

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Bodies of nine speed boat accident victims found

Sampit, Central Kalimantan  (ANTARA News) - The bodies of nine people who drowned after a speed boat with 40 passengers on board capsized in Central Kalimantan on Wednesday (Aug 24), have been found, a police officer said.

The speed boat accident killed nine people and the bodies of all of them have been recovered, Adjunct Commissioner Sumarya of the Central Kalimantan water police, said here on Friday.

The last two bodies were found by local fishermen on Friday morning at a location not far from the accident`s site.

The nine victims were identified as Krisno Mulyo Utomo, Tugiyati, Rudi, Rumaningsih, Doni, Sri Wilujeng, Nur Huda, Nisa and Wika Mareta Pangesti.

On the day of the tragic accident (Aug 24), five bodies were found and later buried in Sampit on Thursday (Aug 25) in one grave. Another body was discovered on Thursday.

The victims were members of one family who had just arrived from Surabaya, East Java, to celebrate Idul Fitri in Pegatan, Katingan Kuala sub district, Katingan District, Central Kalimantan.

"The joint Search and Rescue (SAR) team involving personnel of the Central Kalimantan water police, the Katingan Kuala police office, the Kotawaringin Timur and Pegatan ferry seaport authorities, the Samuda Naval post, Mentaya Hilir Selatan sub district, Kotawaringin Timur District, has stopped the search efforts because all of the victims` bodies were found," he said.

Executive Administrator of Sampit Seaport Edi Sumarsono said the operation of the ill-fated speed boat to carry passengers was illegal because it did not have a permit.

Katingan water police spokesman Adjunct Commissioner Sudirman said here on Thursday that the speedboat carrying Lebaran holiday travelers was engulfed by huge waves at Cemeti strait between Kotawaringin Timur and Katingan districts at 8.30 local time on Wednesday.

Sudirman said the ill-fated speed boat, skippered by Aliansyah, left Mentawai Baru Hilir in Kotawaringin Timur district at 7 in the morning for Pegatan in in Katingan district but 90 afterward it was hit by big waves and then capsized at Cemeti strait.
(Uu.F001/HAJM)

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World Quds Day is Day Of Muslims call for justice, independence

Kuala Lumpur (ANTARA News/IRNA-0ANA) - Malaysian Ulama Association president Abdul Ghani Shamsuddin said on Friday that the World Quds Day is the day of Muslims' call for justice and independence.

Talking to IRNA, Shamsuddin said the Middle East nations are today suffering from problems caused by the yoke of the Zionist Regime and the US over the region.

He said the World Quds Day provides the world people with an opportunity to voice their hatred of the main source of corruption in the world and the region.

He noted that the World Quds Day does not belong to Palestinian people only because it is a legacy of the late Founder of the Islamic Republic Imam Khomeini.

He said designation of the last Friday of the fasting month of Ramadan as the World Quds Day indicates the great personality, lofty ideas and far-sightedness of the late Imam Khomeini.

He noted that the World Quds Day is in fact the day of the campaign of the oppressed against the arrogance.
(T.A045/H-AK)

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Starving Sri Lankan immigrants finally disembark from boat

Illegal imigrant from Sri Lanka in Tanjungpinang, Kepulauan Riau.

Tanjungpinang, Riau Islands (ANTARA News) - After stubbornly refusing to disembark from the MV Alicia since July 10, 2011, 84 illegal Sri Lankan immigrants on Friday finally agreed to leave their boat due to starvation.

They surrendered to the Tanjungpinang Immigration Office which immediately sent them to its Detention Center (Rudenim), the center`s chief, Sugiyo, said here on Friday.

Initially, there were 87 Sri Lankan immigrants aboard the boat, but a baby was born recently, and four of the immigrants were still being treated in a hospital in Tanjungpinang.

At first, 13 of them disembarked from the boat on Thursday (Aug 25) and went to the cener. The next day (Friday, Aug 25), the remaining 71 people followed and now all of them were at the Rudenim.

"We are now checking the newly disembarked Sri Lankan immigrants," he said.

However, Sugiyo refused to comment on a report that the immigrants were forced to leave the boat because they were hungry.

Last July 2011, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) representative in Indonesia had asked the 87 Sri Lankan immigrants to disembark from their boat, the MV Alicia, for registration and verification.

"They must get off the boat for registration and verification whether they are refugees or not," Manuel Jordao, the UNHCR Representative in Indonesia, said after holding a meeting with representatives of the Sri Lankan foreign ministry and immigration office at the Sri Bintan Pura international seaport, Tanjungpinang, Riau Islands, last July.

A Sri Lankan immigrant who jumped off the MV Alicia on Wednesday (Aug 24) said there was not enough food and drinking water on the boat.

"There is no more sugar, fish, meat and salt in the boat, only rice," Prem Kumar, the immigrant, said.

He said the 87 Sri Lankan immigrants aboard the MV Alicia were in "very bad" condition because they did not have enough food and drinking water.

They could each have only one small bottle of mineral water per one person for two days. "We are thirsty," Prem Kumar said.

Prem Kumar and four other immigrants, namely Tharma Palan, Syakaran, Kajan and Theepan had jumped off the MV Alicia on Wednesday (Aug 24) at 3.30 am local time.

Some 87 Sri Lankan immigrants wanting to ask for asylum in New Zealand or Canada, had been staying aboard the MV Alicia in Tanjungpinang waters since July 10, 2011, after they were arrested in Riau Strait waters, Batam. They had previously refused to leave the boat before their demand was met.

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PLN exploring gas supplies from Australia, PNG

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - State electricity company PT Perusahaan Listrik Negara (PLN) is looking into the possibility of gas supplies from Australia, Papua New Guinea and Qatar to meet its gas needs, its president director said.

"We will select which of them will offer the best price," PLN President Director Dahlan Iskan said in the Vice Presidential Palace compounds here on Thursday.

Earlier, the state power utilities also explored the possibility of gas supplies from Iran. The company was in the middle of negotiating with Iran on gas price, he said.

It seemed that Iran was serious about supplying gas to PLN, he said.

"The negotiations are still going on. Last week, an Iranian delegation came to Indonesia, meaning that they (Iran) are serious about supplying gas to PLN," he said.

The Iranian delegation`s visit to Indonesia came after PLN officials visited Iran some time ago to explore the possibility of gas supplies.

Dahlan said PLN was also in the process of bidding for gas supplies from Qatar. However, he stopped short of revealing the bidding price. "I don`t want to comment on it because this is trade," he said.

He said PLN was in dire need of additional gas supplies following the government`s plan to reduce energy subsidies next year.

PLN needs an extra gas supply of 600 billion British thermal unit per day (BBTUD) to meet its gas needs of 900 BBTUD.

"We have 300 BBTUD now. We need another 600 BBTUD," he said.

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Garuda recruits stewardesses iIn Korea

Surabaya, East Java (ANTARA News) - Indonesian flag carrier PT Garuda Indonesia has recruited a number of stewardesses in Seoul, South Korea, Garuda`s Vice President Corporate Communications, Pujobroto, told ANTARA News from Surabaya, East Java, on Friday.

"A medical examination of the prospective stewardesses to work for Garuda was done by a doctor under professional standards," Pujobroto said.

During the medical examination, the doctor was accompanied by Garuda`s local female staff members who are Korean nationals, he said, adding that the staff members gave explanations related to the health test.

The selection of stewardesses started on July 27, 2011, and five of those who applied, failed to continue the next selection process, he said.
(Uu.KR-LWA/H-NG/F001)

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Bali imports capital goods worth $44.6 mln

Denpasar, Bali (ANTARA News) - Bali imported a variety of capital goods worth US$44.6 million in the first five months of 2011 to boost its economic growth.

The capital goods mostly consisted of manufactured products, Jeffrey Kairupan, official of Bank Indonesia (the central bank)`s office in Bali, said in a report on economic and financial studies on Friday.

He said local businessmen, most of them tourism operators, imported a variety of capital goods in the hope of encouraging the local economy and increasing the local people`s living standard.

The imported capital goods included wheat, ships, floating structures, mechanical appliances, electrical apparatuses, jewelry and iron and steel products.

He said the imported capital goods were bought from about 30 countries, including China, the United States, Singapore, Russia, Vietnam and Britain.

Most of the capital goods were imported from China with a total value of US$12.6 million, followed by the United States with US$7.4 million and Singapore with US$5.7 million, he said.

It seemed that all parties had not questioned the high value of imported capital goods because they believed the capital goods would have a positive impact on the regional economy and the local people`s welfare, he said.
(Uu.S012/HAJM/F001)

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Sri Lanka lifts state of emergency

New Delhi (ANTARA) - Sri Lanka today announced the lifting of the state of emergency imposed nearly 30 years ago to confront the threat from the Tamil Tigers.

The announcement was made by President Mahinda Rajapaksa in Parliament saying, "I am satisfied that the state of emergency is no longer required. So we will not extend it."

Rajapaksa said, "Today I propose to this assembly the withdrawal of the emergency laws to enable the country to conduct its affairs through its normal laws and in a democractic manner," PTI news agency reported.

The island nation has been under a state of emergency since 1983, when the LTTE under its late commander Velupillai Prabhakaran was posing a threat to the country's government and forces.

The announcement of the withdrawal of the draconian laws came as Colombo is facing intense international pressure to end the arbitrary laws with human rights group accusing authorities of misusing it to crack down on dissent.

The Parliament extended the state of emergency every month and the practise was continued despite the end of the war in 2009.

Rajapaksa said there had been not a single act of terrorism in the island since the war with the LTTE ended in May 2009.

Emergency regulations allowed the security forces to detain a person whom they "believe may commit offences," for up to one year as a preventive measure.

The laws were first introduced in 1971 after an insurrection by the Marxists to topple the then government, but was abolished in 1977.

In 1983, the regulations came to be re-imposed with the stepping up of the separatist campaign by the LTTE.

In 1994, the regulations were limited to the north and eastern districts where the LTTE were running their parallel administration.

The whole country was put under the regulations in 1995 when the LTTE resumed its hostilities after a brief period of talks with the government.

With the government entering the Norwegian backed peace talks with the LTTE, the state of emergency was lifted in 2002 only to be re-imposed in August 2005 when the LTTE carried out the murder of the then foreign minister Lakshman Kadirgamar.

The Rajapaksa government in May this year relaxed some of the provisions where the period of detention was reduced to three months. (A045)

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Iran backs restoration security in Iraq

Tehran (ANTARA News) - President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said on Thursday that the Islamic Republic of Iran fully backs restoration of security and progress in Iraq.

President Ahmadinejad made the remarks in a meeting with visiting Iraqi deputy chairman of Iraqi Kurdistan administration Nechirvan Barzani.

Given historical and cultural affinities between the Islamic Republic of Iran and Iraq, President Ahmadinejad said Iran calls for expansion of all-out cooperation with Iraq on mutual interests.

President Ahmadinejad, IRNA-0ANA reported, said that anyone who creates obstacles in the way of success and development of Iraq would be considered its enemies.

He said that a developed and stable Iraq will be to the benefit of Iran as well as the entire region.

President Ahmadinejad said that the future belongs to the nations in this region and by the time they remain united, the enemies never dare to take action against them.

President Ahmadinejad said that common enemies of Iran and Iraq who have plundered the region for over a century are now seeking to mastermind new plots to create insecurity in the region.

He said that it requires vigilance of all nations to thwart the conspiracy.

Referring to recent developments in Libya, President Ahmadinejad said that the bullying powers seek to spend cost of their hegemonic adventurism from the wealth of the other countries and have currently focused on libya to plunder its wealth.

He called on Libyan nation to take care of their national wealth from theft.

The Iraqi official, on his part briefed the president on his country`s situation and thanked Iran?s assistance to restore security and stability of Iraq.

"We believe that regional problems should be settled down through contribution and assistance of countries in the region."

Iraq will oppose to any threat against Iran?s security, he said.

He also thanked Iran?s assistance to the people of Iraqi Kurdistan province mainly in the wake of chemical attacks by Saddam Hussein on Halabja which claimed lives of several thousand people. (A045/)

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President asks farmers to make Indonesia rice center

Baturraden, C Java (ANTARA News) - President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono appealed on Thursday to all farmers to work hand in hand to make Indonesia the world`s rice production center.

He made the appeal moment before he broke the fast along with farmers at Karangmangu soccer field at Baturraden, Banyumas district, Central Java.

"We can increase our rice production significantly so our dream of turning Indonesia into a rice production center in the country or the world can come into being," he said.

The President said the government had committed itself to increase budget allocations for the agricultural sector. Hopefully, Indonesia would have a rice surplus of up to 10 million tons in the years to come.

"The budget allocations for the agricultural sector will be raised in 2012. Hopefully, the increase in budget allocations will further raise our rice production," he said.

On the occasion, the head of state also handed assistance to Dewi Sri farmers group to encourage them to increase their productivity.

The President was in Baturraden as part of his five-day Ramadhan safari which earlier took him to a number of districts in West Java and Central Java provinces.

In Cilacap district, the President inspected rice harvest at Sampang area and held a dialog with local farmers.

The President`s entourage included National Education Minister M Nuh, State Minister for Cooperatives and Small Businesses Syarif Hassan, Minister/State Secretary Sudi Silalahi and Cabinet Secretary Dipo Alam. (*)

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Telkomsel dispatches 5,000 Idul Fitri travelers for free

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Some 5,000 Idul Fitri travelers are joining free `mudik` (home-bound trips) program of cellular phone operator PT Telkomsel this year, an executive of the company said.

As part of the program, PT Telkomsel dispatched 1,000 Idul Fitri travelers on Thursday using train.

The 1,000 Idul Fitri travelers went home towns through PT Telkomsel`s Mudik (going home towns) for free program or `Mudik TelkomselSiaga Gratis.`

"TelkomSiaga Mudik For Free program is a form of appreciation of Telkomsel for its customers and a synergy with state-owned railway company PT Kreta Api Indonesia (KAI)," Telkomsel`s Vice President for Jakarta and West Java Venusiana Papasi said after bidding a farewell to the travelers at Gambir Railway station here on Thursday.

Vanusiana said the travelers were transported by 136 coaches of the executive Agro Anggrek, Bima and Sembrani trains, with the farthest destination of Surabaya in East Java.

The trains will pass on two main lanes, namely the northern lane (Agro Anggrek and Sembrani) passing by Pekalongan, Semarang and Surabaya (final distination), and the southern lane (Agro Anggrek and Bima) passing by Cirebon, Purwokerto, Yogyakarta, Solo, Madiun, Kertosono, Jombang and Surabaya (final destination).

She said that Telkomsel in its `Mudik TelkomselSiaga for free` for 2011 dispatched 5,000 Idul Fitri customer travelers who were transported by five modes of transportation, namely trains, ships, buses, cars and airplanes.

Through the sea, Telkomsel sent 2,000 travelers with the routes of Makassar-Tanjung Perak of Surabaya (Laboar ship, 600 travelers), Belawan-Batam (Kelud ship, 700 passengers, Ambon - Bau Bau South Sulawesi (Dobonsolo ship, 350) and Sampit - Palangkaraya - Tanjung Emas - Semarang (Lawit ship, 350).

"Telkomsel is the only cellular operator which serves travelers with a telecommunication facility on 15 ships of the state-owned shipping lines PT Pelni," Venusiana said.

Apart from that, Telkomsel also facilitated the departure of 100 travelers using cars in cooperation with a Toyota, Daihatsu and Nissan sole agent (ATPM).

The number of Telkom`s mudik for free program`s participants using buses reached 1,000 customers while those departing in airplanes consisted of 600 Idul Fitri revelers with the routes of Jakarta-Padang, Jakarta-Surabaya and Jakarta - Makassar.
(Uu.A014/HAJM/S012)

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RI team in Kenya to help Somalian famine refugees

Jakarta  (ANTARA News) - A team of Indonesian humanitarian workers from ACT (Quick Response Action) is currently in Kenya to help Somalian famine refugees staying in a camp at Dadaab near the border with Somalia.

Imam Akbari, the team leader, in a message to ANTARA News on Thursday said the team consisting of two doctors and two logistics volunteers would set up a base camp in Garissa, the capital of the North Eastern Province of Kenya.

The team was in Nairobi on Saturday (Aug 20) and planning to proceed to Mogadishu, Somalia, after completing its mission in refugee camp at Dadaab, he said.

The Dadaab refugee camp was controlled by Kenya`s Immigration Ministry and UNHCR and located in North Eastern Province, an area in northeastern Kenya, that was the driest and poorest in Kenya, Imam said.

The majority of the people living in Dadaab was Muslim, and according to the Kenyan Red Cross, there were about four million poor Kenyan people in the area.

In Garissa, the team`s base camp was facilitated by Sulaiman, a local leader who had studied at UIN Jakarta. "This is evidence that Somalia, Kenya and Africa are our close relatives," said Imam.

Based on data obtained by the ACT team, the number of Somali refugees in Dadaab camp reaches 400,000, with quite high migration rate at 1200-1500 people per day.

"To reach Dadaab, Somali refugees have to walk a distance of 100 km," Imam said.

Indonesia ACT Team for Somalia is a humanitarian team dispatched by the Indonesian Committee for Solidarity Somalia (KISS).

KISS was initiated by the Quick Response Action (ACT) and declared Friday (Aug 19) in Masjid Agung Al Azhar, Jakarta as Indonesia`s response to the famine in Somalia.

Imam Akbari said his team was the first humanitarian group dispatched by KISS.

"We will work from the current emergency phase up to the recovery phase," he said.

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Travelers at Kupang airport to peak at D-day minus 4

Kupang, East Nusa Tenggara (ANTARA News) - The flow of Idul Fitri travelers at Kupang`s El Tari airport is expected to take place on D-Day minus three or minus four, assistant manager of El Tari airport Edi Chahyono said.

"We base our prediction on the flow of travelers at the airport last year when it peaked on three days and four days before the D-Day," Edi said here on Thursday.

He said that in an effort to anticipate the surge in the flow of passengers, his office had set a service command post to smooth the flow of travelers who went home towns and the reverse flow when they returned from their villages.

Edi said that the command post had been operating since Wednesday and would remain there until the D-Day plus seven.

He said that in 2010, the average number of travelers flowing through the port was 1,500 per day.

The normal 17 flights per day would likely be raised to 28 flights during the 2011 Idul Fitri festivities, he said.
(Uu.A014/HAJM/S012)

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Travelers at Makassar Port peak on D-day minus 5

Makassar, South Sulawesi (ANTARA News) - Idul Fitri travelers flowing through Makassar seaport of South Sulawesi peaked on Thursday with four motorized ships serving them, a port official said.

"Today four ships docked at the piers of the Makassar port to serve Idul Fitri travelers," Totok Iswanto, a port terminal official, said here on Thursday.

The four ships were KM Kerinci, KM Kalimutu, KM Willis and KM Dempo which arrived from a number of regions in Indonesia.

KM Dempo arrived at 1.0 am local time (Wita) and left for Ambon at 4.0 am Wita, KM Kerinci arrived at 9.0 am Wita from Bau Bau and left for Balikpapan at 5.pm Wita, KM Willis and KM Kalimutu arrived in the evening and left for Bau-Bau and Maumera respectively.

Arsidi, a passenger, has been waiting for KM Willis before it arrived. "We had better wait at the port. We are afraid to be left by the ship because we live outside Makassar," he said.
(Uu.A014/HAJM/S012)

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Mustafa Abubakar running normally in chief`s absence

ustafa Abubakar.

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - The State Ministry for State Enterprises (BUMN) is continuing to run normally although its chief, Minister Mustafa Abubakar, is being treated in hospital, a minister said.

"Although State Minister for State Enterprises Mustafa Abubakar is sick in hospital, his office is operating as usual," Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Hatta Rajasa said here on Thursday.

Hatta said he would appoint someone to perform Mustafa Abubakar`s main duties on a temporary basis.

"We are not yet considering replacing the ailing BUMN minister," Hatta said.

Hatta added that he still wanted to see what the tentative accountability would look like.

"However the important thing is that the performance of BUMN will continue to run as usual, although its minister is ill in hospital," Hatta said.

Minister Mustafa Abubakar was admitted to Medistra Hospital in South Jakarta on Tuesday at 11.00 a.m., August 23, 2011.

"He is being treated in the ICU room," Mustafa`s adjutant, Faisal Halimi, said at the hospital.

Faisal said Mustafa was being treated intensively.

"Doctors still can not establish the cause of the disease. But Mustafa`s health condition is getting better," he said.

Earlier, on Tuesday at 03.30 a.m., Mustafa was treated at MMC Hospital in Kuningan, Jakarta.

Mustafa was appointed to the post of state enterprises minister in October 2009.

Born in Pidie, Aceh, on October 15, 1949, Mustafa was president director of the National Logistics Board (Bulog) before becoming a cabinet minister.

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Asean Foundation, Health Ministry Discuss Traditional Medicines Meeting

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - ASEAN Foundation Executive Director Dr. Makarim Wibisono and two officials of the health ministry discussed a plan to organize the Third ASEAN Conference on Traditional Medicines in Indonesia, from October 31 to November 3, 2011.

The two officials of the health ministry were Dra. Niniek Kun Naryatie, the Head of the Center of International Cooperation, and Doddy Izwardy, the Head of the Division of Regional Health Cooperation, the ASEAN Foundation said in a press statement here on Wednesday.

During the discussion which was held on Tuesday (Aug 23), the Ministry of Health sought the possibility of cooperating with the ASEAN Foundation to support the ASEAN Task Force on Traditional Medicines meeting that will serve as a session during the conference.

Dr. Makarim Wibisono pointed out that the Foundation attaches great importance to the ASEAN level event such as the traditional medicines meeting because this activity falls perfectly into its mandates.

The 10th ASEAN Ministers Meetings in Singapore that was conducted on 22nd July 2010 stated the importance of traditional medicines among the 6 points of the ASEAN strategic framework on health development.

To initiate the collaboration among ASEAN Member States in integrating of the traditional medicine into the national health care system, the ASEAN Secretariat supported by Nippon Foundation commences the ASEAN Conferences on traditional medicines.

In the last decade, traditional medicines have been widely used by the health community services in all ASEAN member countries.

Many strategically high level meetings and thematic workshops in each ASEAN Member State have endorsed policies, regulations, and formulation of framework related to the traditional medicines. (*)

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Soekarno-Hatta Airport sets up 8 health care posts

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Jakarta`s Soekarno-Hatta International Airport has set up eight health care posts on its premises for the benefit of Lebaran holiday travelers, a Health Ministry spokesman said.

The ministry`s disease control and environmental sanitation spokesman Tjandra Yoga Aditama said at the airport on Thursday that the health posts were prepared to provided health services to holiday travelers.

"There is a health post at every terminal of the airport and a clinic which operates 24 hours and so we have 8 health posts all together at Soekarno-Hatta," Tjandra said.

He said the health posts 6 days before this year`s Lebaran festivity had already helped 34 patients. The number of passengers at the airport six and seven days before the holiday had increased from last year`s.

Besides, the Health Ministry had since Tuesday, August 23, 2011, opened a health post at 29 Percetakan Negara street in Central Jakarta for holiday travelers.

Tjandra said the post was set up by Health Ministry`s Disease Control and Environmental Sanitation (P2PL), and it could be directly accessed with National Police Headquarters` National Traffic Management Center.

From that post, road traffic development in Jakarta, South Sumatra, West Java, Central Java, Yogyakarta, East Java, and Bali could be monitored through four TV monitoring screens.

The post can also be contacted by phone at number 02142877587 and Dr Lucky Tjahyono as contact person at number 0811902378, or through the facebook with profile name Mudik Sehat and Twitter @MudikSehat. (Uu.O001/HAJM)

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PT Timah`s profit up 113.98 percent

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - PT Timah Tbk. (TINS) booked a net profit of Rp689 billion in the first semester this year which was an increase of 113.98 percent from Rp322 billion in the same period last year.

Corporate secretary Rielisa Fitria said in a press statement received here on Thursday one of the drivers of the company`s profit hike was the selling price of tin metal which was 69 percent higher than that of the same period last year.

She said the price of tin metal the company gained in the period was recorded at US$29,541 while the price of the commodity in the same period last year was recorded at only US$17,529.

She said the highest price of tin metal in the first semester of 2011 was US$33,255 per metric ton and the lowest was US$24,600 per metric ton with the average price standing at US$29,337 per metric ton which was 67 percent higher than that of the same period last year recorded at US$17,529.

"The world consumption of tin metal is predicted to continue to rise in the years to come while the world consumption of tin metal in 2011 is estimated to be two percent higher than that of the same period last year," she said.

She said PT Timah has been striving to increase its revenue by focusing on premium metal sales and development of downstream products.

She said the company also tried to reduce its dependency on-land mining by increasing the capacity of off-shore mining.

"Right now the company is still building a Bucket Wheel Dredge type dredger with a better technology that could dredge deeper than the present Bucket Line Dredge could achieve to support the company`s `go offshor go deeper" plan," she said.

She said the production of tin ore from offshore mines in the first semester this year totalled 8,255 ton sn, down nine percent from 9,085 tons in 2010.

She said total ore production from on-land mines reached 9,446 tons sn up 11 percent from 8,503 ton sn in 2010.

"Production of tin metal until the end of June 2011 was recorded at 18,455 metric tons while metal production reached 19,501 tons," she said.

PT Timah`s consolidated revenue in the first semester this year rose 29 percent to Rp4.830 trillion compared to Rp3,749 trillion in the same period last year.

For the period until June 30, 2011, the company`s assets were recorded at Rp6.528 trilion, 11 percent higher than Rp5.881 trillion by December 2010.

"The rise in the value of assets was followed by a rise in short-term liabilities by 32 percent," she said.

She said the value of short-term liabilities on June 30, 2011 reached Rp1.675 trillion and the debt value on December 31, 2010 was recorded at Rp1.269 trillion.

In the first semester this year, the price of tin stock fluctuated with its highest recorded at Rp2,925 and its lowest at Rp2,375 per share.

"Until June 30, 2011 the stock price was closed at Rp2,500 per share down a little from the opening price early in January, 2011 at Rp2,850," she said.

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Susi Air plane fails to land as smoke blanked the airport

Smoke blanked the airport

Muara Taweh, C Kalimantan (ANTARA News) - A Susi Air plane failed to land at Beringin Muara Teweh Airport in North Barito district, Central Kalimantan, as thick smoke blanketed the area on Thursday.

The plane which was supposed to arrive at the airport at 10 a.m. from Banjarmasin, South Kalimantan, was forced to divert its flight to Sepinggan Airport in Balikpapan, East Kalimantan, an ANTARA journalist in Muara Taweh observed.

The Cessna plane had flown around the airport six times for 20 minutes before its pilot diverted the flight to Balikpapan.

"As thick smoke blanketed the airport the pilot decided to divert the flight to Balikpapan," spokesman of Beringin Muara Teweh Airport Sidik said.

The thick smoke reduced visibility to 500 meters in the morning with a vertical visibility of 800 feet, he said.

A number of passengers at the Beringin Muara Teweh airport said they were disappointed at the incident. They preferred to wait at the airport until the weather returned to normal. However, by 11.30 a.m. thick smoke still covered the town.

The thick smoke also forced a Pelita Air plane which was supposed to take off from Syamsuddin Noor Airport in Banjarmasin at 10.00 to postpone its departure to Muara Teweh.

"The flights are not closed. They will be resumed until the weather returns to normal in the evening," he said.

Head of the Muara Teweh Natural Resources Conservation Office (KSDA)Yusuf Trismanto said slash-and-burn practices to make way for farm land was to blame for the thick smoke blanketing the town over the past few days. (S012)

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Dead or alive: Libya offer $1.7 mln for Kadhafi

Benghazi, Libya (ANTARA News/AFP) - Libyan businessmen have offered two million dinars ($1.67 million, 1.2 million euros) for the capture of Moamer Kadhafi, dead or alive, the head of the rebel National Transitional Council said on Wednesday.

"The NTC supports the initiative of businessmen who are offering two million dinars for the capture of Moamer Kadhafi, dead or alive," Mustafa Abdel Jalil said told a news conference in Benghazi.

Abdel Jalil, Kadhafi`s former justice minister who defected after the onset of the uprising in mid-February, also offered amnesty to "members of (Kadhafi`s) close circle who kill him or capture him."

"Moamer Kadhafi`s regime will not be over until he is captured dead or alive" Abdel Jalil insisted.

"We fear a catastrophe because of his behaviour," he added.

Abdel Jalil also confirmed reports from Tripoli that pro-Kadhafi gunmen were still on the loose inside the strongman`s Bab al-Aziziya compound, although it fell to rebels on Tuesday.

"As long as Kadhafi is not captured, the loyalists will continue to shoot," said Abdel Jalil.

The rebel chief also called on residents of Kadhafi`s hometown in Sirte, and those in Bin Walid, to join rebel ranks.

"Kadhafi has played up divisions in these regions by telling residents that rebels will come and take their women and their money. They should not believe these lies made by the tyrant," he said.

Kadhafi, whose whereabouts are a mystery, had offered a reward for the capture of Abdel Jalil in March, after he joined the rebels in their eastern stronghold of Benghazi. (*)

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Istiqlal Grand Imam meets Moroccan ulema in Rabat

London (ANTARA News) - The Grand Imam of Istiqlal Mosque Prof Dr Ali Mustafa Yaqub held a meeting with several prominent ulema of Morocco in Rabat, Morocco, recently.

Also present at the meeting arranged by the Indonesian embassy in Rabat were Indonesian Ambassador to Morocco Tosari Widjaja, former Alms Minister of Jordan Dr Abdessalam Abbadi, Said Hasan from Palestine and several Moroccan academics, Suparman Hasibuan, the Third Secretary of the Indonesian embassy in Rabat, said on Tuesday.

Among Moroccan ulema present at the meeting were Mohamed Amine Ismaili, Mohamed Karem el Filali and Soubihi Abdelrozak.

Ambassador Tosari said the meeting was expected strengthen the relations between Indonesia and the Arab world, Morocco in particular.

Prof Dr Ali Mustafa Yaqub and Dr Abdessalam Abbadi were in Morocco at the invitation of Moroccan King Mohammad VI to participte in Durus Hassaniah Ramadhaniah Qur`an Recital at the King`s palace.

The Moroccan King traditinally invites ulema from a number of countries to attend the Qur`an Recital event.

Mohammed VI, who was born on August, 21, 1963, is the present King of Morocco and Amir al-Mu`minin (commander of the faithful). He ascended to the throne on July 23,1999 upon the death of his father.

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Foreign investors to shift funds to Asia

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Economist Guntur S. Siboro predicted here on Tuesday that the current financial crisis in the US and Europe would encourage foreign investors to shift their funds to Asia.

Thanks to its better economic growth, Asia, particularly Indonesia, would be flooded by foreign funds, and therefore Indonesia should not be worried about the financial crisis in the US and Europe, he said.

Some parties were indeed worried the financial crisis in the US and Europe might trigger a global economic crisis similar to that in 1997-1998, he said.

He believed Indonesia`s economy would grow faster supported by the consumption, investment and export sectors.

Indonesia had no reason to worry about the crisis in the US and Europe because its exports to the two regions were not significant, he added.

Foreign investors were most likely to put their money in markets promising high profits such as Indonesia whose key interest rate was 6.75 percent, Guntur, the marketing director of PT Karyamegah Adijaya, said.

The country`s growing economy was the main factor encouraging foreign investors to choose the domestic markets, he explained.

"Indonesia is rich in natural resources and it can meet its own needs if its natural resources are managed properly," he said.

The country has reached a rice production surplus and canceled its plan to export rice as reported earlier.

The government should give incentives to boost the production of commodities such as paddy, sugar, rubber and spices, to meet domestic demand, he said.

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Rocket fire rocks Israel-Hamas truce

Gaza City, Palestinian Territories (ANTARA News/AFP) - Four rockets fired from Gaza slammed into south Israel late Monday, without causing casualties, police and the army said, undermining a truce between Palestinian militants and the Jewish state.

"Two rockets fired from Gaza fell in an uninhabited area of the town of Sderot," police spokeswoman Louba Samri told AFP, and another crashed south of the town of Ashkelon.

A military source said a fourth rocket later fell near Ashkelon.

The Popular Resistance Committees (PRC), grouping Gaza militant organisations, said on Monday they had agreed to halt rocket fire on Israel and abide by an Egyptian-brokered truce after four days of deadly clashes.

The attacks were claimed in a joint statement issued in Gaza by groups not party to the truce -- the Ali Mustapha Brigades, the armed wing of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, and the al-Nasser Brigades, a dissident wing of the PRC.

At a news conference in Gaza City, the PRC said its militants would respect a "temporary" ceasefire announced late on Sunday by the Hamas rulers of the Palestinian territory.

"We have temporarily stopped firing rockets at Israel according to the national consensus," said a masked spokesman for the group, which was blamed by Israel for a series of bloody attacks near Eilat last week that killed eight Israelis and sparked the latest round of bloodshed.

But the PRC, whose leader was killed in a series of Israeli air strikes late last week, said talk of a more permanent truce was "out of the question. We have an open account with the enemy until it leaves Palestinian soil."

The announcement came just hours after a senior Hamas official told AFP the factions had hammered out a truce agreement in talks with Egyptian officials, which would be contingent on Israel stopping its air strikes on Gaza.

"We have reached an informal agreement to establish a ceasefire from tonight on condition that Israel halts its attacks," he told AFP.

In a formal announcement on Monday, Hamas spokesman Taher al-Nunu thanked both Egypt and UN envoy Robert Serry for helping "to stop the aggression against Gaza."

"An agreement about a mutual truce was reached and we affirm that the Israeli occupation must commit to this truce because the factions told the government they are committed to it for as long as the occupation is," he said.

On Sunday night, the Hamas-run security forces were "instructed to stop the shooting" against Israel, with Palestinian police checking cars in the border area and checkpoints set up at the entrance to every town in Gaza.

Israel police said seven rockets were fired from Gaza early on Monday.

Army radio said Israel`s 15-member security cabinet decided against a ground operation for fear it "could trigger mass demonstrations in Egypt which could destabilise the regime in Cairo."

Such a step was also deemed damaging to Israel`s case a month before the Palestinians plan to seek UN membership, according to the radio.

Efforts to end the fighting in and around Gaza came as Israel sought to head off a diplomatic crisis with Egypt sparked by Thursday`s attacks near Eilat, with Cairo saying five policemen had been killed by Israeli fire during the hunt for gunmen along the border.

Two days later, Egypt`s state television said Cairo was going to recall its envoy from Israel in protest.

Israeli Defence Minister Ehud Barak expressed "regret" over the deaths and promised an investigation, but Egypt said it wasn`t enough, although it made no move to confirm reports it would recall its envoy.

The looming spectre of a crisis with Egypt played a concrete role in bringing about an end to the Gaza confrontations, according to Israeli press reports.

Tensions in and around Gaza kicked off after the Negev desert shooting attacks with Israel launching a wave of retaliatory air strikes against the PRC, killing its leader and several other of its senior militants.

In the following days, Israeli air strikes killed 15 Palestinians, nine of them militants, while more than 50 people were wounded.

Over the same period, militants fired more than 100 rockets and mortars at Israeli towns and cities in the south, killing one man and injuring more than 20, one critically.
(U.H-RN)

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Hatta sees off 5,000 Idul Fitri travelers

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - General Chairman of the National Mandate Party (PAN) Hatta Rajasa bode farewell on Tuesday to 5,000 Idul Fitri travelers who left for Java and Sumatra to celebrate the post-fasting festivities in their home towns.

"On the birthday of PAN today, we want to share our happiness with the people, particularly the needy ones so that they will be able to observe the 1432 Indul Fitri festivities with their relatives in their home towns," the PAN chairman, who is also chief economic minister, said after bidding a farewell to them here on Tuesday.

The 5,000 travelers were grouped in the "Going Home Towns for Free with PAN" program which was organized in connection with the observance of the 13th birthday of PAN on August 23, 2011.

Hatta saw off the Idul Fitri travelers at the East Parking Lot of Senayan Sports Complex here on Tuesday.

He said that most of the participants in the PAN`s "Mudik Gratis Bareng PAN" (going home for free with PAN) program were daily laborers, workers in the informal sector as well as workers or employees at small businesses. They are the generators of the national economy, he said.

The Idul Fitri D-Day this year is expected to fall on August 30 or 31, 2011.

According to the ministry of transportation, the number of Idul Fitri travelers this year (2011) is estimated at 15.5 million people, up 4.17 percent compared with last year`s 14.9 million.

Travelers going home from Jakarta alone are predicted to reach 7.129 million, up 12.98 percent from last year`s.

Going to one`s home town during the post-fasting Idul Fitri festivities or Lebaran is an annual event in Indonesia where Muslims have family reunions in the respective villages.

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Almost 5,200 kids fall from windows in U.S. annually

Beijing (ANTARA News/Xinhuanet-OANA) - In the U.S., the rate of injuries related to children and teens falling out of windows declined over a 19-year period, although not nearly as fast as in some cities with comprehensive prevention programs, researchers found.

From 1990 to 2008, the overall rate of injuries in children and teens was 7.3 per 100,000 per year, going as high as 11.4 in 1992 and as low as 5.8 in 1999, according to Gary Smith, MD, DrPh, of the Research Institute at Nationwide Children`s Hospital in Columbus, Ohio, and colleagues.

The annual rate of injuries fell slightly but significantly over the study period, driven entirely by a reduction of 0.426 cases per 100,000 per year in children up to age four, the researchers reported online ahead of the September issue of Pediatrics.

That is much less than the reduction seen in previous studies of fall prevention programs in New York City and Boston, which achieved declines of up to 96 percent during a 10-year period through education, increased access to window guards, and a mandate to use window guards in certain homes (only in New York City).

"The slower decrease followed by a plateau in injury rates found in this study underscores the fact that prevention efforts of the magnitude undertaken in New York and Boston have not occurred nationwide," Smith and hiscolleagues wrote.

The researchers also acknowledged that the study underestimated the number of injuries related to falling out of a window because it included only those children treated in emergency rooms. An additional limitation is that the case narratives often lacked details about the circumstances surrounding the injury, including any suicidal intent.

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President resumes second day safari in West Java

Cianjur, W Java (ANTARA News) - President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono continued his second day Ramadhan safari activities in a number of regions in West Java and Central Java on Tuesday.

On the second day the president is scheduled to visit a number of regions in West Java, among others, Cianjur and Cipatat after he spent the night at the Cipanas Presidential Palace.

Previously on Monday, the president visited several places in Ciawi where he observed the condition of an elementary school building in Babakan sub-district, Bogor.

At the school, the president and Mrs Ani Yudhoyono had a dialog with the teachers and the school chief on the conditions of the school which had 558 students.

The president observed the cottage industrial area in Tajur, Bogor. Yudhoyono praised the products of a bag cottage industry in the area.

President Yudhoyono also visited a cattle research center in Ciawi and had dialogs with researchers. Yudhoyono expressed his commitment to developing research means and infrastructure in the future.

The head of state closed his first day Ramadhan safari in a fast-breaking dinner with the locals at Ciawi`s At Tohirin Mosque.

Yudhoyono who was accompanied by a number of ministers will conduct a Ramadhan safari in a number of cities such as Tasikmalaya, Purwokerto and Tegal until August 26, 2011.

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RI supports Libyan choice

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Indonesia appreciates and supports the choice that has been made by the people of Libya, Foreign Affairs Minister Marty Natalegawa said here on Tuesday.

The minister made the statement in response to the latest development in Libya where rebels were reported to take control of most of the capital Tripoli while world leaders urged Muammar Gaddafi (69) to surrender to prevent more bloodshed and appealed for an orderly power transfer, as the six-month-old battle for control of the oil-producing North African country appeared to enter its finishing stages.

"Libya is now entering a decisive phase of its future. We support the Libyan choice because only the people knows what`s best for them," Marty said.

He said Indonesia expected the recent development in Libya would end violence in the country and start a political process which enable all elements in Libya to determine their future democratically.

The minister also expressed hope to see the United Nations play a greater role in creating a conducive situation in Libya to realize a democratic political process.

Earlier it was reported that remnants of forces still loyal to Muammar Gaddafi staged a desperate stand in Tripoli on Tuesday as rebels fought their way into the capital, but the whereabouts of the veteran leader was still a mystery.

Rebels say they are now in control of most of Tripoli, a sprawling coastal city of two million people on the Mediterranean Sea, but it was not clear whether Gaddafi was still in the Libyan capital.

Rebels swept into Tripoli two days ago in tandem with an uprising in the city. Reuters reporters saw firefights and clashes with heavy weapons, including anti-aircraft guns, as rebels tried to flush out snipers and pockets of resistance. Hundreds seem to have been killed or wounded since Saturday.

But Gaddafi tanks and sharpshooters appeared to hold only small areas, mainly around Gaddafi`s heavily fortified Bab al-Aziziyah compound in central Tripoli.

Civilians, who had mobbed the streets on Sunday to cheer the end of dictatorship, stayed indoors as machine gun fire and explosions punctuated some of the heaviest fighting of the Arab spring uprisings that have been reshaping the Middle East.

In an audio broadcast on Sunday before state TV went off the air, Gaddafi said he would stay in Tripoli "until the end".

There has been speculations, however, he might seek refuge in his home region around Sirte, or abroad.

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Pertamina optimistic Senoro project completed in 2014

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - State oil and gas company PT Pertamina believed the construction of the Donggi-Senoro liquefied natural gas plant in Banggai regency, Central Sulawesi, would be completed according to schedule in 2014.

Pertamina`s upstream director Muhammad Husen said in Jakarta Sunday work on the project, upstream and downstream, is running well.

"I have just returned from the location, and I noticed that work on the project both upstream and downstream is progressing well. I am therefore optimistic that the first shipment of LNG would be carried out in 2014," he said.

He said however there are some problems of land clearance especially in the upper reaches which will become the location of explorations and production.

In the meantime, land clearance in the downstream parts which will become the location of the plant had been secured.

Each part of the project, Husen said, is facing land clearance problems.

"But I believe that the team operating there would be able to overcome the problem," he said.

A similar statement was made by Vice President of Corporate Communications Mochamad Harun.

He said the Senoro project hopefully will start production in 2014.

"Some of the gas will be domestically used, namely for the power plant and fertilizers," he said.

The Senoro gas project covers the development of gas in Senoro-Toili block managed by a Joint Operating Body (JOB) of Pertamina and Medco and Matindok area operated by Pertamina.

The gas from the two fields will then be processed into liquefied natural gas at the Donggi-Senoro plant.

The Donggi-Senoro project is Indonesia`s first liquefied natural gas project using the upstream scheme.

Member of Commission VII of the House of Representatives of Golkar party faction Bobby A Rizaldi also hoped the Senoro project would be completed according to schedule.

He said Senoro project will be beneficial both for the state and local regions.

Bobby said the project will not only increase the income of the state, but also have a chain effect on economic growth of the region both in the supporting services sector and accessibility like airport expansion and better transportation.

According to calculations, assuming the project runs for 13 years and the price of crude oil is 70 US dollars per barrel, the state would earn 6.7 billion US dollars.

The project is estimated to provide employment to thousands of workers and to benefit hotels, food, and other services involving local businesses.

Other benefits of the project, he added, is allocating the gas to power plants near the location of the project, which would develop new industries.

With regard to land clearance, Bobby along with a number of other House commission VII DPR lawmakers had just visited the location of the project, and said the land which will be the upstream location of Senoro, some residents has asked for much higher prices compered to the project`s selling price of tax object.

"he said.

He said the problem of land clearance in the upper reaches must be overcome wisely with the local administration facilitating the Senoro plant as it is important for the welfare of the local population.

The LNG plant project in Senoro will have a capacity of two million tons per year.

PT DSLNG, as the plant`s operator, had signed a contract on the sale and purchase of LNG with the buyers for 13 years as of 2014.

The buyers are Chubu Electric Power Co Inc, Japan, with a volume of one million tons, Kyushu Electric Power Co Inc, Japan, 300,000 tons per year, and Korea Gas Corporation (Kogas) 700,000 tons per year.

The current DSLNG share holders are Sulawesi LNG Development Ltd 59.9 pct, PT Pertamina Hulu Energi 29 pct, and PT Medco LNG Indonesia 11.1 pct.

Sulawesi LNG Development Ltd`s shares are controlled by Mitsubishi Corporation 75 pct and Kogas 25 pct.

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Egypt recognises Libya rebel government

Cairo (ANTARA News) - Egypt on Monday recognised Libya`s rebel National Transitional Council as the legitimate government as rebels closed in on Moamer Kadhafi`s Tripoli compound, Egypt`s Foreign Minister Mohammed Amr said.

"It pleases me at this historical occasion to announce that Egypt recognises the new regime in Libya and the National Transitional Council that represents it," he said at a joint news conference with Abdel Moneim al-Huweini, the rebel envoy to Cairo and the Arab League.

Egypt, Libya`s eastern neighbour, has held back so far on recognising the rebels, who started their uprising days after an Egyptian revolt ended president Hosni Mubarak`s three decade rule.

Amr said his government would hand over the office of Libya`s Arab League representative and the Cairo embassy to Huweini.

His announcement came hours after the Arab League expressed its full solidarity with the rebel government but stopped short of recognising the NTC, which is led by Mustafa Abdel Jalil, Kadhafi`s ex-justice minister, AFP reported.

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19 NATO tankers set ablaze in Pakistan: officials

Quetta, Pakistan (ANTARA News/AFP) - Gunmen on motorbikes in southwestern Pakistan on Monday set ablaze at least 19 oil tankers carrying fuel for US-led NATO forces in neighbouring Afghanistan, officials said.

The gunmen fired at the tankers as they were waiting for a police escort on the main highway at Kolpur village, 25 kilometres (15 miles) south of Quetta, the capital of restive Baluchistan province, police official Ismail Kurd said. (*)

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Company`s failure to keep promise triggers Tiaka riots

Palu, C Sulawesi (ANTARA News) - The riots on Monday in Tiaka Island, Central Sulawesi, was triggered by the failure of an oil consortium to keep its promise to the local residents, police said.

"The company has promised the locals in the past to build public facilities and electricity networks but it has not yet realized it until now," Central Sulawesi Police Chief Brig Gen Dewa Parsana said here on Monday.

Because the promise was not kept, the local people gathered and vented their discontent by visiting Tiaka Island, one of the company`s asset. They were disappointed after they failed to have negotiation with the management of the company.

"They want to have negotiations with the boss of the firm but they failed because the boss was in Jakarta," Dewa said.

The angry mobs then vandalized the office building and facilities of the company and pelted its oil well with Molotov cocktails that caused the oil field to catch fire.

He said that police had taken persuasive approaches and called on them not to be anarchic.

The angry mobs` indiscriminate action forced the apparatuses in the field to fire a warning shot before they shot at the rioters, the Central Sulawesi police chief said.

The oil well belonged to the consortium between PT Pertamina and PT Medco Joint Operating Body (JOB).

During the rioting, one rioter was shot dead, three were injured and 19 others arrested. (*)

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Local to replace foreign pilots in Garuda

Emirsyah Satar.

Surabaya, East Java (ANTARA News) - Twenty-three graduates of the Bali International Flight Academy (BIFA) are ready to replace Garuda`s foreign pilots whose contracts will expire at the end of this year.

"The newly graduated pilots are indeed intended to meet our need for pilots following the arrival of new planes. They are from Class Four that have just graduated from BIFA," PT Garuda Indonesia president director Emirsyah Satar said here on Monday.

He said the number of foreign pilots in his company now totaled 34 and their contract would expire at the end of this year.

He said he has so far trained around 200 would-be pilots in some flight schools in the country to meet demand during bridging period until the end of 2011.

"We are optimistic the number of cadets could finish their training by the end of this year to reduce the number of foreign pilots in the company in line with his commitment to using local pilots to fly all the company`s planes," he said.

Emirsyah said the 23 new pilots have been ready to join Garuda. "They will follow advanced training for six months in type rating to adapt themselves to the types of aircraft they would fly," he said.

Emirsyah said Garuda has been cooperating with BIFA and STPI Curug in procuring pilots.

BIFA has so far produced around 100 pilots with the Class One received by Garuda in March 2010.

"The pilots of BIFA Class One and Two have already flown Garuda planes as first officers. The Class Three pilots meanwhile are still following a type rating training at Garuda Training Center," he said.

He said 75 people grouped in Class Five, Six and Seven are still following training at BIFA.

"In 2011 we are expecting the delivery of 11 aircraft consisting of nine B-737-800NGs and two Airbus 330-200s. We have also even opened Makassar as the hub for Indonesian eastern regions to strengthen the company`s network to 15 cities around it," he said.

BIFA chief Robby Djohan said the cooperation with Garuda has gone for more than two years and has produced around 100 pilots.

"We are proud to be part of the national flag carrier`s transformation program especially in supporting Garuda Indonesia realize its vision of becoming an increasingly competitive airlines," he said.

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Seven rockets hit Israel after Gaza factions agree truce

Jerusalem (ANTARA News/AFP) - Seven rockets from Gaza hit Israel on Monday just hours after militant factions agreed an informal truce after four days of deadly cross-border violence in which 15 Palestinians and an Israeli died.

The truce was hammered out after talks with Egyptian officials, and several hours later, Israel`s security cabinet held an emergency session during the night at which ministers decided to hold off from further attacks on the Palestinian territory, army radio said.

Police said seven rockets had hit Israel since midnight causing no casualties but damage to several buildings; the military put the number at eight.

Gaza also enjoyed a second night of clear skies, with no air strikes reported.

"We have reached an informal agreement to establish a ceasefire from tonight on condition that Israel halts its attacks," a senior Hamas official told AFP late on Sunday, saying a formal announcement would be made on Monday.

During the evening, the Hamas-run security forces were "instructed to stop the shooting" against Israel, he said, with troops fanning out along the border area to enforce the order.

Efforts to end the fighting in and around Gaza came as Israel sought to head of a diplomatic crisis with Egypt in the wake of a deadly shooting attack near the Red Sea resort town of Eilat last Thursday, which left eight Israelis dead.

As Israel hunted the gunmen along the Egypt-Israeli border, five Egyptian policemen were shot dead, and two days later, Egypt`s state television said Cairo was to recall its envoy from Israel in protest.

Israeli Defence Minister Ehud Barak expressed "regret" over the deaths and promised an investigation, with the results shared with the Egyptian authorities.

The looming spectre of a crisis with Egypt played a concrete role in bringing about an end to the Gaza confrontations, Israeli press reports said.

"As early as Saturday morning, in an effort to avoid worsening relations with Egypt following Thursday`s terror attack, the government ordered the IDF to greatly reduce its attacks on terrorist targets in the Gaza Strip," Haaretz said, indicating the air force was only authorised to hit militants preparing to fire rockets.

"We must not lose Egypt because of one terror attack," a senior defence official told the paper. "If the attack near Eilat harms our relations with Egypt, that will be a great victory for the terror organisations."

Tensions in and around Gaza kicked off after the Negev desert shooting attacks which killed eight Israelis and prompted a wave of retaliatory air strikes against the Gazan militant group Israel said was behind the attack.

In the following days, Israeli air strikes killed 15 Palestinians and injured over 50; at least nine of the dead were militants, most of them from the Popular Resistance Committees -- the group Israel said was behind the Negev bloodshed.

Over the same period, militants fired more than 100 rockets and mortars at Israeli towns and cities in the south, killing one and injuring over 20, one critically.

Since Saturday afternoon, the air force has launched only four strikes -- all during daylight hours and none of them lethal although eight people were injured, including a 12-year-old boy who was in serious condition.

And Sunday saw militants firing 37 rockets and mortars into Israel, the military said.

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Two civilians killed, 4 injured in mine blast In S. Afghanistan

Lashkar Gah, Afghanistan (ANTARA News/Xinhua-OANA) - Two civilians were killed and four others injured Monday morning when a mine exploded in Gereshk district of southern Helmand province, spokesman for provincial government Daud Ahmadi said.

"An explosive device was placed under a garbage heap in a vegetable market in the Gereshk district bazaar and was detonated at around 07:00 a.m. local time Monday killing two civilians and injuring four others," Ahmadi told Xinhua.

Ahmadi blamed Taliban militants for attacking civilians since there was no government or military targets near the blast site which also damaged some shops in the province some 555 km south of capital city of Kabul.

However, Taliban militants have not made comments yet.

A total of 1,462 Afghan civilians were killed in the first half of 2011 in insurgency-hit country, a 15 percent rise over the same period of 2010, according to the United Nations mid-year report released in Kabul on July 14.
(Uu.H-AK)

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Smes contribute to national economic growth

Surabaya, E Java (ANTARA News) - The presence of various small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Indonesia will contribute to positive national economic growth, a businessman said.

Former Young Indonesian Businessmen Association (Hipmi) chairman Sandiaga S Uno said here on Sunday that the presence of SMEs across the country could make Indonesia the world`s fifth largest economy in the future.

"The Indonesian economy at present is ranked the 16th in the world and in 2050 Indonesia could be the world`s fifth largest economy, " Sandiago said at a fast breaking function with the East Java branch of Hipmi on Sunday evening.

On the occasion he said that in the period January-July 2011 the national economy had grown by 6.5 percent with the gross domestic product (GDP) reaching US$700 billion.

He said it was a promising achievement for the national economy, and with such a figure Indonesia`s economic growth would be able to exceed that of the Netherlands.

According to him, the contribution to national economic growth was dominated by small and medium enterprises, and therefore all existing policies should support the SME`s economic condition.

Sandiago also called on members of Hipmi in East Java to become Indonesia`s economic cadres to improve the province`s economic growth in the next five years.

"Hipmi members in East Java should do something to improve the province`s economic growth, and spread the spirit of entrepreneurship in various universities," he said. (*)

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Minister proposes 80 pct discount for smes

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - State Minister for Cooperatives and Small and Medium Businesses Sjarifuddin Hasan said he would propose a 80 percent tax discount for small and medium entrepreneurs.

"Looking ahead, small and medium entrepreneurs must be given a chance to develop their businesses first. Afterwards, they are subject to taxes. So if possible the tax discount must be 80 percent instead of 50 percent," he said at the weekend.

He said the Finance Ministry was still discussing the amount of value added tax for small and medium entrepreneurs and he would propose a 80 percent tax discount for small and medium enterprises.

The Finance Ministry had earlier said small businesses that are exempted from value added tax are those having a business turnover of less than Rp600 million in 1 month.

As such, businessmen who have a turnover of Rp600 million to Rp4.8 billion per year are subject to taxes under Law No. 36/2008.

"The tax imposed on them is given 50 percent discount. For instance, if they make profit of Rp100 million, they must pay 25 percent of the profit or Rp25 million. After being deducted from 50 percent discount they have to pay Rp12.5 million. But we will propose the discount be raised to 80 percent," he said.

This was part of the efforts to provide incentives to small and medium businesses, he said adding the matter would be discussed with the Finance Ministry.

"We still have to discuss it again with the Finance Ministry," he said.(*)

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Indonesian Mily Contingent Advised To Be Alert

Cairo (ANTARA News) - Indonesian military`s Garuda contingent is advised to increase alertness in guarding their jurisdiction in the Lebanon-Israel border in the event of war threats.

The message was conveyed by the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) as quoted by Indonesian task force spokesperson Nur Cholis here, Sunday.

"UNIFIL Supreme commander has stated that Lebanon`s security status have been raised to red-yellow," Hur Cholis said.

In following the information Indonesian task force Commander Henri Mahyudi has instructed his men to stay alert.

Nur Cholis said that the ongoing conflict between Lebanon and Israel seems increasing difficult to control in recent armed clashes after both sides along the border, he said.

Under the contingency plan, the Indo FPC Task Force has a high preparedness and always ready to be moved at any time in an emergency.

After all the troops entered defense position, combat vehicles and support weapons are in their respective positions, while communication networks have already been prepared.(*)

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Son Of N.korea`s Kim Absent From Russia Trip: KCNA

Seoul (ANTARA News/AFP) - North Korean`s heir apparent appeared to be absent from the entourage on leader Kim Jong-Il`s trip to Russia, according to a list announced by the North`s state media during the rare visit.

Korean Central News Agency confirmed Sunday Kim`s "unofficial visit to Siberia and the Far East" region at the invitation of Russian leader Dmitri Medvedev, calling it a "historic occasion".

A large group of government and military officials were accompanying Kim including defence minister Kim Yong-Chun, vice premier Kang Sok-Ju and Jang Song-Thaek, the leader`s brother-in-law and vice head of the powerful National Defence Commission, KCNA said.

But Jong-Un, the leader`s youngest son and heir apparent, was not listed in the official entourage.

The young protege, believed to be in his late 20s, was made a general and given senior posts in the ruling communist party last September.

The leader, who suffered a stroke in August 2008, has been grooming his Swiss-educated son as eventual successor in an attempt to extend the family dynasty into a third generation.

Kim Jong-Il took over in the late 1990s from his father and founding president Kim Il-Sung, who built the dynasty that has ruled the impoverished country with an iron first for more than six decades.

Jong-Un, known to be expanding his role in policy-making, has not yet been spotted accompanying his father to diplomatic trips overseas including the leader`s surprise visit to China in May.

The visit to Russia comes at a sensitive time for the two countries. Russia is heading into crucial presidential polls in 2012, in which the big unknown is whether Medvedev or former president and current Prime Minister Vladimir Putin will run.

Kim, on his first visit to Russia since 2002, is expected to have talks mid-week with Medvedev, a Russian official said.

North Korea has recently stepped up calls for more food aid from overseas which has dwindled due to global irritation over its nuclear weapons programmes and heightened tensions with South Korea.

The impoverished communist country has relied heavily on international aid to feed its 24 million people since natural disasters and mismanagement devastated its economy in the mid 1990s.(*)

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3 Killed, 17 Injured In Hospital Blast In North China City

Taiyuan (ANTARA News/Xinhua-OANA) - Three people were killed and 17 others injured, two severely, after a blast ripped through a boiler room in a hospital in northern Chinese city of Changzhi Friday, local authorities said.

A person was killed instantly when a boiler exploded at about 4 p.m. at the Chengqu Hospital in Changzhi, Shanxi Province, and two others died while being rushed to the emergency room, the city government announced in a statement.

The injured people are being treated at the hospital and all are described in stable condition.

Online photos show that half of the boiler room was destroyed after the blast.

Local authorities have launched an investigation into the cause of the accident, the statement said.(*)

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Indonesian Observers "a Must" For Disputed Area Near Preah Vihear Temple: Cambodia

Phnom Penh (ANTARA/Xinhua-OANA) - Cambodian Ministry of Defense on Saturday evening issued a statement rejecting a Thai media report that the Indonesian observers may not be needed to deploy in the newly defined demilitarized zone surrounding the 11 century Preah Vihear to ensure a ceasefire.

"Cambodia sticks to its ground to straightly comply with the order of the International Court of Justice issued on July 18," said the statement.

The ICJ ordered Cambodia and Thailand to immediately withdraw their military personnel currently present in the provisional demilitarized zone (PDZ) around the area of Preah Vihear temple and also ordered both parties to continue cooperating within ASEAN and allow appointed observers access to the PDZ.

"Cambodia`s stance has been clearly announced by Prime Minister Hun Sen and Defense Minister Tea Banh already," it said. "There is nothing changed."

Hun Sen earlier this month said that the pullouts of troops from the area of about 17-kilometer PDZ surrounding Preah Vihear temple must be done simultaneously and with the presence of Indonesian observers to monitor a ceasefire until the ICJ interprets the verdict in 1962 concerning the ruling of the temple to Cambodia.

The defense statement was made after the Bangkok Post online newspaper reported on Saturday that Thai Defense Minister Yutthasak Sasiprapa said that Cambodian Defense Minister Tea Banh told him that if Cambodia can reach an agreement in bilateral talks with Thailand on the withdrawal of troops from both sides, Indonesian observers may not be needed to monitor a ceasefire.

"The spokesman of Cambodian Defense Ministry totally rejects this fabricated information that Gen. Tea Banh has either talked with Gen. Yutthasak Sasiprapa, or said Indonesian observers may not be needed to monitor a ceasefire," it said.

Cambodia and Thailand have had sporadic border conflict over territorial dispute near the Preah Vihear temple since the UNESCO listed Cambodia`s Preah Vihear temple as a World Heritage Site on July 7, 2008.

Since then, both sides have built up military forces along the border and periodic clashes have happened, resulting in the deaths of troops and civilians on both sides.

However, the military tension has been eased since the former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra`s Pheu Thai Party won a landslide victory in the general elections on July 3. (*)

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Indocement aims to produce 25 mln tons per year

Kotabaru, S Kalimantan (ANTARA News) - Cement maker PT Indocement Tunggal Prakarsa Tbk has set its production target for 2016-2017 at 25 million tons to meet growing domestic demand.

The company`s production currently stood at 18.6 million tons and would be raised by 7 million tons to 25 million tons in 2016-2017, Indocement Corporate Secretary Sahat Panggabean said on Saturday.

The addition of 7 million tons would among others come from a new plant in Cirebon, West Java. The construction of the plant with a production capacity of 1.5 million tons per year was underway, he said.

"The remaining 5.5 million tons will be produced by the company`s two plants to be built in Central Java. The two plants will have a production capacity of 2.5 million tons and 3 million tons each," he said.

Built in 2010 the new plant in Cirebon was making preparations for trial production, he said.

The two plants in Central Java would be built in 2016 and 2017, he said.

He said Indocement`s sales in the first half of 2011 reached 7.1 million tons, a 14.1 percent increase compared to 6.3 million tons in the same period last year.

Indocement held a 31.1 percent share of the domestic cement market in the first semester of 2011 compared to 31.2 percent in the same period last year.

He attributed the increase in cement sales to the increasing number of development projects particularly in Java.

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Govt pays serious attention to dams

Hatta Rajasa.

Purwakarta, W Java (ANTARA News) - Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Hatta Rajasa said the government is paying serious attention to dams and will always try to increase their functions.

"Dams are currently used not merely to generate electricity or irrigate rice fields, but their function has increased to promote the people`s welfare," he said when conducting a Ramadhan Safari at Ir H. Djuanda Jatiluhur Dam in Purwakarta on Saturday.

Hatta was during the Ramadhan Safari accompanied by Agriculture Minister Suswono, Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Minister Fadel Muhammad and Deputy Trade Minister Mahendra Siregar.

He said the government was paying great attention to what had become its working program with the ultimate goal of promoting the people`s living standard.

"In this context, the government is concentrating the event at Ir H Djuanda dam as dams can also promote the people`s welfare," he said.

The minister admitted that many people often called the dam Jatiluhur instead of Ir H. Djuanda. He expressed regret over the fact that many people still did not know Ir H. Djuanda dam.

He said Ir H. Djuanda was a prominent figure from West Java who opined that the Indonesian waters did not function as "separator" of one area to another. Ir H. Djuanda later put the idea in a so-called Djuanda Declaration which was later acknowledged by the world.

"I am rather sad to hear that the dam is not well-known as Ir H. Djuanda. We must familiarize the people with Djuanda dam instead of Jatiluhur dam," he said.

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Red Arrow acrobatic plane crashes in Britain

London (ANTARA News) - A Red Arrow plane from Britain`s Royal Air Force crashed on Saturday during an acrobatic air display over the southern English coast, police said, although the fate of the pilot remained unclear.

Witnesses described seeing the brightly-painted Hawk jet come down low and crash into a field at Throop village, near Bournemouth International Airport, after they completed a successful display for Bournemouth Air Festival.

"Police received a call from a member of the public at 1.48 pm (1248 GMT) this afternoon, Saturday 20 August 2011, reporting that a Red Arrow plane had gone down in Throop in Bournemouth," said a spokeswoman for Dorset police.

"Police, fire and ambulance all attended the scene and a police cordon is currently in place.

"The incident will be investigated by the military Air Accident Investigation team."

Shaun Spencer-Perkins was out for a walk with his family when he saw the plane come down, telling the BBC: "I heard a rushing sound and I saw a plane about 15 metres above the ground racing across the fields.

"It impacted and bounced across the field, made it across the river."

He said there was no fire but debris from the plane and aviation fuel was scattered everywhere.

With no sign of a pilot coming down by parachute, two members of the public jumped into the water to look for the cockpit, he added.

A spokesman for the Ministry of Defence said: "We are aware of an incident and we`re investigating."

The Red Arrows comprise of nine jets and are each flown by a single pilot, who take three years out of their military duties with the RAF to perform daring acrobatic manoeuvres and flypasts across Britain each summer.

The current team, which also performs overseas, includes its first ever female pilot, 33-year-old Kirsty Moore, who joined in November 2009.

The Hawk jets fly at a top speed of Mach 1.2 and a maximum altitude of 48,000 feet, and each pilot must put in 1,500 flying hours before joining the team.

The planes trail smoke behind them, which helps the pilots judge wind speed and direction during displays, and also looks good as they loop through the air, AFP reported.

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Govt to chase all wanted corruption suspects: Patrialis

Padang, West Sumatra (ANTARA News) - Minister of Law and Human Rights Patrialis Akbar said the government would keep chasing all corruption suspects on the wanted list.

"We will chase all that have been able to flee abroad," he said here on Saturday.

He said the government would hunt for not only Neneng Sri Wahyuni but also others that have fled and "we have instructed the Directorate General to set up a team to hunt for Neneng Sri Wahyuni and other wanted corrupters."

He said to find graft suspect Neneng, who is also the wife of graft suspect Nazaruddin, he would cooperate with the police and the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) as well as the foreign ministry.

"The four institutions are currently still studying the possibility of working together in a joint team like they did when they caught Nazaruddin," he said.

He said the hunt for Neneng Sri Wahyuni would be done like when arresting Nazaruddin abroad recently.

"We believe Neneng Sri Wahyuni and her children are now still in Malaysia," he said.

He said the immigration office had not detected Neneng moving to other countries after July 25, 2011. "It is very likely that Neneng Sri Wahyuni is now still in Malaysia," he said.

He said he had held her passport after she was officially declared an Interpol wanted person. Neneng has been banned from traveling abroad since May 31, 2011 and named suspect.

"She has been given a travel ban and this includes the revocation of her passport," the minister said.

The immigration office, he said, has already coordinated with its representative offices abroad to anticipate the possibility of Neneng using the passport to move to other countries.

Unlike Nazaruddin who has used other person`s passport to travel abroad Neneng is still using her own passport.

"Foreign representative offices will be informed about it," he said.

Neneng has been named suspect in a corruption case linked to procurement at a solar power project in the ministry of manpower and transmigration in 2008.(*)

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VP breaks fast at DPD chairman`s residence

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Vice President Boediono, along with other top officials broke the fast at Regional Representatives Council (DPD) Chairman Irman Gusman`s residence on Jalan Denpasar here on Saturday.

Boediono in the company of his wife Herawati Boediono arrived there at around 05.00 p.m. The DPD chairman greeted the vice president in front of his house upon arrival.

Also present at the function were National Development Planning Minister Armida Alisjahbana and a number of DPD members and representatives of foreign countries.

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono who had originally been planned to attend the function did not show up.(*)

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Nazaruddin`s request for barter impossible to meet: Mahfud

Yogyakarta (ANTARA News) - Constitutional Court (MK) chairman Mahfud MD said it was quite obvious that graft suspect Nazaruddin`s apparent wish to barter his sentence for his wife`s freedom was impossible to meet.

"It is quite obvious Nazaruddin can not barter his sentence for her freedom, " Mahfud said after giving a lecture at Atma Jaya University here on Saturday.

He said Nazaruddin`s wife, Neneng Sri Wahyuni, who is now a suspect, must be immediately caught and sentenced according to her crimes.

"Nazaruddin`s statement that he is ready to receive the severest possible penalty in exchange for his wife`s acquittal is not applicable," he said.

The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) has already named Neneng Sri Wahyuni a suspect in connection with her alleged involvement in a corruption linked to procurement at a Solar Power project of the ministry of manpower and transmigration.

Neneng is now still at large after her husband was caught in Cartagena, Colombia, recently. The police meanwhile have already issued a red notice in an effort to arrest her.

Mahfud said the letter that Nazaruddin had recently sent to President Susilo Bambang Yudhyono asking that his wife and children be protected was a mere publicity stunt.

"His children sbould indeed be protected because they are still minors. But his wife, she must be arrested," he said.

Mahfud also said that President Yudhoyono could not protect Nazaruddin`s wife because her case was already being handled by the KPK.

So, "let the case be processed according to the procedures at KPK. I am convinved a maximum result will be achieved," he said.

Mahfud also said Nazaruddin`s arresy was done correctly according to the prescribed procedures and he had not noticed anything abnormal in it.

Mahfud said some observers who had suggested that Nazaruddin had been framed were just speculating.

"I think there has been no engineering behind it. The arrest was done according to the prescribed procedures," he said.

He said when Nazaruddin fled the country various cynical commentaries arose from observers who said that Nazaruddin would not be caught because he was protected.

He said their observation had now been proven wrong as the government had arrested him.

"Now they said that the arrest was engineered or that his human rights had been violated," he said.

Mahfud said he hoped the Indonesian people would not always blame the steps the government has taken in its effort to arrest Nazaruddin because they had all been done correctly.

"It is also impossible for KPK to engineer things in this case," he said. (*)

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