Muninggar Sri Saraswati, Jakarta – The state has suffered more than Rp 137 trillion (US$13.3 billion) due to the manipulation of the Bank Indonesia Liquidity Support Fund (BLBI). Ironically, law enforcers have failed to properly address the issue. The fund misappropriation was first disclosed by the Supreme Audit Agency (BPK) in May 1999.

Jakarta – The huge funds provided by the city administration for flood-rehabilitation projects appear open to misuse, as several city agencies allegedly marked up their post-flood expenditure.

Jakarta – Indonesian prosecutors have arrested and jailed former trade and industry minister Rahardi Ramelan for his alleged involvement in a US$3.8 million fraud case.

Mr Rahardi, who is also the former chairman of State Logistics Agency (Bulog), was a suspect in the case involving misuse of funds from the agency.

Robert Go, Jakarta – From his small electronics kiosk in Jakarta's Glodok market, Mr Gunawan sells imported 21-inch Sony televisions for 4.1 million rupiah (S$780) each, but a similar set produced locally by Panasonic sells for nearly 4.4 million rupiah.

Devi Asmarani, Jakarta – National Assembly Speaker Amien Rais has openly declared that he will quit the leadership of the National Mandate Party (PAN) in a move seen as a public relation gimmick to pave the way for him to contest the 2004 presidential election.

Adi Mawardi, Surabaya – Ralph L. Boyce, the United States Ambassador to Indonesia, has promised that he will fight to get a reduction on the military embargo imposed by the United States on Indonesia after disorder broke out in East Timor following the 1999 referendum, according to Rear Admiral Sa'roni Kasnadi, Commander of the Eastern Fleet of the Indonesian Navy on Friday.

Jakarta – Indonesia's inflation rate in February rose 1.5 percent from January and 15.13 percent from a year earlier, it was announced Friday.

The result was a setback to economic planners, who forecast an inflation rate of 9.0 percent in this year's budget.

Jakarta – Indonesia announced a rise in January exports Friday in what one analyst called a good sign for the country's economy.

The Central Bureau of Statistics said exports rose to 4.0 billion dollars from 3.992 billion in December while imports fell to 1.89 billion from 2.0 billion, producing a trade surplus of 2.11 billion dollars,

Jakarta – A cemetery for Indonesian servicemen in East Timor's capital Dili has been converted to a cassava farm, Indonesia's state-run news agency Antara said Friday.

Lee Siew Hua, Washington – The United States appears frustrated with Indonesia for not being aggressive enough in its pursuit of Al-Qaeda sympathisers on its own soil.

Yemris Fointuna, Kupang – Udayana Military Commander Maj. Gen. Wellem T. da Costa has ordered soldiers to shoot East Timor refugees found committing violence against Indonesians living near refugee camps in West Timor.

"... I order all TNI members to shoot any criminal on the spot. I am ready to be sued over this decision," Wellem said.

Like Bob Hasan, Tommy has built a palace at Cipinang jail. But many prisoners are unhappy about it.

Agus Hidayat – Although Tommy Suharto may be facing the death penalty if convicted, the charges against him contain many weaknesses. A good opportunity for his defense team, perchance?

Dili – The people of East Timor this week once again displayed intense interest and enthusiasm in the democratic process as more than 80 public consultations in all districts on the final draft of the nation's Constitution often drew hundreds of people.

Yemris Fointuna, Kupang – Thousands of East Timorese refugees have begun to use violence and terror against local villagers in a bid to survive in East Nusa Tenggara province following the halt of their food assistance early last month.

Indonesian President Megawati Sukarnoputri yesterday launched an indirect diplomatic broadside at Australia over its stance on illegal immigrants.

Opening an international conference on people smuggling in Bali, co-hosted by Australia, Mrs Megawati condemned countries that did whatever they wanted to protect their national interests.

Nusa Dua – Around 170 political parties have so far registered with the Ministry of Justice and Human Rights to contest the 2004 general election.

Minister of Justice and Human Rights Yusril Ihza Mahendra said here on Wednesday that most of the parties registered for the last election in 1999 were on the list.

Kurniawan Hari, Jakarta – Activists from various non-governmental organizations (NGOs) renewed on Wednesday their demand for an independent constitutional commission in place of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) which they deemed incapable of amending the 1945 Constitution in accordance with democratic reforms.

Blora – A major fire that is still raging at Pertamina's oil and gas exploration field in Cepu in Central Java has displaced more than 1,000 villagers.

The blaze broke out on Monday at an unfinished well and spread to other nearby wells and buildings at the site in Blora district, sending more than 4,000 residents of villages near the fire fleeing.

Nusa Dua/Jakarta – The much-awaited ad hoc human rights trial is faced with another stumbling block as the government has asked the Supreme Court to delay indefinitely its first hearing pending the issuance of laws on witness protection, and rehabilitation and compensation for rights violation victims.

Jakarta – The commercial center and wholesale market in Kramat Jati in East Jakarta returns to normal on Wednesday afternoon after the two warring ethnic groups involved in a brawl that had lasted from Sunday night until Monday, decided to bury the hatchet and end the conflicts, reports said.

Manila – Myanmar has objected to a proposal to grant East Timor observer status to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), Philippine officials said Thursday.

Achara Ashayagachat – East Timor needs 10 years to prepare for joining the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, de facto Foreign Minister Ramos Horta said.

Jakarta – Indonesian prosecutors said Wednesday that former president B.J. Habibie is not currently a suspect in a 3.8 million dollar fraud case allegedly involving one of his ministers.

They questioned Habibie on Monday and Tuesday about the alleged embezzlement of 40 billion rupiah (3.8 million dollars) in funds intended for the poor while he was president in 1999.

Nglinting Darmono, Yogyakarta – There's no such thing as a wholly "natural" disaster. The recent catastrophic floods in Jakarta and along the northern coast of Java, which claimed at least 200 lives, were no exception.

Jakarta – Jakarta is planning to discontinue scholarships to some 1,100 East Timorese students in Indonesia, a report said Wednesday.

Yemris Fointuna – The East Timor Commission for Truth, Reception and Reconciliation is planning to question several proindependence leaders, including Jose Alexandre "Xanana" Gusmao, for allegedly committing human rights abuses in the territory during the period of April 1974 to October 1999.

Max Lane – Normalinda, an activist from the Indonesian National League of Students for Democracy (LMND) and Fransiscus "Black" Farneubun, an activist from the Peoples Democratic Party (PRD), were each sentenced to three months in prison by a Bandung court on February 7.

Max Lane – The chairperson of SMUR (Students in Solidarity with the People), Mahmudal, was arrested in Banda Aceh on February 19 during a demonstration organised by ORPAD (Acehnese Women's Democratic Organisation).

Dili – The General Prosecutor of East Timor issued an indictment today charging militia commander Bernadino da Costa – also known as "Mata Satu" – with nine counts of Crimes Against Humanity including murder, persecution and the forcible transfer of hundreds of East Timorese to West Timor.

Indonesia's recent indictment of seven military officers for crimes against humanity committed in East Timor in 1999 does not alleviate concerns that Indonesian courts can provide justice for the thousands of victims of military violence in East Timor, observed an East Timorese activist and the East Timor Action Network/US(ETAN).

Dili – A preliminary government report that indicates 41 per cent of East Timor's population live in poverty and 48 per cent are illiterate was presented today to the Council of Ministers.

Yemris Fointuna, Kupang – Around 128,000 East Timorese people staying in numerous refugee camps in East Nusa Tenggara Province are facing starvation as their food supply is nearly exhausted.

Nusa Dua – Tens of thousands of East Timorese refugees who are still reluctant to return are testing the patience of their compatriots back home, Foreign Minister Jose Ramos Horta has said.

An estimated 60,000 to 80,000 refugees remain in squalid camps in Indonesian West Timor, two and a half years after fleeing independence- related violence.

Ibnu Mat Noor, Banda Aceh – At least seven people have been killed in the latest spate of violence since Friday in the restive province of Aceh, local authorities said on Monday.

Jakarta – A political stalemate and lack of legal certainty are hampering efforts to reform and restructure Indonesia's banks, Moody's Investors Service warned Monday.

The global ratings agency said the banks' financial strength ratings have seen a modest recovery due to recapitalisation, intensive restructuring, upgrading programmes and tighter regulation.

Robert Go, Jakarta – Indonesia's grand scheme to rev up its economy by revitalising four key industries has been branded unrealistic by businessmen and analysts.

Robert Go, Jakarta – Hackers forced the temporary closure of the website of Indonesia's highest legislative assembly yesterday after plastering it with sarcastic messages alleging its members were corrupt and out of touch with the crises facing the country.

Oktovianus Pinontoan, Ambon – At least one person was shot on Monday in the capital of Maluku province, Ambon, in the first spate of serious violence in the province since the Malino peace accord was signed earlier this month by members of the local warring factions.

Jakarta – Former president Soeharto's youngest son Hutomo "Tommy" Mandala Putra had threatened the late Supreme Justice M. Syafiuddin Kartasasmita, according to witness' testimony on Monday.

Tiny East Timor, which becomes the world's newest nation on May 20, held its first trilateral talks with giant neighbours Indonesia and Australia and said peace was its priority.

Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, Nusa Dua, Bali – Indonesia and East Timor ended bilateral talks on Monday, signing two agreements on direct postal service links and technical arrangements to facilitate the movement of people and goods between the enclave of Oecussi and other parts of East Timor.

Ahmad Junaidi, Jakarta – The city administration announced on Monday that more than 60 percent or 68 of 109 private developers in West Jakarta had not fulfilled their obligation to set aside spaces for public and social facilities.

Jakarta – No less than 200 members of the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) were killed in armed contacts with the Indonesian Military (TNI) troops within the Teuku Umar Military Resort Command jurisdiction in 2001, a military officer claimed on Sunday.

Adianto P. Simamora, Jakarta – Minister of Industry and Trade Rini M. Soewandi urged the nation to focus on revitalizing four industries – textiles, electronics, footwear, pulp and paper – as part of efforts to rejuvenate the country's waning manufacturing sector.

Kurniawan Hari and I Wayan Juniartha, Jakarta/Denpasar – Health clinics, hospital or physicians are supposed to serve all patients, including those already infected with Human Immune Deficiency Virus (HIV) or full-blown Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS), Minister of Health Achmad Sujudi said on Saturday.

Jill Jolliffe – It is 11am on a weekday and people are queueing at Dili's Chinese Buddhist temple. Most of the East Timorese in the queue are Catholics and they have come to have their horoscopes read.

Robert Go, Jakarta – Gourmet coffee is coming home to Java as cafe culture takes hold of Indonesia's yuppies – even in the midst of an economic crisis. The Coffee Bean opened in one of Jakarta's glitziest malls last month.

Jakarta – Civil servants who are absent for 12 days consecutively without notice must be fired, according to State Minister of Administrative Reforms Feisal Tamin.

Devi Asmarani, Jakarta – Singapore's 'authoritarianism' is at the root of a dispute with Indonesia over how to deal with alleged terrorists, says Indonesian Foreign Minister Hassan Wirajuda.