DATE:		29 October 2001

TO:		US-Indonesia Business Committee Members

FROM:		Walter Lohman
		Director, Indonesia Affairs
		US-ASEAN Business Council
		Tel:  (202) 416-6711
		Fax: (202) 289-0519
		E-Mail: wlohman@usasean.org
		
		David Hutagalung
		Representative, Jakarta, US-Indonesia Business Committee
		Tel: [6221] 573-0407
		Fax: [6221] 574-4981
		E-Mail: dhutagalung@usasean.org

RE:		Indonesia News Clippings

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Attached are the news clippings from 24-26 October 2001.  The headlines
are listed below.  The attached link will connect you to the articles'
source website where you can access original copies of the articles
themselves.  

The US-Indonesia Business Committee is regularly distributing news
clippings from the widest array of sources practical in an effort to
create a fuller picture of developments in Indonesia.  We hope you find
them useful.   

Headlines for Wednesday, October 24:

* The International Monetary Fund (IMF) said a public awareness campaign
promoting the importance of selling state assets was crucial to speeding
up Indonesia's privatization process amid frequent opposition from
various groups. (Jakarta Post) www.thejakartapost.com

* The National Institute of Sciences (LIPI) advised the government on
Tuesday to respond wisely to mounting demands by radical groups to sever
diplomatic ties with the United States so as to avoid great losses to
the country. (Jakarta Post) www.thejakartapost.com

* The People's Consultative Assembly (MPR), Indonesia's highest
constitutional body, will convene next week to consider amending the
country's 1945 Constitution to reduce its power to impeach the
president. (Japan Economic Newswire) http://home.kyodo.co.jp/

* The new U.S. Ambassador to Indonesia, Ralph L. Boyce, presented his
credentials on Wednesday to President Megawati Soekarnoputri. (Jakarta
Post) www.thejakartapost.com

* Who will command the Indonesian military? The next person to fill the
post of military chief has become the latest topic of discussion among
senior officers as incumbent Adm. Widodo AS prepares to retire in
November. (Jakarta Post) www.thejakartapost.com

* Efforts to eliminate widespread corruption entered a significant phase
on Tuesday after the House of Representatives approved an
anti-corruption bill, which is expected to strongly arm legal
authorities. (Jakarta Post) www.thejakartapost.com

* The East Kalimantan administration demanded on Tuesday that the South
Jakarta District Court order coal mining giant PT Kaltim Prima Coal
(KPC) and its shareholders to pay $776 million in compensation and annul
the company's contract of works for breaching an agreement to divest
shares. (Jakarta Post) www.thejakartapost.com

Headlines for Thursday, October 25:

* President Megawati will have a series of state functions next month,
which includes her attendance at the Summit of the Association of
Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in Brunei Darussalam, a report said.
(Jakarta Post) www.thejakartapost.com

* President Megawati will be in power for 100 days next week, and the
National Assembly chairman Amien Rais says she has not delivered.
(Channel NewsAsia) www.channelnewsasia.com

* The new U.S. Ambassador to Indonesia, Ralph Boyce, said on Thursday
that Washington fully understood the position which President Megawati
had taken with regard to the U.S. attacks on Afghanistan. (Jakarta Post)
www.thejakartapost.com

* The IMF warns that time is running out for Indonesia to sell assets.
(The Straits Times) www.straitstimes.com.sg

* The government is to meet with the Paris Club of creditor nations on
Nov. 10 and Nov. 11 to seek the rescheduling of some Rp 27 trill ion
(US$2.7 billion) in sovereign debt, both principal and interest, to help
ease the burden of the 2002 state budget. (Jakarta Post)
www.thejakartapost.com

* For the first time, the Consultative Group on Indonesia (CGI) may link
its loan programs with efforts to fight corruption. (Jakarta Post)
www.thejakartapost.com

* The Attorney General's Office will send a summons to House of
Representatives (DPR) Speaker Akbar Tandjung for questioning immediately
after receiving President Megawati Sukarnoputri's written approval, an
official said on Thursday. (Jakarta Post) www.thejakartapost.com

* House of Representatives Speaker Akbar Tandjung met on Tuesday night
with Taufik Kiemas, president Megawati Sukarnoputri's husband, to seek
support to block a move aimed at establishing a House special committee
to investigate a graft case allegedly involving him.  (Jakarta Post)
www.thejakartapost.com

Headlines for Friday, October 26:

* People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) Speaker Amien Rais officially
launched on Wednesday a website, www.mpr.go.id, designed to provide the
public with information about the lawmakers' activities. (Jakarta Post)
www.thejakartapost.com

* The Attorney General's O ff ice on Friday issued summonses for House
of Representatives' Speaker Akbar Tandjung and former military chief
Gen. (ret) Wiranto to appear at the office on Wednesday for questioning
in relation to a graft investigation. (Jakarta Post)
www.thejakartapost.com

* While presidential consent was given on Thursday for state prosecutors
to question House of Representatives (DPR) Speaker Akbar Tandjung in
connection with a graft investigation, a faction inside the Golkar Party
urged him to resign from his posts in the party and the House.  (Jakarta
Post) www.thejakartapost.com

* The Fall of Tanjung and Folly of Mega? (Laksamana.Net)
www.laksamana.net

* Vice President Hamzah Haz called on Islamic countries grouped in the
Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) on Friday to press the United
States and its allies to stop the military offensive against Afghanistan
before the Muslim fasting month of Ramadhan. (Jakarta Post)
www.thejakartapost.com

* Anthrax scares plus U.S. demands for action against Asian militants
linked to Osama bin Laden's Al Qaeda group are bringing America's battle
against terrorism closer to mainstream Asia. It could inflame the
region's passions. (Asiaweek) www.asiaweek.com

* The United States believes associates of Osama bin Laden have been
raising money for the wanted Saudi millionaire from the thriving
marijuana trade in Indonesia's troubled Aceh province.  (Far Eastern
Economic Review) www.feer.com

* Indonesia' s regencies demanded yesterday that the central government
postpone its plan to revise the current autonomy laws pending a
comprehensive evaluation involving both the central government and local
administrations. (Indonesian Observer) www.indonesian-observer.com

* Plans for a mega hydro-power plant on the Mamberamo river in Irian
Jaya's Jayapura regency will not come to fruition without foreign
investment as neither the Indonesian government not local investors have
expressed interest in taking up the project. (Asia Pulse)
www.asiapulse.com


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If you need assistance in the region, in addtion to David, please
contact:  

	US-ASEAN Business Council, Singapore
	Stephen Pattillo
	Tel: [65] 339-8885
	Fax: [65] 339-1982
	E-Mail: srpasean@pacific.net.sg

	US-ASEAN Business Council, Philippines
	Philip Gielczyk
	Tel: [632] 895-4333
	Fax: [632] 895-3007
	E-Mail: pgielczyk@pacific.net.ph