The rupiah continued its slide Wednesday against the U.S. dollar, with the market unresponsive to the government’s newly launched set of fiscal policies, waiting for them to take effect.

The rupiah fell to Rp 11,025 per dollar at 5:15 p.m. in Jakarta, from Rp 10,900 at 4:19 p.m. on Tuesday, Bloomberg reported.

“The policies will take time (to turn market sentiment around), but they did spark positive sentiment early on,” said Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa, Danareksa Research Institute head of research.

“I think the (government’s) moves are good; we’ll just wait for the implementation.”

During morning trading, the rupiah climbed to Rp 10,400 per dollar, but lost steam later on.
“The rupiah can’t rebound in a day. There’s no one-day cure for (market) sentiment,” Purbaya said.

He added the government should implement its policies, including buying back government bonds and ordering state-run companies to place their foreign reserves — including export proceeds — in local banks, to help boost the rupiah.

“If the implementation works, the sentiment will change,” he said, calling the 10 policies “far more realistic” than the 10 unveiled by President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono on Oct. 6.

The earlier policies included maintaining economic growth at above 6 percent and doing business as usual, which economists deemed unrealistic and unapplicable.

The new policies were announced Tuesday by the government, in a bid to bolster foreign reserves and prop up the rupiah.

They include the exercising of currency swap agreements with the central banks of China, South Korea and Japan, if needed.

Purbaya said if the government and the central bank started to buy back government bonds, market sentiment would rise.

Currency analyst Farial Anwar, however, said the policies were good but did not address the main problems.

“There are two problems: Free capital flow and free currency traders,” he said. “The government is supposed to limit the flow of hot money entering the country and the sales of dollars.”

By adopting a capital control, Farial went on, the government could manage the flow of investment-oriented money, or hot money, into and out of Indonesia.

Source : www.thejakartapost.com

WASHINGTON, DC and JAKARTA, Indonesia, Feb. 20, 2002 – Corruption and lawlessness are fuelling an epidemic of illegal logging in Indonesia, resulting in a doubling of the country’s deforestation rates in the late 1990s, according to a report released today.

Indonesia today is losing nearly 2 million hectares of forest every year, up from 1 million hectares annually in the 1980s. Forest cover fell from 162 million hectares in 1950 to only 98 million hectares in 2000. The country’s richest forests, the lowland forests, are almost entirely gone in the island of Sulawesi and will disappear in 2005 from Sumatra and in 2010 in Kalimantan.

“Deforestation on this scale, at this speed, is unprecedented,” said Emily Matthews, co-author of the report, The State of the Forest: Indonesia. “Indonesia is rapidly transitioning from a forest-rich to a forest-poor country.”

The report, published by the World Resources Institute (WRI), Global Forest Watch (GFW), and Forest Watch Indonesia (FWI), is the first comprehensive map-based assessment of the forests of Indonesia. It provides a detailed analysis of the scale and pace of change affecting Indonesia’s forests.

The report concludes that the doubling of deforestation rates in Indonesia is largely the result of a corrupt political and economic system that regards natural resources as a source of revenue to be exploited for political ends and personal gain. The political instability that followed the economic crises of 1997 and the eventual ouster of former President Suharto in 1998 further increased deforestation to its current level.

“Indonesia’s economic miracle of the 1980s and the 1990s was based on ecological devastation and abuse of local people’s rights and customs,” said Togu Manurung, director of Forest Watch Indonesia. “Our findings do not provide grounds for much optimism, despite clear signs of change in Indonesia.”

Driving the rapid deforestation of Asia’s largest – and the world’s third largest — contiguous areas of tropical forests are corruption, lawlessness, illegal logging, political instability, and over-expansion of forest industries.

Logging concessions covering more than half the country’s total forest area were awarded by former President Suharto, many of them to his relatives and political allies. Today, ten companies control 45 percent of the total logging concessions in the country.

“Cronyism in the forestry sector left timber companies free to operate with little regard for long-term sustainability,” said Matthews. According to the Ministry of Forestry, legal timber supplies from natural forests declined from 17 million cubic meters in 1995 to less than 8 million cubic meters in 2000.

Massive expansion in the plywood, pulp and paper industries over the last 20 years means that demand for wood fiber now exceeds legal supplies by as much as 40 million cubic meters annually. Many industry leaders have acknowledged their dependence on illegally cut wood, which accounted for as much as 65 percent of the supply in 2000.

The government’s industrial timber plantation program and the system of converting forests into plantations further drive deforestation. Nearly 9 million hectares of land, much of it natural forest, has been allocated for industrial timber plantations by 1997. While most of it is cleared now, only 2 million of it has been re-planted. In addition, nearly 7 million hectares of forest had been approved for conversion into palm oil or rubber plantations, but only about 4 million has actually been planted.

The report warns that Indonesia’s rapid move to a new system of regional autonomy could result in further deforestation since provincial and district governments do not have the funds or the capacity to govern effectively. Raising short-term revenue will be a top priority and as a result, intensified exploitation of forest resources is already occurring in many regions.

“Growing lawlessness has been a major factor in increased logging and forest clearing,” said Manurung, a co-author of the report. Since 1998, the incidence of illegal logging and farming in national parks have increased, such as in Central Sulawesi’s Lore Lindu National Park and in Aceh’s Leuser National Park and in Central Kalimantan’s Tanjung Puting National Park.

Indonesia’s forests are considered to be among the most diverse and biologically rich in the world. Although the country comprises only 1.3 percent of the earth’s land surface, it holds a disproportionately high share of its biodiversity, including 11 percent of the world’s plant species, 10 percent of its mammal species, and 16 percent of its bird species.

While the report says that much of Indonesia’s natural resource base has been destroyed and degraded, much of it still remains. The harder, but more sustainable route will be to reclaim the land that currently lies idle and conserve the primary forest that remains.

Pressure is being applied by international aid donors led by the World Bank to reform the country’s forestry policy, but these efforts have met with limited success. Local Indonesian environmental organizations such as the Indonesian Forum for the Environment (WALHI) are also putting forward a reform agenda, but to date the government has paid serious attention only to aid donors.

“Sixty four million hectares of Indonesian forest have been cut down over the past 50 years,” said Dirk Bryant, director of Global Forest Watch. “There is no economic or ethical justification for another 64 million hectares to be lost over the next 50 years.”

Source : www.globalforestwatch.org

The Japanese envoy made the remarks when presenting his government citation to Bung Hatta university (UBH) in Padang, capital of West Sumatra province on Wednesday.

UBH received the citation based on the Japanese consideration over the university`s great contribution in enhancing the two countries` relations particularly in the fields of education, letters and culture.

In addition, the two countries have never caused other nations cornered.

With such similarities, Kojiro said he felt happy to become Japanese envoy to Indonesia and not to mention that Indonesia is important to Japan due to its substantial deposite of mineral and human resources.

Despite its much import of energy currently, Japan believes that Indonesia as a democratic country still has sufficient deposit of energy.

This university used the name of Bung Hatta, Indonesia`s first vice president. (*)

COPYRIGHT © 2008

Source : www.antara.co.id

“Some of the projects were dropped or scrapped from the previous plans,” said Ahmad Jabir, a member of Surabaya’s Legislative Council from the Welfare Commission yesterday.

According to Jabir, among the projects were the construction of a language laboratory valued at Rp 900 million, land for state-owned Kali Kedinding Elementary School at Rp 391 million and a subsidy for overseas internship programs for students of vocational schools, in the amount of Rp 117 million.

The non-realization of these projects is due to lack of planning by Surabaya’s Office of Educational Services. “They had insisted on the projects being included in the budget, but in reality some of them had to be dropped at the end of the budget year,” Jabir explained.

Saudi, Surabaya’s Office of Educational Services chief, said the budget allocation had to be dropped because there was not enough time to disburse the budget. “The language lab construction cannot be tendered until now, yet we only have two months left. That is why we are dropping the project,” he said.

So far, Saudi said, they have disbursed Rp 71 billion from the total budget of Rp 165,709 billion education.

Meanwhile the Education Services has proposed an additional Rp 66 billion in the budget, which will be used to finance the operations of state-owned schools, starting from elementary schools to high schools, among some of the projects. “So that students will not be charged school fees,” he said.

DINI MAWUNTYAS

Ten Yellow-crested Abbott’s cockatoos were found on the Masalembu archipelago off Java island, the Indonesian Cockatoo Conservation group told AFP.

“We were excited when we found them in residential areas on Masakambing island,” researcher Dudi Nandika said.

The group included four breeding pairs and two juveniles.

Despite the discovery the Yellow-crested Abbott’s cockatoo (Cacatua sulphurea abbotti) remains the rarest species of the bird on earth, he said.

It hasn’t been seen since scientists observed a group of five in 1999,
researcher Dwi Agustina said.

It was assumed that number was too low for the cockatoos to reproduce and the species had died out, Agustina said.

The local population of the cockatoo has been threatened by hunting and capture for the pet trade. (*)

COPYRIGHT © 2008

Source : www.antara.co.id

The minister said the decision to buy back the SUN and cut the export tax of CPO were among the ten point-policy taken by the government in the face of the present economic condition.

The ten-point decision was decided in a limited cabinet meeting at the Presidential office Tuesday night, which was chaired by President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.

The meeting was also attended by Vice President Yusuf Kalla, cabinet ministers and Bank Indonesia (BI) Governor Boediono.

Finance Minister Sri Mulyani told the press that the SUN buy-back would be carried out in an effort to stabilize market conditions and to maintain market players` confidence.

“The buy-back of the SUN will be carried out in stages,” the minister said. The government also is taking a step to maintain the continuation of the balance of payment and the availability of foreign exchange reserves.

She said the government will accelerate infrastructure development, provide an export rediscount facility and secure market for Indonesia`s crude palm oil (CPO) exports. Beginning November 1, 2008, the government cut its CPO export tax from 2.5 percent to zero percent.

In an effort to prevent the entry into Indonesia of illegal imports, the government will issue a regulation which will limit the import of certain goods which will also be enforced beginning November 1, 2008.

The government will also issue a home affairs minister`s regulation on the establishment of an integrated task force to charged with the task of supervising goods in circulation.

All policies taken by the government are intended to cope with market turbulence and to protect three pillars that the government has to safeguard, namely the balance of payment, BI credibility and the credibility of the state budget.(*)

Source : http://www.antara.co.id

An installation by I Made Supena is set up at the Griya Santrian Gallery in Sanur, in preparation for its Dec. 15 opening. (JP/Wasti Atmodjo)

Hundreds of wooden statues in the forms of human heads were scattered on the Griya Santrian Gallery in Sanur.

Their heartbreaking “faces” were gloomy and sad. Some were depicted as crying boys. As the backdrop, eight giant canvases were hanged revealing pictures with the same themes — depressed-looking children.

Created by young promising artist I Made Supena, the installations and paintings were displayed to increase people’s awareness on various social problems, especially those affecting minors.

“Many Balinese children drop out of school or live in very poor conditions, regardless of the economic progress claimed by adults,” Supena said.

According to data from the Bali Education office, around 1,600 students leave school annually due to poverty.

“This is contradictory to the glamorous image of this tourist island,” Supena added.

A number of Balinese children and teenagers have committed suicide because of economic reasons: Many of them were victims of sexual abuse.

“Some of these were pedophilia cases involving both local and foreign adults pretending to be the guardians of the children. I feel extremely sad and angry knowing that these irresponsible adults robbed the innocent lives of these unfortunate children,” Supena said.

The artist has expressed deep emotion through his art work.

“Every day, we read news about violence against children, domestic violence, juvenile crimes that involve our young people,” he said, adding the government and the community must take stern action to solve this lingering problem.

Born to the famous artistic family of I Ketut Murja from Singapadu, Gianyar, Supena followed in his father’s footsteps by tackling themes relating to social issues involving children.

The father of three said he was concerned about the condition of poor children on the so-called rich island of Bali.

“We have to protect our young generation from things that will disturb their physical and emotional wellbeing,” he said.

Curated by German art observer Thomas U Freitag, Supena’s exhibition, which will be opened on Dec. 15, incorporates 196 statues and eight paintings.

“The works are very expressive. They mirror the artist’s anger and sadness,” said Freitag, who has been living in Bali for several years.

He said he observed the development of Supena’s work over the last few years and added that his latest piece was the “peak period in his artistic endeavors”.

Supena, Freitag said, was able to express his feelings and turn them into beautiful works of art.

“He is so sensitive toward social problems and he is successful in translating it into his work.”

Supena’s said his work was intended as a telling reminder of the serious problems local children are now facing.

“The works invite people to think, to contemplate and to seek solutions to the problems in order to make our children’s lives better and happier,” he said.

Source : www.thejakartapost.com

(JP/Ruslan Sangadji)

A devout Muslim with a trim mustache and chin beard, Ardani is a modest man who always has a big grin on his face.

Born in Samarinda, East Kalimantan, on Nov. 17, 1968, Ardani spent his primary and secondary school years in his hometown.

In 1989, he moved to Palu, Central Sulawesi, where he studied physics at the School of Pedagogy and Teachers Training of Tadulako University (Untad).

Following graduation in 1995, he became a physics teacher at SMAN 6 Palu state senior high.

Today, he is also known as the inventor of a solar stove.

Ardani had already demonstrated his talent in science and technology at Untad, which he attended on a civil service scholarship. His undergraduate thesis received commendations from most of his lecturers, and he created an anti-theft device for motorbikes via the vehicle’s electrical current.

”If anybody attempts to steal a motorbike fitted with this device by dismantling the ignition, he will fail, because as soon as he turns it on the engine will stall and an alarm will be triggered,” Ardani told The Jakarta Post.

But that was an undergraduate achievement.

As a teacher, he has made another innovation by building a large stove using solar energy – he simply calls it a giant solar stove.

“I’ve made good friends with the sun. I’m not bothered by its intense heat,” he grinned.

Ardani’s giant stove was inspired by the prevailing energy crisis and high fuel prices. With the assistance of several students, he began his experiment in mid-March.

He took a used parabolic antenna measuring 1.5 meters in diameter and fitted it with reflective panels measuring 16 square centimeters to harness the solar energy.

How does it work? Ardani replied that the solar stove is installed in an open space under direct sunlight with an iron cooking pot or pan placed above it.

The distance between the stove and the cooking container should be around 1.3 centimeters. The heat produced by the solar stove in a tropical climate, according to Ardani, can reach up to 400 degrees Centigrade. He is continuing his research to create an apparatus for storing heat for use in milder climates.

“So even if it rains, the stove can be used,” he said.

As for the price of the giant solar stove, which can be used by five households, Ardani said it would cost only about Rp 2 million  (US$216).

Cooking with the solar stove takes less time while pots and pans won’t get sooty as they might with kerosene stoves. At the same time, households would also save on fuel costs, as this stove is powered naturally by the sun.

Aside from his teaching, research and innovations, Ardani is also active as a mechanical and technical handyman.

“Some of my friends usually want to repair their refrigerators, motorbikes or TV sets and seek my service. And I get paid for that as it’s also a job,” he said.

Currently, Ardani is considering develoing his giant solar stove s to make it more practical, easily installed and portable.

“It should be a practical cooking device that is free from carbon (fossil) fuels,” he said.

Source : www.thejakartapost.com