Hospital Denies It Has Issued Noordin`s Finger Print

LAMPUKUNING- THE Kramatjati Police Hospital has denied it had ever issued a statement saying the finger prints of the man killed in a police raid in Central Java did not match those of terror mastermind Noordin M Top.
The hospital`s director, Dr M Aidy Rawas, said here on Tuesday (August ,11) the hospital had yet to issue a statement on the results of examinations on the body of the suspected terrorist who was killed in the raid by anti-terror police in Temanggung, Central Java, last Saturday.
The body of the man who was killed during the siege by members of the police`s Densus-88 anti-terror unit in Beji village, Temanggung, Central Java, was believed to be that of most wanted terror suspect Noordin M Top. [ANTARA]

Army to Form Two Combat Battalions in C Kalimantan

LAMPUKUNING-THE Indonesian Army (TNI-AD) plans to form two combat battalions in Central Kalimantan province, a spokesman said.
"The plan to form and develop these units is in line with the TNI-AD`s strategic plan," chief of the Panju military resort command Col. Rudiono Edi said on Tuesday (August,11)
One of the battalions will be set up in Muara Taweh, North Barito district, and consist of 1,000 men. The other battalion will be formed in Pangkalan Bun, West Kotawaringin district.
Rudiono said the plan to form the new battalions was based on the perception of a possible threat to the integrity of the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia.[ANTARA]

Typhoon Pummels Taiwan

LAMPUKUNING- A typhoon-spawned mudslide engulfed a mountain village in southern Taiwan, burying up to 600 people, a police official and a rescued villager said Monday (August, 10)
Typhoon Morakot dumped up to 80 inches (two meters) of rain on some communities over the weekend before moving on to China, where it forced the evacuation of nearly 1 million people along the east coast and left at least six dead. Earlier it had struck the Philippines, leaving at least 22 dead.
Speaking to The Associated Press, a Taiwanese police official who identified himself by his surname, Wang, said about 400 people are still unaccounted for after Sunday morning's mudslide in Shiao Lin village. He said about 100 people have been rescued by military helicopter or avoided the slide. [AP/GILLIAN WONG/SHINO YUASA]

Indonesia Growth Likely Near Southeast Asia’s Fastest

LAMPUKUNING-INDONESIA'S economy probably grew at close to the fastest pace in Southeast Asia as higher commodity prices boosted rural incomes and a strife-free presidential election buoyed consumer spending and investment.
Gross domestic product expanded 3.8 percent in the second quarter compared with a 4.4 percent gain in the previous three months, according to the median forecast of 17 economists in a Bloomberg News survey. The statistics bureau is due to release the figures after 11 a.m. in Jakarta, Monday (10/8).
Indonesia has avoided the recession that hit many of its Asian neighbors this year as its economy’s main driver is domestic demand rather than exports. President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said in his budget speech last week that growth is expected to accelerate to more than 5 percent in 2010 and “even faster” in subsequent years.
“Strong commodity prices are benefiting small-scale farmers and miners,” said Wai Ho Leong, senior regional economist at Barclays Capital in Singapore. “The urban population has been spared the worst of the financial turmoil, given that major employers such as banks and companies are generally in good shape. So things are still humming along.”
Consumer confidence in Indonesia jumped in July to the highest level since December 2004, the year Yudhoyono first took office. The seventh straight monthly increase in an index of consumer confidence compiled by the central bank was partly due to July’s peaceful presidential election, Bank Indonesia said. [aloysius unditu/bloombergcom]

Indonesian Central Bank Cuts Its Benchmark Rate

LAMPUKUNING- BANK Indonesia cut its benchmark overnight rate one quarter of a percentage point to a record low of 6.50%, while signaling that its easing cycle may be nearing an end as inflation will likely pick up again.
"Bank Indonesia is closely watching the potential for inflationary pressures in 2010, which may rise from a recovery in domestic demand and increasing global commodity prices," the central bank said after a monthly rate-review meeting.
"In this context, future monetary policy will be directed to anticipate the potential of rising inflation, in order to contain inflation at 5% in 2010," it added.
On the economy, Bank Indonesia said growth this year may reach the upper end of its 3.5% to 4% forecast, with the momentum expected to accelerate in the third quarter. By comparison, the government expects the pace of expansion to slow to between 4% and 4.5% from 6.1% last year. [Farida Husna at farida.husna@dowjones.com/I Made Sentana at i-made.sentana@dowjones.com]

Soldiers Help Fight Forest Fires

LAMPUKUNING- THE Central Kalimantan regional military command (Korem 102 Panju Panjung) has deployed six platoons or 180 men to help put out land and forest fires in the region.
"We are committed to fighting the land fires, meaning that we will fully concentrate on extinguishing the blazes, " the 102 Panju Panjung regional military command chief, Col Rudiono Edi, said here on Tuesday (4/8).
Rudiono said his command had assigned its members to help the regional adminstration overcome the forest and land fire problem.
At least 30 soldiers equipped with two portable fire fighting engines had been posted in every district military command (Kodim), he said.
The regional military command was overseeing six Kodims, namely those in Palangkaraya, Sampit, Pangkalan Bun, Muara Teweh, Buntok, and Kuala Kapuas. [ANTARA]

July Inflation 0.45%

LAMPUKUNING- THE Central Board of Statistics (BPS) recorded inflation of 0.45% in July 2009, while 62 of the 66 cities surveyed by BPS recorded inflations and four recorded deflations.
"The highest inflation rate was recorded in Sorong, that is 2.19%, and the lowest in Purwokerto at 0.01%," Head of BPS, Rusman Heriawan, said in a press conference today (Monday 3/8) in Jakarta.
He said the inflation was triggered by prices of foodstuffs that rose 1.14%, prices prices of finished foods, drinks, cigarettes and tobacco that increased 0.29%, prices of clean water, electricity and fuel prices that rose 0.08%, health expense that climbed 0.13%, eduation, recreation and sport expenses that rose 1.21%, and transport, communication and financial services that climbed 0.28%. "But prices of clothing were down 0.23%," he said. [E-BURSA]

Land, Air Search for Merpati

A LAND and air search will be conducted to find a Twin Otter aircraft belonging to the state-owned Merpati Nusantara Airlines that went missing here on Sunday.
Chief of the Jayapura air base Col. Suwandi Miharja said here on Sunday that his side was preparing a team and five planes for search of the missing aircraft on Monday (Aug 3) morning.
The five planes which be provided are from the Mission Aviation Fellowship (MAF), Associated Mission Aviation (AMA), Yayasan Jasa Aviasi Indonesia (Yajasi), Twin Otter of Merpati Airlines and an Air Force Cassa place, he said.
The Twin Otter lost contact with the tower while flying between Jayapura and Oksibil on Sunday (Aug 2). [ANTARA]

Rupiah Strengthens 30 Points

LAMPUKUNING- RUPIAH exchange-rate strengthened 30 points versus the US dollar in the closing at the Jakarta interbank spot market today (Thursday 30/7) at IDR9,965 compared to Wednesday's (29/7) at IDR9,995 per US dollar.
"Rupiah appreciation today was sparked by positive activities in the stock market as share prices were up," foreign currency analyst Tony Mariano said. He said further that investors sold the US dollar today for buying shares.
Besides, he said, rupiah appreciation today was due to optimisms that the inflation will remain low in July. "Expectations of July inflation has triggered rupiah appreciation today," he said. Even traders are confident that Indonesia's economy will grow positively in 2009, he said. He expects rupiah to consolidate at IDR9,950-9,900 in Friday's (31/7) trading.
Likewise, rupiah appreciated against the other foreign currencies today and the rate versus the Singapore dollar strengthened at IDR6,908.49 from 6,946.75, as the rate versus the Hong Kong dollar appreciated at IDR1,287.72 from 1,292.88, but the rate versus the Australian dollar depreciated at IDR8,223.02 from 8,220.41 and the rate versus the euro appreciated at IDR14,039.86 from IDR14,173.79. [E-BURSA]

Bomb: Man-Utd 'Was Target'

LAMPUKUNING- INDONESIA police are investigating the origin of an internet message which claims responsibility for twin hotel bombings in Jakarta nearly two weeks ago, and names the Manchester United football team as the target.
The messages justified the attack on July 17, in which seven people died, as an attack on American interests and labelled Manchester United, which was due to book into one of the hotels, as 'crusaders'.
It said the attack was a warning to Indonesians 'against the arrival of the soccer club Manchester United' at the Ritz-Carlton.
"These players are Christians, so Muslims should not honour and respect these enemies of Allah," it said.
The posting, which has not been independently verified, was purportedly written by Mohammed Noordin Top, South-East Asia’s most wanted man.[TELEGRAPH]

Unilever Net Profit Up 9.1 Pct

LAMPUKUNING- PT Unilever Indonesia Tbk (UNVR.JK), a unit of Anglo-Dutch conglomerate Unilever Plc (ULVR.L), reported a 9.1 percent rise in second-quarter net profit, based on Reuters calculations, supported by robust sales.
Consumer spending is one of the main growth drivers in Southeast Asia's biggest economy, which has a population of 226 million and a growing middle class. Consumption is also expected to climb further after a string of interest rate cuts.
Unilever -- which produces various consumer products such as soap, detergents, dairy-based foods, tea-based beverages and cosmetics -- said its net profit for April-June rose to 726.2 billion rupiah ($72.98 million) from 665.4 billion a year earlier.
Sales climbed 16.7 percent to 4.47 trillion rupiah from 3.83 trillion a year earlier. [Reporting by Tyagita Silka; Editing by Ed Davies/REUTERS]

Earthquake Rocks E. Indonesia

LAMPUKUNING-A SHALLOW earthquake measuring 5.2 on the Richter scale hit eastern parts of Indonesia on Monday (27/7), with no report of damage or casualty, Meteorology and Geophysics Agency said here.
The quake jolted at 18:16 Jakarta time (1116 GMT) with epicenter at 237 km southwest of Ambon in Maluku province and at 10 km in depth, the agency said.
Indonesia with over 230 million population sits on a vulnerable quake-hit zone called the Pacific Ring of Fire, where two continental plates, stretching from western hemisphere to Japan, meet, causing frequent seismic and volcanic movements. [Editor: Anne Tang/CHINAVIEW]

Rupiah at IDR9,950

LAMPUKUNING- RUPIAH exchange-rate appreciated further by 45 points versus the US dollar in the closing at the Jakarta interbank spot market today (Monday 27/7) at IDR9,950 compared to (Friday 24/7)'s closing at IDR9,995 per US dollar.
"Rupiah's continued appreciation today was due to positive sentiments in global and regional stock markets," a foreign currency dealer at a private bank in Jakarta said. He said foreign investors are still attracted to invest in Indonesia's stock and currency markets.
"They sell the US dollar and bought the rupiah today, so the local currency continued to appreciate," he said, and added that they also coneinued to buy bluechip shaers on IDX. He expects rupiah to appreciate at IDR9,900-10,000 in Tuesday's (28/7) trading.[E-BURSA]

First Death from H1N1 Flu

LAMPUKUNING- Indonesia has confirmed its first death linked to the H1N1 flu virus after a 6-year-old girl suffering from severe pneumonia died in Jakarta, the health ministry said.
The girl was admitted to hospital with fever, coughs and respiratory problems, the ministry said on its website. She died on July 22.
The World Health Organisation has confirmed 800 deaths globally from the H1N1 virus, which has spread to 160 countries.
But health experts say that figure does not reflect the true number of people killed by the virus. Flu can kill people in various ways, including by causing pneumonia, heart attack, stroke or multiple organ failure.
Indonesia has confirmed 343 people have been infected with the H1N1 flu strain as of July 24. (Reporting by Karima Anjani; Editing by Ed Davies/REUTERS)