Register or login ASEAN, China sign investment agreement in Bangkok

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the People’s Republic of China finally signed a comprehensive economic deal on Saturday after seven years of negotiations.

China is ASEAN’s eighth largest investor with accumulated investments of US$6.1 billion as of 2008, while the 10 ASEAN member countries invested a total $5.6 billion in the same year.

Signed by economic ministers from ASEAN’s 10 member countries and the PRC’s Trade Minister Chen Deming, the agreement is expected to boost trade and investment.

“The core point is not liberalization, but investment facilitation, promotion and the creation of legal certainty,” said the Indonesian Trade Minister Mari Elka Pangestu, after the signing in Bangkok.
“Now we have a clear platform to develop economic integration with one of the world’s key economic players.”

The investment pact is the third free trade agreement between China and ASEAN.

The agreement, she said, provides opportunities for ASEAN member countries — Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, Laos, the Philippines, Myanmar and Cambodia — to attract more direct investment from China.

Mari said China’s investment within ASEAN was not yet comparable to that of other East Asian countries including Japan and Korea, but was steadily increasing.

China’s investment in Indonesia was $31.5 million in 2006, but increased to US$139.6 million in
2008, according to data from the Investment Coordinating Agency (BKPM).

Mari said this excluded the nearly $2 billion worth of acquisition that the PRC had in the oil sector as well as its participation in the 10,000 megawatt power plant projects across Indonesia.

“The PRC is also involved in the Suramadu bridge project,” she added, referring to the 5.4-kilometer bridge connecting Java and Madura Island, the longest so far in Indonesia. It was opened in June by President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.

Mari said China also reiterated commitment to providing ASEAN with $15 billion in loans to build infrastructure facilities to link ASEAN member countries and China.

She added that Indonesia had proposed infrastructure development in the Indonesia-Malaysia-Thailand Growth Triangle area and in the Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines area — the East ASEAN Growth Area.

Malaysia deputy PM in helicopter emergency landing

The Associated Press , Kuala Lumpur | Sun, 08/16/2009 5:50 PM | World

A news report says a helicopter carrying Malaysia's deputy prime minister has made an emergency landing due to bad weather.

The national news agency Bernama says Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin and 13 others on board the helicopter were unhurt in the emergency landing Sunday in eastern Sabah state.

It quoted Muhyiddin as saying the pilot decided to make the emergency landing shortly before reaching his destination due to bad weather. Muhyiddin was on the way to the state capital, Kota Kinabalu.

Indonesia aces tough challenges in the fight against AIDS: Experts

Exchanging info: Head of the Delegation of the European Commission to Indonesia Ambassador Julian Wilson (right) talks to executive secretary of National AIDS Commission Nafsiah Mboy during the seminar on EU policies and actions on HIV and AIDS in Indonesia, on Wednesday, in Jakarta. JP/P.J. Leo

A lack of awareness about AIDS, an increasing number of intravenous drug users, and cultural diversity across the vast archipelago are some of the major challenges facing Indonesia in its fight against HIV/AIDS, experts said in Jakarta on Wednesday.

“It’s not an easy task to curb the spread of HIV/AIDS in a country like Indonesia,” National AIDS Commission (NAC) executive secretary Nafsiah Mboy said at a seminar titled Confronting HIV/AIDS in Indonesia.

To tackle the tough challenges resulting from a decentralized government and an uncoordinated bureaucracy, the scarcity and unpredictable availability of resources, Nafsiah emphasized the need for dialogue between civil societies and local governments.

Citing the NAC’s motto — “We have to work together to defeat HIV” — she urged all stakeholders and society in general to take action against the spread of HIV: “Everyone, all of you must participate. Let’s not wait for someone else to do it.”

An overview of the epidemiological situation in Indonesia shows that out of an estimated 270,000 HIV positive cases, less than 15 percent were reported as of March 2009, and that intravenous drug usage had become the leading cause of the disease in the country.

Effective implementation of HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment programs must be made a priority
on government and NGO agendas, she said.

Slow disbursement of funds is also a point of concern for the Global Fund, a fund that focuses on HIV/AIDS, and recipients alike, as is the coordination required between the various institutions involved in the effort.

“Good coordination is needed to ensure the thing that comes out of the kitchen is eedible,” the head of the Delegation of the European Commission (EC) to Indonesia, Ambassador Julian Wilson, said in his opening remarks.

Bachti Alisyahbana of IMPACT, an anti-AIDS organization operating in Bandung, said there would be a projected 1 million HIV positive cases in Indonesia by 2015, given the current growth rate of infection unless action was taken to avoid such an exponential spread of the disease.

Bachti elaborated on the project’s achievements in the West Java city of Bandung, which included routine testing and care for AIDS victims at Banceuy prison, and decreasing dependence on foreign aid.

Currently, the EC is financially supporting the IMPACT activities.

The mayor of Bandung also recently approved a pilot project to be developed by IMPACT strengthening school curriculums and training teachers to impart relevant skills for AIDS prevention.

Amélie Courcaud, program coordinator of the EC-backed organization Médecins du Monde (MDM), talked about the challenges in spreading awareness about AIDS in Papua, the region with the highest rates of HIV cases in the country.

“Condoms are taboo in Papua. Still, we don’t deny traditional beliefs. Church leaders are involved in prevention and awareness activities, as are student clubs because they are active in this cause,” Courcaud said.

Indonesia police arrest bomb threat suspect

Police spokesperson Chryshnanda Dwi Laksono said the police had captured the perpetrator, identified as NT, at Labuhan Ratu Selatan, South Sumatra on Wednesday.

The truck driver sent the threat to the Jakarta Police, saying he had placed a bomb at the hospital which was about to explode.

“We have charged him under the 2003 law on anti-terrorism, charges which carry a sentence of up to 15 years in prison,” Chryshnanda said Thursday

new airport in BANDA ACEH SULTAN ISKANDAR MUDA

resident Susilo Bambang Yudohoyono kicked off his post-election visit to Aceh by opening both the province's 5th Cultural Week and the 2009 International Expo on Wednesday.

It is his first official visit since he and his running mate Boediono won a significant number of votes in the country's westernmost province in the presidential election.

Public works minister Djoko Kirmanto and transportation minister Jusman Syafii Djamal were among those who accompanied the President.

After opening Aceh Cultural Week at H. Dimurtala Stadium in Banda http://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=4832382378178813573&postID=787978340616776179Aceh, Yudhoyono went on to the Expo at Queen Shafiatuddin Park.

In his speech, Yudhoyono called on all Aceh residents to maintain security and peace as a key element to improving development in the area.

“Aceh is currently peaceful and safe. Do not waste the opportunity to build a better Aceh,” Yudhoyono said.

And after that President open the new airport in Indonesia. Sultan iskandar muda port.

MERPATI AIRLINES LOST CONTACT IN PAPUA

Indonesian rescue personnel are searching for a Merpati Nusantara turboprop aircraft reportedly missing on a domestic flight over the Papua region.

Indonesian authorities have suspended a land and air search for a Merpati Nusantara flight that lost contact with air traffic controllers Sunday morning over the rugged Papua forest in eastern Indonesia until Monday.

A search flight dispatched over Abmisibil in Pengunungan Bintang regency, Papua, has reported having spotted a missing Merpati Airlines Twin Otter plane in the area.

The regency police chief Adj. Sr. Comr. Maikel informed Antara news agency that Erich and Mak, pilot and co-pilot of an Association of Missionairy Aviation (AMA) plane, located the missing plane at around 6.35 a.m. (4.35 a.m. Jakarta time).

Amisibil is located three miles off Oksibil, the regency's capital.

The Twin Otter plane, which was carrying 16 people on board, first went missing on Sunday when the plane lost contact with the monitoring officials on the ground. It was flying between the Papuan capital of Jayapura and Oksibil.

Merpati said pilot Frans Noble and co-pilot Dedi Sudrahat, a mechanic, 11 adult passengers and two babies were onboard the plane.

The DeHavilland DHC6 Twin Otter aircraft was on a scheduled flight from Sentani, a major airport in Papua, to the Papuan town of Oksibil, when contact was lost about 40 minutes into the 50 minute flight.

Captain Nikmatullah, director of operations for Merpati Nusantara, who like many Indonesians uses just one name, said the flight was carrying 13 passengers, including two babies, and a crew of three.

Indonesian Transportation Ministry spokesman Bambang Ervan said contact with the aircraft was lost while it was flying at a height of 9,500 feet (2,895 meters) over the heavily forested Papuan terrain.

Indonesia, a country comprised of more than 18,000 islands, relies heavily on air and sea transport and has seen a number of air crashes in recent years.

Travel by aircraft is the only way to travel around Papua, much of which is covered with impenetrable jungles and mountains. In the past, crashed planes there have never been found.

Two weeks ago, the EU took four Indonesian airlines – Garuda, Mandala Airlines, Airfast Indonesia and Premiair – off its list of carriers banned from entering its airspace, citing “considerable improvements”.

However, all other Indonesian airlines, including Merpati Nusantara, remain on the list.

Indonesian Police and the military will join the search at first light Monday, with the air search being hampered by poor weather conditions in the region.

NEW MONEY IN INDONESIA WAS LAUNCHED

Indonesia has launched new nominal money for 2000 rupiah. And now that money was in using in Indonesia money market too.
Money has a new background color is gray with Prince Antasari picture on the front of the dance and the bell in the back. Issuance of money bills, are intended to meet the needs of people with cash to the nominal low. Up to now cash transactions are still relatively high even though the non-cash transactions continue to grow.