KPK to question Robert Tantular today

Fri, 03/19/2010 10:51 AM | National

The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) will question former Bank Century owner Robert Tantutar on Friday in its investigation into possible fraud in the disbursement of the Rp 6.76 trillion (US$716 million) Bank Century bailout.

KPK spokesman Johan Budi, confirmed the plan and said that Robert would be examined as a witness.

Previously, the antigraft commission had planned to question Robert over the management of the bailout funds after they were disbursed by the Deposit Insurance Corporation (LPS).

Bank Century, now Bank Mutiara, received Rp 6.76 trillion in bailout funds after the government decided to save the ailing bank, fearing a systemic threat to the country’s banking sector amid the global financial crisis.

However, many suspect the bailout funds may have been channeled to politicians for election campaign funds.

The Financial Transaction Reports and Analysis Center (PPATK) recently found that several names of fund recipients may have been political figures.

Earlier this year, the Jakarta High Court increased the sentence against Robert from four to five years in prison, after it found him guilty of issuing a letter of credit worth US$178 million and unhealthy loans of Rp 362 billion ($38.5 million) and misusing funds worth $18 million.

Obama visit delay to June 'suitable' for Indonesia

Jakarta | Fri, 03/19/2010 11:04 AM | National The delay of US President Barack Obama's planned visit to Indonesia, now set for June, is in line with President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's preference, Indonesia presidential spokesman Dino Patti Djalal said here Friday.

Dino said Yudhoyono had earlier suggested that the visit was delayed until June even before Obama postponed the start of his Indonesian visit from March 20 to March 23.

"We understand that this is based on political necessity. The statement made by the White House was that President Obama himself was very disappointed and regretful that he could not make the visit," Dino told a press conference at the Presidential Office.

"We know that this visit is important to President Obama, that Indonesia is an important country, that there's a strong commitment to launch a comprehensive partnership.

"We're glad as from the beginning it is President Yudhoyono's preference... so that the visit is done without political rush. We want the visit to be 100 percent a success, where Obama can fully focuse on the Indonesia-US bilateral relationship," he added.

Dino said the visit would be done around mid-June, and that June was basically an option discussed by the two country leaders during their meeting in the G-20 meeting in Pitssburg last year.

"President [Yudhoyono] said it was better in June because summer holiday will have begun and [Obama] can bring the First Lady and his children to Indonesia."

The White House announced last night [Jakarta time] that Obama's visit to Indonesia and Australia, formerly set for next week, would be delayed until June.

The US President is facing pressure to stay at home to push past the health care reform bill, which is the main part of his campaign when running for the presidency.

US statement on the delay of Obama’s trip

Jakarta | Fri, 03/19/2010 12:18 PM | World

US President Barack Obama is pleased the House has posted the healthcare legislation on the Internet and that a final vote is going ahead, says White House press secretary Robert Gibbs.

But since the House rules rightly provide for a 72-hour public review period, it is clear that a final vote on health insurance reform cannot take place before Sunday afternoon, Gibbs said in a statement run on the US Embassy Jakarta's website on Friday.

As a result, the President telephoned the leaders of Indonesia and Australia and told them that he must postpone his planned visits there for a later date so he could remain in Washington for the critical vote. The President now expects to visit Indonesia and Australia in June.

“The President greatly regrets the delay. Our international alliances are critical to America’s security and economic progress. But the passage of health insurance reform is of paramount importance, and the President is determined to see this battle through,” the statement said.

High school students prepare for national exams

akarta | Wed, 03/17/2010 7:39 PM | Education Students in Jakarta have been preparing since January for the national exams, which are scheduled to begin Monday, by sitting mock exams.

State senior high school SMAN 24, private high school SMA Labschool and vocational school STM Pembangunan, for example, held several mock exams, individual extensive tutoring and in-depth learning sessions.

“We’re running the mock exams because of the high standards the students have to attain in order to pass the national exams,” Ida Febrianie, an English teacher at SMAN 24, said Wednesday

Students have to average 5.5 in six subjects with no more than two grades less than 4.0 in order to pass the national exams this year. Students at vocational schools have to average 5.5 in four subjects and score a 7.0 in a practical test.

Taufik Yudi, the head of Jakarta Education Agency, said 96.5 percent of Jakarta high school students passed the national exams last year.

However, the track record of other regions was poorer. In East Nusa Tenggara, approximately a quarter of all high school students failed the exams, with seven schools recording a passing rate of zero percent.

Nissan to make electric vehicle in UK

Thu, 03/18/2010 4:12 PM

Nissan Motor Co. said Thursday it will make its electric vehicle, the Leaf, in England from early 2013 as the automaker gears up for global sales of the zero emission car.

Japan's third-largest automaker said it will make about 50,000 Leafs per year at its plant in Sunderland, in northern England. It will invest euros 486.2 million ($640 million) in the plant, which will also make batteries for electric vehicles.

Nissan is banking on electric vehicles to spur growth as it has fallen behind bigger rivals Toyota Motor Corp. - the world's largest automaker - and Honda Motor Co. in gas-electric hybrids that have become popular in Japan and abroad.

Apart from the British plant, Nissan has said it will make the Leaf in Japan later this year and the United States in 2012.

"The three production sites will support the sales launch of the model, which begins in late 2010 in Japan, the United States and selected European markets, ahead of global mass marketing from 2012," Nissan said in a statement.

The Leaf has a range of 100 miles (160 kilometers) on a single battery charge. Nissan has yet to announce a price tag for the Leaf.

Nissan said battery production at the Sunderland plant will begin in 2012 with annual capacity of 60,000 units.

Nissan - Britain's largest automaker by production volume - has 4,100 employees at Sunderland.

Nissan's smaller rival, Mitsubishi Motors Corp., launched its electric vehicle, the i-MiEV, in Japan in June. Mitsubishi's zero-emission vehicle costs 4.59 million yen ($51,000). The company has acknowledged that may be too expensive for most consumers.