Suyanto likely to come out fit, proper

Air Marshall Djoko Suyanto, the sole candidate for the post of Indonesian Military (TNI) chief, is only days away from starting his job, with Wednesday's fit-and-proper test at the House of Representatives a mere formality, insiders say.

Suyanto is President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's only choice for the military's top job. "Djoko Suyanto is the best candidate," said Ade Daud Nasution of the Reform Star Party, a member of the House Commission I working group on defense that will interview Suyanto.

Theo Sambuaga, a Golkar Party legislator who heads the commission, said the session would be open to the public. "We will focus on his personality, morality and track record." However, more sensitive topics like personal wealth would not be discussed, Theo said.

Golkar believes Suyanto could drive reform in the TNI and improve soldiers' professionalism. The military's image has been tarnished over recent years, with top soldiers accused of involvement in human rights abuses and illegal businesses.

National Mandate Party (PAN) legislators said they would focus their questions on Suyanto's vision of human rights issues. "Human rights is a serious concern for us," legislator Djoko Susilo said. Any challenge is likely to come from the opposition Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle faction, which favors former Army chief of staff Gen. Ryamizard Ryacudu to replace the retiring Gen. Endriartono Sutarto. Marshall Suyanto, 55, graduated from the Military Academy in 1973, the same year as Yudhoyono, a former Army general.

Source:
Muninggar Sri Saraswati
Jakarta Post
February 02, 2006

Prices of Pertamax, other fuels up

State oil and gas firm PT Pertamina is to raise the prices of high-octane premium gasoline and most fuels destined for industrial users by as much as 13 percent, based on a new distribution policy and increases in global crude prices.

Starting February, the company will apply different pricing policies to the unsubsidized Pertamax and Pertamax Plus in each distribution area, Pertamina's fuel division head, Achmad Faisal, said Tuesday. "We'll apply different prices for areas outside Java, depending on distribution and transportation costs," he said.

In Java, Pertamax will be sold at Rp 5,300 per liter (56 U.S. cents), 6 percent higher than the January price, and Pertamax Plus at Rp 5,400 per liter.
The highest price for Pertamax will be in Makasar at Rp 5,650 a liter, 13 percent higher than January's price. Meanwhile, the lowest price for Pertamax Plus will be in Batam at Rp 5,350 per liter, cheaper than in Jakarta.

Pertamina will also raise the prices of most fuels sold to industrial users in February. The price of kerosene will increase the most, 7.9 percent, to Rp 5,740 per liter from Rp 5,320 per liter in January, while the price of premium gasoline will increase by only 3.8 percent to Rp 4,930 per liter.
The price of fuel oil, however, will fall by 2.9 percent to Rp 3,380 per liter.
Pertamina has calculated the new prices based on Mid Oil Platts Singapore (MOPS) prices between Dec. 15 and Jan. 15.

"Global oil prices are on the upward path again," said Pertamina president director Widya Purnama. Crude prices have climbed by 19 percent since Dec. 1 due to tensions over Iran's nuclear research program and rebel attacks in Nigeria. Crude prices in New York rose as much as 0.4 percent to $68.65 early Tuesday, gaining for the fourth straight day.

Widya said the base price for premium gasoline would be $68.16 per barrel, kerosene $79.83 per barrel and diesel fuel $71.62 per barrel. Pertamina is also considering effecting price adjustments every two weeks, instead of once every month.

"We want our prices to better reflect the fluctuations taking place in the global market," said Faisal. He did not say, however, when the firm might start doing this.

Source:
Leony Aurora, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
February 02, 2006