INDONESIA MULLING OVER SINGLE TIME ZONE By Fardah

      Jakarta, May 31, 2012 (ANTARA) - In October 1928, a group of young men from several islands together made a pledge they would be united under one motherland, one nation, and one language: Indonesia.
      Eighty-four years later, Indonesia is considering merging its three time zones - GMT+7, GMT+8, and GMT+9 - into one single zone: GMT+8. The government is planning to use the new single time zone starting October 28, 2012.

INDONESIANS URGED TO CARE FOR, LOVE ELDERLY PEOPLE By Fardah

     Jakarta, May 30, 2012 (ANTARA) - With the significant improvement in life expectancy worldwide, global aging has become a striking phenomenon, including in Indonesia.
       Life expectancy has risen rapidly to nearly 70 years for women and 65 for men, and further improvements are expected.

GOVT GEARS UP FOR DOMESTIC PRODUCTION OF HYBRID, ELECTRIC CARS by Fardah

     Jakarta, May 29, 2012 (ANTARA) - The government is preparing for the domestic production of hybrid and electric cars, as the nation is facing a fossil fuel crisis and trying to cut greenhouse gas emissions.
    A hybrid car is one that employs two separate power sources - typically a gasoline-powered engine, along with an electric motor powered by rechargeable batteries.

OPPOSITION TO LADY GAGA EXPANDS TO OTHER CITIES by Fardah

     Jakarta, May 26, 2012 (ANTARA) - A number of members of different organizations in several cities in Indonesia, including Pamekasan, Solo, Bandung and Riau, are protesting the planned June 3 Jakarta concert by US pop singer Lady Gaga.
       Opposition to the concert began in Jakarta by the Islam Defenders Front (FPI). The rejection was later followed by other Islamic organizations in the capital city, such as Muhammadiyah, Muhammadiyah`s Youth, Persis, Mathlaul Anwar, and Nahdah Islamiyah, as well as in other regions.

CLEMENCY FOR DRUG OFFENDER DRAWS HARSH CRITICISM by Fardah

     Jakarta, May 24, 2012 (ANTARA) - The decision of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono to cut the sentence of Australian marijuana smuggler Schapelle Leigh Corby by five years on humanitarian grounds, has drawn harsh criticism at home.
      Corby, 34, was caught on October 8, 2004, at Bali`s Ngurah Rai airport when she was attempting to smuggle 4.2 kilogrammes of marijuana upon her arrival from Australia. The District Court in the Bali provincial capital of Denpasar on May 27, 2005, sentenced her to 20 years in jail.

E-ID CARD PROJECT SEEMS TO BE RUNNING SMOOTHLY by Fardah

      Jakarta, May 22, 2012 (ANTARA) - In the beginning, the implementation of the electronic identity (e-ID) cards, locally known as e-KTP, got delayed due to the late arrival of data recording equipment reportedly imported from the United States.
      Home Affairs Minister Gamawan Fauzi became the main target of criticism because the project was handled by his ministry and was supposed to begin simultaneously in various cities on August 1, 2011.

Round-up - SALVAGE OPERATIONS END, 45 PEOPLE CONFIRMED DEAD IN SUKHOI CRASH By Fardah

     Jakarta,  May 21, 2012 (ANTARA) - Thirteen days after the Sukhoi Superjet 100 (SSJ-100) crashed into Mount Salak`s cliff, the salvage operations of the plane`s wreckage and victims were finally concluded on Monday (May 21), with not a single survivor found.
      The SJJ-100 took off from Halim Perdanakusuma air force base in East Jakarta at 2.21 p.m. on May 9, 2012, for a short demonstration flight above Jakarta and Bogor (West Java). However, around 12 minutes later, at 2.33 p.m., the Russian-made plane disappeared from the radar.

Round-up - YUDHOYONO'S VISIT BOOSTS CLOSER TIES WITH TIMOR LESTE by Fardah

     Jakarta, May 20, 2012 (ANTARA) - Ten years after East Timorese people had decided to separate from Indonesia, the bilateral relations between Indonesia and the half-island nation called Timor Leste have become very close and sound.
      The just-ended two-day working visit of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono to Timor Leste is seen to have brought the relationship to even a more advanced level as both governments have agreed to strengthen the bilateral ties in various fields, including in the fields of economics, politics, socio-culture and cooperation in many international forums.

GOVT TO LIMIT EXPORT OF UNPROCESSED MINERALS TO CURB EXPLOITATION by Fardah

       Jakarta, May 17, 2012 (ANTARA) - The export of mining minerals is believed to have brought very little benefits to the people of natural-resources-rich Indonesia so far.
      Most major mining companies operating in the country belong to foreign nations, and their products are for export.

NEW REGULATION EXPECTED TO PAVE WAY FOR INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT by Fardah

     Jakarta, May 16, 2012 (ANTARA) - Problems in acquiring land for infrastructure projects have so far been regarded as the main stumbling block that has delayed the development of a number of toll roads, bridges, and railroads in Indonesia.
     Based on the examples of other countries such as China, Indonesia has realised that infrastructure - such as roads and bridges that connect islands and cities - is crucial to help boost the country`s economic growth.

"JOYFUL" DEMONSTRATION FLIGHT TURNS INTO TRAGIC AIR CRASH by Fardah

     Jakarta, May 11, 2012 (ANTARA) - Many were enthusiastic about joining the demonstration flight of the Sukhoi Superjet 100 which took off from Halim Perdanakusuma air force base, East Jakarta, on Wednesday (May 9). For a Trans TV journalist, it was reportedly her first experience in an airplane.
      The night before her flight, Ismiyati (23), who had just joined Trans TV, sent her father a short text message asking for his permission and requesting him to pray for the flight`s safety. She wrote that she was slightly nervous to be flying for the first time.

SUNDA STRAIT BRIDGE PROJECT TO BOOST ECONOMIC GROWTH by Fardah

      Jakarta, May 10, 2012 (ANTARA) - Indonesia is likely to start construction on its most ambitious project - the 31-km-long Sunda Strait Bridge that will connect the islands of Java and Sumatra - in 2014.
      The bridge will significantly cut travel time between the islands, which currently takes several hours by ferry. Some 20 million people crossed the strait in 2006, and this figure is predicted to double by 2020.

GOVT STARTS REALISING PROMISES TO WORKERS by Fardah

       Jakarta, May 8, 2012 (ANTARA) - On the eve of May 1, when workers all over the world, including in Indonesia, celebrated May Day or International Labour Day, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono announced "special gifts" for Indonesian workers.
        "This year is very special for Indonesian workers because the president has issued a number of strategic decrees to promote their living standard," said Daniel Sparingga, the president`s special aide for political communication, in a press statement on April 30.

INAFIS PROJECT PART OF POLICE'S EQUIPMENT MODERNIZATION by Fardah

        Jakarta, May 4, 2012 (ANTARA) - Responding to criticisms, the National Police (Polri) has halted its Indonesia Automatic Fingerprint Identification System (Inafis) project, which was considered to overlap with the electronic identity card (e-KTP ) project.
        Critics said Inafis, or fingerprint identification, could be incorporated with the home affairs ministry`s ongoing e-KTP project or be included in the driving license (SIM) document.

Obituary - INDONESIANS MOURN DEMISE OF MINISTER ENDANG by Fardah

      Jakarta, May 3, 2012 (ANTARA) - In October 2010, many Indonesians were shocked to learn that Health Minister Endang Rahayu Sedyaningsih was suffering from lung cancer, and now they are mourning the death of the hard-working minister.
      "Endang was one of the nation`s best daughters, a woman who was an inspiration to others and a symbol of strength, who kept on fighting until her last breath," said Linda Amalia Sari Gumelar, Women`s Empowerment and Child Protection Minister, on Wednesday after hearing about the demise of Endang.

SLAIN MIGRANT WORKERS NOT FORGOTTEN ON MAY DAY by Fardah

       Jakarta, May 2, 2012 (ANTARA) - The three Indonesian migrant workers who died after being shot in their heads and chests by five Malaysian policemen in March 2012 were remembered by workers observing May Day on May 1.
       In the May Day rally in Jakarta, workers grouped under the Indonesian Workers Council expressed their condolences over the shooting of the three workers by the Malaysian police.