AsiaPulse News back issues from December 1999:
AFTER-SHOCK OF CRISIS STILL HITTING DEVELOPING COUNTRIES: WB.
Dec 07, 1999 ... (Full text of a statement. Contact details below.) WASHINGTON, Dec 7 Asia Pulse - Developing countries are expected to grow in 1999 by 2.7 percent, and accelerate to 4.2 percent in 2000. For developing countries, excluding those in transition, growth is significantly less ...
ADB PROJECT TO HELP SRI LANKA SHORE UP VANISHING COASTLINE.
Dec 07, 1999 ... MANILA, Dec 7 Asia Pulse - Sri Lanka's valuable but fragile shoreline is eroding. Its western and southwestern coast alone loses between 200,000 and 300,000 square meters of beach a year to storms and high waves. An $80 million government program to shore up the coastline and install ...
INDONESIAN TEXMACO-OWNED BANK RESUMES OPERATIONS.
Dec 08, 1999 ... JAKARTA, Dec 8 Asia Pulse - Indonesian PT Bank Putera Multikarsa, a subsidiary of troubled Texmaco Group, was allowed to resume interbank clearing Wednesday after being suspended Tuesday for liquidity problems, a report said. Bank President Masyhud Ali told the newspaper ...
US POWER CO ENRON TO INCREASE ITS PRESENCE IN INDIA.
Dec 08, 1999 ... NEW DELHI, Dec 8 Asia Pulse - US multinational Enron is planning to set up more greenfield power projects in India as well as acquiring some existing power plants to increase its presence in the country. "We are committed to investing in India and are looking at more ...
INDONESIA CONSIDERS FORMULA FOR RICE IMPORT DUTY.
Dec 08, 1999 ... JAKARTA, Dec 8 Asia Pulse - The Indonesian government is working on an appropriate formula to determine import duties for rice import to protect local farmers following the drop of the commodity's price on the world market to below domestic levels, Agriculture Minister Mohamad Prakosa ...
FORMER INDONESIAN MIN REFUSES TO DISCUSS IRREGULARITIES.
Dec 08, 1999 ... JAKARTA, Dec 8 Asia Pulse - Former Indonesian mines and energy minister IB Sudjana has been accused of reluctance to disclose irregularities in the mines and energy ministry during his tenure. "The proof is that this evening he was reluctant to provide the names of a number ...
PHILIPPINES INSTALLS 681 SOLAR POWER UNITS IN REMOTE AREAS.
Dec 08, 1999 ... MANILA, Dec 8 Asia Pulse - For the past 11 months, a total of 681 solar power projects have been installed in some 263 remote barangays in the Philippines Visayas and Mindanao. Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Ronaldo Puno said of the 681 solar ...
INDONESIAN CO TEXMACO'S RESTRUCTURING TO CONTINUE.
Dec 08, 1999 ... JAKARTA, Dec 8 Asia Pulse - Four of the beleaugured Indonesian Texmaco Group's creditors and the Indonesian Bank Restructuring Agency (IBRA) have agreed to continue restructuring the group of companies as started by Bank Negara Indonesia Bank. "They agreed upon the scenario ...
BANK INDONESIA: SOEHARTO INSTRUCTED IN TEXMACO CASE.
Dec 08, 1999 ... JAKARTA, Dec 8 Asia Pulse - Bank Indonesia (BI) governor Syahril Sabirin said former president Soeharto's role in the Texmaco case is difficult to be interpreted as intervention but is more akin to instruction. "The task of BI and management as stipulated in article 10 sub ...
LITTLE CAESARS PIZZA SIGNS MAJOR FRANCHISE DEAL IN JAPAN.
Dec 08, 1999 ... (Full text of a statement. Contact details below.) DETROIT, Dec 8 Asia Pulse - Little Caesars(R) Pizza is adding a big slice to its international markets with a major franchise agreement totaling 400 restaurants, Little Caesars Japan (LCJ), a newly formed company, has agreed to open ...
PAKISTAN NEWSPAPER HIGHLIGHTS - DEC 9, 1999.
Dec 09, 1999 ... KARACHI, Dec 9 Asia Pulse - Highlights of today's newspapers DAWN - The ousted prime minister Nawaz Sharif and six others were formally charge-sheeted on Wednesday in the October 12 plane hijacking case for having committed an act of treason through criminal ...
BNI SECURITIES - DAILY MARKET REPORT - DEC 9, 1999.
Dec 09, 1999 ... (Full text of a statement released by BNI Securities Research. Contact details below.) CORPORATE NEWS * IBRA will raise the decision to choose the buyer for Astra International?s (ASII) 30% shares to the newly-formed Financial Sector Action Committee (FSAC). Two ...
PHILIPPINES LAUNCHES US$39.21 MLN RURAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM.
Dec 09, 1999 ... MANILA, Dec 9 Asia Pulse - The Philippines government has kicked off a P1.6 billion (US$39.21 million) rural development program in Mindanao, in step with the commitment of President Estrada to anchor his agricultural modernization program on the conversion of the South into the ...
ASIANET SUMMARY FOR THURSDAY, DEC 8, 1999.
Dec 09, 1999 ... Press releases distributed by AsiaNet to Asia Pulse today: DATABASE SOFTWARE BOSTON: Allied Banking Corporation in Manila, Philippines has chosen Microsoft SQL Server 7.0 as the database for its Thomson Vision software. Allied Banking Corporation is the first Thomson ...
[2] STOCKS - KOSPI MIXED IN EARLY THURSDAY TRADE - DEC 9, 1999.
Dec 09, 1999 ... SEOUL, Dec 9 Asia Pulse - Korean stocks were mixed amid program-related selling in early Thursday session. ...
AUSTRALIAN NEWSPAPER HIGHLIGHTS - DEC 9, 1999.
Dec 09, 1999 ... SYDNEY, Dec 9 Asia Pulse - Highlights of today's newspapers: THE AUSTRALIAN FINANCIAL REVIEW - PM puts the brakes on further major economic reform next year; - Wealthy individuals, small businesses and family companies will be forced to restructure ...
OMAN'S GALFAR TO CONSTRUCT16KM ROAD.
Dec 09, 1999 ... MUSCAT Oman, 9 Dec Asia Pulse - An agreement worth RO 2.857 Million (US$7.428 million) for the construction of Qalhat-Sur road, was signed at the Communications Ministry Wednesday. Salim bin Abdullah al Ghazali, Communications Minister signed the agreement on behalf of the ...
OMAN TO UPDATE TELECOMMUNICATIONS SYSTEM.
Dec 09, 1999 ... MUSCAT Oman, 8 Dec Asia Pulse - Oman's Minister of Posts, Telegraphs and Telephones Ahmed bin Suwaidan al Balushi, and the Chairman of the Oman Telecommunications Company's Board signed an agreement to the tune of RO. 351,000 (US$912,600) Wednesday with Lucent Technologies Company to ...
CEBU INVESTORS TO BUILD P60M FILIPINO BUSINESS CLUB.
Dec 09, 1999 ... CEBU CITY, Dec 9 Asia Pulse - Spurred by signs of an economic rebound, a group of Cebuano investors has pumped in P60 million to construct a new exclusive facility for Cebu's prominent corporate executives and professionals. The Filipino Business Club, being constructed on a ...
CONTAMINATED SHIPS DAMAGE WORKERS, ENVIRONMENT:GREENPEACE.
Dec 09, 1999 ... NEW DELHI, Dec 9 Asia Pulse - International environment activist group Greenpeace today said workers in developing countries, including India, were being exposed to asbestos and other poisons from "toxic" western ships scrapped in "unsound labour and enviromental conditions". ...
TEXMACO USE OF PRE-SHIPMENT CREDIT JUSTIFIABLE: BNI PRESIDENT.
Dec 09, 1999 ... JAKARTA, Dec 9 Asia Pulse - Bank Negara Indonesia (BNI) President Widigdo Sukarman said use of preshipment credit facilities by the Texmaco Group granted by the state bank in stages was in good order. "The second preshipment credit facility was more far-reaching, namely to be ...
INDONESIA OIL CO URGED TO REPEAT BONTANG LNG REFINERY TENDER.
Dec 09, 1999 ... JAKARTA, Dec 9 Asia Pulse - House Commission VIII urged state oil company Pertamina to review Bontang LNG Train H refinery project tender in East Kalimantan because of suspicion it was awarded through corruption, collusion and nepotistic (KKN) practices. "We urged Pertamina ...
WAHID SAYS OVERSEAS VISIT BROUGHT FOREIGN INVESTMENT.
Dec 09, 1999 ... JAKARTA, Dec 9 Asia Pulse - President Abdurrahman has Wahid emphasised that his recent visit to a number of countries resulted in a number of agreements on investments. Aside from agreements in foreign capital investment the setting up of bilateral joint commissions were also ...
INDIAN GOVT ASKED NOT TO REMOVE UREA IMPORT RESTRICTIONS.
Dec 09, 1999 ... NEW DELHI, Dec 9 Asia Pulse - The Indian fertiliser industry has asked the federal government not to remove quantitative restrictions (QRs) on urea imports under the WTO regime, saying that free imports will hurt the fertiliser industry and seriously jeopardise the country's food ...
STOCKS - AUSTRALIAN MARKET OPENS STRONGER - DEC 9, 1999.
Dec 09, 1999 ... SYDNEY, Dec 9 Asia Pulse - The Australian sharemarket opened in positive territory today led by a bounce in blue chip stocks, defying a weaker night on Wall Street. At 1022 AEST the benchmark all ordinaries index had jumped 17.8 points to 3126.6 points. The all ...
VIRGIN'S ARRIVAL WON'T HARM AUST REGIONAL SERVICES: MINISTER.
Dec 09, 1999 ... CANBERRA, Dec 9 Asia Pulse - The entry of Virgin Airlines into the Australian domestic aviation market would not jeopardise air services to regional areas, the federal government said Wednesday. Virgin plans to start flying in Australia next July, offering cut-price tickets ...
NZ ADVANTAGE GROUP TO DEBUT INTERNET PROCUREMENT SERVICE.
Dec 09, 1999 ... WELLINGTON, Dec 9 Asia Pulse - Technology company Advantage Group Ltd has unveiled advanced plans for New Zealand's first internet procurement service. Code-named Venice, the portal (an internet gateway website such as Yahoo with links to relevant related sites) would target ...
KOREAN NEWSPAPER HIGHLIGHTS DEC. 9, 1999.
Dec 09, 1999 ... SEOUL, Dec 9 Asia Pulse - Highlights of today's newspapers: DONG-A ILBO - Two ruling coalition partners to promote lightning merger before Feb. 13; - PM Kim Jong-pil expected to lead merged party to prepare for general elections, according to key ...
AUSTRALIA'S TELSTRA MAY BE CRIPPLED OVER HOLIDAYS:UNIONS.
Dec 09, 1999 ... MELBOURNE, Dec 9 Asia Pulse - The failure of Australia's Telstra telecom to negotiate Christmas and New Year pay rates could cripple phone services during the holiday period, a union warned Wednesday. But the communications giant said it had spoken to the majority of workers ...
FORD SAYS IT IS INTERESTED IN BUYING DAEWOO MOTOR.
Dec 09, 1999 ... SEOUL, Dec 9 Asia Pulse - Ford Motor has expressed interest in taking over Daewoo Motor, an official of the Korea Development Bank (KDB) said Thursday. Paul Drenko, in charge of Ford operations in the Asia-Pacific region, visited the main creditor bank of the troubled Korean ...
SSANGYONG MOTOR TO SELL $102 MLN WORTH OF ASSETS UNTIL 2002.
Dec 09, 1999 ... EOUL, Dec 9 Asia Pulse - Ssangyong Motor (KSE: 03620) will sell off assets worth 116 billion won (US$102.5 million) during the next three years under a restructuring agreement that it will sign with its creditors soon. An executive of the financially-troubled motor firm said ...
SYDNEY FUTURES EXCHANGE UNVEILS SHARE ENTITLEMENT PLAN.
Dec 09, 1999 ... SYDNEY, Dec 9 Asia Pulse - The board of the Sydney Futures Exchange (SFE) announced a share entitlement plan Wednesday that would net the exchange's floor members over $A6 million ($US3.92 million) each if a demutualisation was approved. SFE chief executive Les Hosking said ...
KOREA'S SAMSUNG CHEMICAL SELLS POWER PLANT.
Dec 09, 1999 ... SEOUL, Dec 9 Asia Pulse - Korea's Samsung General Chemical Co. sold its 92-megawatt co-generation power plant in the Daesan petrochemical complex to Singapore Power Co for US$160 million. The company said it had to sell the plant as part of its ...
AUSTRALIAN TELSTRA CUSTOMERS MISS OUT ON COMPENSATION.
Dec 09, 1999 ... SYDNEY, Dec 9 Asia Pulse - Australia's Telstra telecom major has reportedly failed to inform over 225,000 customers of their right to compensation payments for poor service. But The Australian said the company's compensation bill was set to increase fivefold next year when new ...
PHILIPPINE ECONOMY RECOVERING DESPITE BIGGER DEFICIT: ECONOMIST.
Dec 09, 1999 ... MANILA, Dec 9 Asia Pulse - The Philippine economy, under the new administration, has recovered pretty well, despite the bad news of ballooning public sector deficit which has now overshot the target set by the International Monetary Fund (IMF). This was the assessment of Mr ....
HONG KONG TRADE RELATIONS WITH KOREA WILL IMPROVE:CE.
Dec 09, 1999 ... (Full text of a statement.) HONG KONG, Dec 9 Asia Pulse - Hong Kong's Chief Executive Mr Tung Chee Hwa said Wednesday that bilateral trade and investment relations with South Korea would become even stronger and deeper in the next century. In a full day's programme, ...
FRANCE SUPPORTS REVIVAL OF IMF LOAN PROGRAMME TO PAKISTAN.
Dec 09, 1999 ... KARACHI, Dec 9 Asia Pulse - France has actively backed revival of the IMF programme of 1998-99 for Pakistan, the resumption of financial support of multilateral agencies and the agreement reached last January by Paris Club for rescheduling of Pakistani debt. The ...
PAKISTAN MONEY CHANGERS ASKED TO KEEP DOLLAR RATE DOWN.
Dec 09, 1999 ... KARACHI, Dec 9 Asia Pulse - The Governor of Pakistan's central bank, State Bank of Pakistan (SBP), Dr. Ishrat Hussain has urged authorized money changers to keep dollar rate under control in the open market. During a meeting with a delegation of Forex Association of Pakistan ...
PAKISTAN INT'L AIRWAYS HAS RS 18 BILLION OVERDRAFT: MD.
Dec 09, 1999 ... KARACHI Dec 9 Asia Pulse - PIA, the national flag carrier is "today saddled with Rs 18 billion (US$348 million)overdraft. "We had been spending money like it was going out of fashion with the result that PIA today is saddled with Rs 18 billion overdraft. The national carrier has been a ...
CHINESE FM TANG JIAXUAN TO VISIT SEOUL FRIDAY TO ENHANCE TIES.
Dec 09, 1999 ... SEOUL, Dec 9 Asia Pulse - Chinese Foreign Minister Tang Jiaxuan will visit Seoul Friday to discuss enhancing bilateral economic and political ties, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade said Thursday. While staying through Sunday, Tang will pay a courtesy call on ...
INDONESIAN GOVT TO REPLACE BNI TOP EXECUTIVES.
Dec 09, 1999 ... JAKARTA, Dec 9 Asia Pulse -Preparation to replace the board of directors of the central Bank Negara Indonesia (BNI) (JSX:BBNI) is underway in an effort to make the state bank's management more transparent, State Minister for Investment and Promotion of State Enterprise Laksamana ...
ADB LOAN FOR SHANXI ENVIRONMENT IMPROVEMENT PROJECT.
Dec 09, 1999 ... (Full text of statement from the Asian Development Bank.) MANILA, Dec 9 Asia Pulse - Three highly polluted cities in the People's Republic of China's leading coal-producing province of Shanxi are the focus of a huge $183 million clean-up program. The fight against pollution was ...
OECD URGES JAPAN TO REFORM TAX SYSTEM TO CUT GOVT DEBT.
Dec 09, 1999 ... PARIS, Dec 9 Asia Pulse - Japan should undertake a bold overhaul of its tax system to escape the fiscal quagmire in which it finds itself, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development urged in a report released Wednesday. "The massive build up in public-sector ...
ADB AND FAO JOIN FORCES AGAINST HUNGER.
Dec 09, 1999 ... (Full text of statement from the Asian Development Bank.) MANILA, Dec 9 Asia Pulse - The Asian Development Bank and the Food and Agriculture Organization will work together to support projects in selected low-income, food-deficit countries in the Asia and Pacific region, the ...
JAPAN GOVT TENDER - MOVEMENT EVALUATION SYSTEM.
Dec 09, 1999 ... *** Asia Pulse Tender *** FUKUSHIMA UNIVERSITY TO PROCURE MOVEMENT EVALUATION SYSTEM The following is a procurement notice published in the Kanpo Japanese government gazette on December 1: (1) Contracting Entity : Hidetoshi Yakabe The Obligating ...
JAPAN GOVT TENDER - NOTEBOOK PERSONAL COMPUTER.
Dec 09, 1999 ... *** Asia Pulse Tender *** TAXATION BUREAU TO PROCURE NOTEBOOK PERSONAL COMPUTER The following is a procurement notice published in the Kanpo Japanese government gazette on December 1: (1) Official in charge of disbursement of the procuring ...
KDI REVISES UPWARD KOREAN ECONOMIC GROWTH FORECAST.
Dec 09, 1999 ... SEOUL, Dec 9 Asia Pulse - The Korea Development Institute has revised its growth rate forecast for gross domestic product for this year to 9.5 to 9.8 percent from the 9-percent range, and adjust upward the forecast for next year to the upper range of 6 percent from 5.8 percent. ...
JAPAN'S TOYOTA TO HELP AFFILIATED DEALERS BUY USED CARS.
Dec 09, 1999 ... NAGOYA, Japan Dec 9 Asia Pulse - Toyota Motor Corp (TSE:7203) will help affiliated dealers to buy used cars under a unified brand name starting in April, company officials said Wednesday. The car maker will establish a purchasing system based on market prices, create an ...
CSK-SEGA VENTURE OFFERS ONLINE GAMES FOR 5000 PLAYERS AT ONCE.
Dec 09, 1999 ... TOKYO, Dec 9 Asia Pulse - Isao, a computer network service provider jointly owned by CSK Corp. (TSE:9737) and Sega Enterprises Ltd. (TSE:7964), announced Wednesday it has built a high-speed server-based computer network for playing video games online. Up to 5,000 players will be able ...
JAPAN TO END H-II ROCKET PROGRAM, DELAY LAUNCHES OF H-IIA.
Dec 09, 1999 ... TOKYO, Dec 9 Asia Pulse - Japan's Science and Technology Agency will terminate the H-II rocket program and postpone the first launch of the H-IIA from February to early 2001, according to a plan it sent to the Space Activities Commission on Wednesday. The agency has decided ...
JAPAN'S INAX SEES PRETAX PROFIT RISE 75%.
Dec 09, 1999 ... TOKYO, Dec 9 Asia Pulse - Japan Inax Corp (TSE:5336) posted a pretax profit of 10.5 billion yen (US$102.33 million) for the business year ended Oct. 31, up 75% from the preceding year in real terms and the first profit growth in four years, the company reported Wednesday. The results ...
JAPAN GOVT TENDER -DRAFT CHAMBERS.
Dec 09, 1999 ... *** Asia Pulse Tender *** KYOTO UNIVERSITY TO PROCURE DRAFT CHAMBERS AND OTHERS The following is a procurement notice published in the Kanpo Japanese government gazette on December 1: (1) Contracting Entity : Yukio Ohsawa The Obligating Officer ...
JAPAN'S TEIJIN, US FIRM DEVELOP BALLOON MATERIAL FOR NASA.
Dec 09, 1999 ... TOKYO, Dec 9 Asia Pulse - Japan's Teijin Ltd (TSE:3401) and US-based Dimension-Polyant Inc have jointly developed fabric for the large, unmanned helium observation balloons to be used in the US National Aeronautics and Space Administration's program. The balloons have a ...
STOCKS - KL SHARES LOWER IN THIN EARLY TRADE - DEC 9, 1999.
Dec 09, 1999 ... KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 9 Asia Pulse - Share prices on the Kuala Lumpur Stock Exchange were slightly lower in cautious early trade as investors shied away from the market ahead of the new Cabinet line-up expected before the weekend. At 9.35am, the Composite Index had eased 1.85 ...
SAKURA TO ADOPT SUMITOMO'S COMPUTER SYSTEM BEFORE MERGING.
Dec 09, 1999 ... TOKYO, Dec 9 Asia Pulse - Japan's Sakura Bank (TSE:8314) will scrap its current computer system and use the one operated by Sumitomo Bank (TSE:8318) ahead of the planned merger in April 2002, the banks announced Wednesday. The step is aimed at improving the efficiency of ...
JAPANESE MORNING NEWSPAPER HIGHLIGHTS - DEC 9, 1999.
Dec 09, 1999 ... TOKYO, Dec 9 Asia Pulse - Highlights of today's newspapers: NIHON KEIZAI SHIMBUN: - Govt To Allow NTT Group To Enter Broadcasting - Toshiba, Others To Extend Employment Age Limit To 65 - Ministry Eyes 10-20% Cut In Unemployment Payouts ...
INDONESIAN HOUSE URGES PRESIDENT WAHID TO VISIT ACEH SOON.
Dec 09, 1999 ... JAKARTA, Dec 9 Asia Pulse - Indonesian President Abdurrahman Wahid should immediately visit Aceh, despite trips planned to Maluku and Irian Jaya, House Speaker Akbar Tanjung said Wednesday. When conferring with President Wahid at the House building, Tanjung said that during ...
INDONESIAN NEWSPAPER HIGHLIGHTS - DEC 9 1999.
Dec 09, 1999 ... JAKARTA, Dec 9 Asia Pulse - Highlights of today's newspapers THE JAKARTA POST - Publicly listed finance company PT Sinar Mas Multiartha and its wholly owned PT Sinar Mas Multifinance signed on Wednesday a restructuring agreement for their $US46.7 million Medium-Term ...
FOREX - CURRENCIES OPEN HIGHER VS RINGGIT - DEC 9, 1999.
Dec 09, 1999 ... KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 9 Asia Pulse - Most major currencies trended higher against the ringgit in early trade here today following the overnight gains of the euro on the back of positive German data, a dealer said. The euro surged after the release of better-than expected German ...
PAKISTAN INVITES TENDERS FOR SUPPLY OF WHITE SUGAR.
Dec 09, 1999 ... KARACHI, Dec 9 Asia Pulse - Pakistan's Export Promotion Bureau (EPB) has received international tenders for supplying white sugar, and electrical, mechanical and army items. According to an EPB announcement here Wednesday, the Chairman of the Tender Board, C.W.E. Secretariat ...
JAPAN GOVT TENDER - DIESEL ENGINE REPAIR SERVICES.
Dec 09, 1999 ... ***** ASIA PULSE TENDER ***** MARITIME SAFETY HEADQUARTERS INVITES BIDS FOR DIESEL ENGINE REPAIR SERVICES The following is a procurement notice published in the Kanpo Japanese government gazette on December 1: (1) Official in charge of ...
JAPAN GOVT TENDER - DATABASE SYSTEM.
Dec 09, 1999 ... *** Asia Pulse Tender *** POSTS MINISTRY TO LEASE DATABASE SYSTEM The following is a procurement notice published in the Kanpo Japanese government gazette on December 1: (1) Contracting entity: Takashi Nomura, Director-General of the Finance Department, ...
STOCKS - KOSPI MIXED IN EARLY THURSDAY TRADE - DEC 9, 1999.
Dec 09, 1999 ... SEOUL, Dec 9 Asia Pulse - Korean stocks were mixed amid program-related selling in early Thursday session. ...
JAPAN GOVT TENDER - PERSONAL COMPUTER.
Dec 09, 1999 ... *** Asia Pulse Tender *** MINISTRY OF CONSTRUCTION TO LEASE PERSONAL COMPUTER The following is a procurement notice published in the Kanpo Japanese government gazette on December 1: (1) Official in Charge of disbursement of the procuring entity: Kiyohisa ...
MALAYSIAN NEWSPAPER HIGHLIGHTS - DEC 9, 1999.
Dec 09, 1999 ... KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 9 Asia Pulse - Highlights of today's newspapers:. NEW STRAITS TIMES - KUALA LUMPUR: PAS president Datuk Fadzil Noor was endorsed as the new parliamentary Opposition Leader yesterday by the Barisan Alternatif, becoming the first Malay to be nominated ...