VOI - Indonesian News

Tanah Karo – An Indonesian volcano sent a new, powerful burst of hot ash high into the air early Friday, violently shaking homes and trees along the slopes and sending panicked villagers scurrying back to safety. The air was thick with the smell of sulfur and visibility was limited to just a few yards (meters). Mount Sinabung erupted for the first time in four centuries on Sunday and Monday, catching many scientists off guard and forcing at least 30,000 people living along its fertile slopes in North Sumatra province to be evacuated.

Read more: Indonesian volcano spews new burst of ash

Jakarta - National Police chief General Bambang Hendarso Danuri said he would act against members who were found guilty later in connection with the death of a police detainee in Buol, Central Sulawesi, recently. Before attending a cabinet meeting here on Thursday he said the police had sent a team to investigate the case. While the police is investigating the case he called on the people to remain calm and not to resort to violence.

Read more: Police chief to act against members guilty in Buol incident

Jakarta - Risking further public outcry, the President urged the public Wednesday not to overreact toward Malaysia, while asking the neighboring country to accelerate negotiations over disputed territories.In a flaming red batik shirt, speaking from the military headquarters in Jakarta on Wednesday, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono defied expectations and demands to deliver a tough speech on Malaysia, and instead appealed for emphasis on diplomacy in the current crisis, while avoiding condemning Malaysia for the recent arrest of Indonesian officials in waters near Riau province.

Read more: SBY silences war-drum sentiment vs Malaysia

Singapore - Singapore and Indonesia today ratified the treaty between the two countries relating to the delimitation of the territorial seas in the western part of the Strait of Singapore. Singapore Foreign Affairs Minister George Yeo and his Indonesian counterpart Marty M. Natalegawa signed the exchange of the instruments of ratification at the Foreign Affairs Ministry here.

Read more: Singapore, Indonesia ratify sea boundary treaty

Jakarta - President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono officially proposed Bambang Widjojanto and Busyro Muqoddas as Corruption Eradication Commission leader candidates to the House of Representatives on Tuesday. The president underlined that the selection of the two final candidates was free from his intervention.

Read more: President proposes Bambang, Busyro as KPK leader candidates

Jakarta - Counting on continuing improvements to the economy and a surge in capital inflow on the stock market, the government has said that as many as 10 state-owned companies would be ready to go public next year. “The Indonesia Stock Exchange [IDX] has been performing well. Demand for new shares in our stock market is high, and we need to capitalize on this opportunity by pushing more of our state enterprises to go public next year,” Mustafa Abubakar, the state enterprises minister, said on Friday.

Read more: Government Plans to Take Ten State Companies Public in 2011