雅加达酒店爆炸 狮城女逃过一劫

雅加达今天清早发生骇人的爆炸案，导致严重的人命伤亡。

酒店一片狼藉，满地碎玻璃片。更多新闻详情，请翻阅今天的《新明日报》。

新 加坡籍女郎到雅加达公干，入住丽嘉登酒店(Ritz-Carlton)，今早临离开前竟遇上大爆炸，仓皇逃出酒店外，侥幸逃过一劫！位于印尼雅加达的丽嘉 登酒店和万豪酒店（Marriott），今天清早发生骇人的爆炸案，导致严重的人命伤亡，也对酒店造成极大的破坏，令人不禁想起2003年发生的万豪酒店 爆炸案。　　

据《新明日报》探知，爆炸案发生前，一名30来岁的新加坡籍女郎欧小姐，就住在丽嘉登酒店的16楼。欧小姐在一家跨国公司工作，被派驻到曼谷的分公 司。她昨天在一名泰国籍女同事的陪同下，由曼谷飞往雅加达开会。另一名在新加坡分公司的女同事陈小姐，也前去雅加达和她们会合。　　

陈小姐昨晚回国后，今早7时15分左右，就接到欧小姐的电话，指居住的酒店发生了爆炸案。据陈小姐所，洪小姐起身准备到楼下吃早餐时，怎料竟从16楼的客房听见楼下传来两声爆炸巨响。接着，酒店内的警铃就大声响起，她便慌忙跑到楼下。　　

更多新闻内容，请翻阅今天的《新明日报》。

Anugerah Planet Muziko'09

Indonesia confirms six new swine flu cases: minister

Three Australian children were among six newly confirmed swine flu cases in Indonesia Sunday, bringing the country's total infections to eight.

Health Minister Siti Fadilah Supari said two boys aged 10 and 12 and a girl aged 14 had been on the same flight from Australia to the resort island of Bali as a 22-year-old Briton who had earlier tested positive for the A(H1N1) virus.

Three other new Indonesian cases included two relatives who had visited Singapore and a 22-year-old woman who visited Australia.

"All the six are doing fine," said Supari, adding that the Australians are now being isolated at Bali's Sanglah hospital and the Indonesians at a Jakarta hospital.

No cases had been confirmed in Indonesia until last Wednesday when the Briton and an Indonesian pilot tested positive. Both have since been discharged from hospital, Supari said.

Indonesia last week expressed concern that Australian tourists flocking to Bali's beaches are bringing swine flu into the country, which had so far avoided the worst of the pandemic.

Australia is the worst-hit country in the Asia-Pacific region with over 3,500 swine flu cases and five related deaths.

Supari said that so far there had been no cases of human-to-human transmission in Indonesia and that the country would remain vigilant.

Indonesian authorities earlier in the year increased the use of body temperature scanners at airports and imposed a ban on the import of live pigs and pork products in a bid to combat the disease, which has been declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization.

The A(H1N1) influenza, which emerged in Mexico in April, has killed over 260 people worldwide and infected nearly 60,000 people in over 100 countries.

Indonesia arrests JI-linked Singaporeans: police

Five Singaporeans and an Indonesian allegedly linked to key militants of the Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) regional jihadi network have been arrested in Indonesia, police said Monday.

The suspects, five of whom are related, were arrested in a series of raids across Indonesia in the space of a week, national police criminal investigations chief Susno Duadji told reporters.

"One Indonesian was arrested in (the Central Javanese town of) Cilacap on suspicion of terrorist acts. He's linked to the Palembang group," Duadji said, referring to a JI cell on Sumatra island behind the murder of a Christian teacher and a plot to blow up a tourist cafe.

Two of the arrested Singaporeans were connected to the cell's leader, Singaporean Mohammad Hasan bin Saynudin, and top militant Mas Selamat bin Kastari, Duadji said.

Kastari, the alleged head of JI's Singapore wing, was captured in Malaysia in May more than a year after dramatically escaping from a detention centre in the city state.

He is alleged to have plotted to hijack an airliner in Bangkok and crash it into Singapore's Changi airport -- one of Asia's busiest -- in 2001 following the September 11 attacks in the United States.

"The Singaporeans were arrested on suspicion of forging identification documents, breaking immigration rules and giving false information. They made identity cards as Indonesians when they were not. That's forgery," Duadji said.

Duadji said Indonesian and Singaporean police had worked together in the arrests.

"It is the foreign ministry's responsibility whether to deport or extradite (the Singaporeans)," he said.

JI has been blamed for a series of attacks on non-Muslims and Westerners in Indonesia, including 2002 and 2005 bombings on the Hindu holiday island of Bali that killed over 200 people.

There have been no major bombings in Indonesia since 2005 due to a police crackdown and internal divisions within JI.

Indonesia to ask tourists to wear masks: minister

Indonesia is planning to ask all people arriving from swine flu-affected countries to wear face masks for at least three days, the health minister said Monday.

The presence of the A(H1N1) virus was confirmed in Indonesia only last week and so far four of the eight known cases have been foreigners.

"Visitors from infected countries should wear masks. It's a precautionary measure we're taking to avoid human-to-human transmission of the virus," Health Minister Siti Fadilah Supari told AFP.

"We'll give them the masks when they arrive at the airports and tell them to wear them for three days."

But the minister said the government had no intention of enforcing the precaution, which could do serious damage to the country's stuttering tourism industry.

"There'll be no penalty if people don't wear them. You can't expect people to wear masks when they're swimming," Supari said, adding the masks would be handed out to visitors as soon as possible depending on funding.

She made the announcement after a ministerial meeting to discuss the swine flu outbreak in Indonesia.

Welfare Minister Aburizal Bakrie chaired the meeting and said funds would be allocated to pay for the masks, Antara news agency reported. Transportation Minister Jusman Sjafii Djamal also attended.

Supari said last week she was particularly worried about Australian tourists who flock to the famous surf beaches of Bali island. More than 300,000 Australian holiday-makers visited the island last year.

Australia is the Asia-Pacific country worst-hit by swine flu with almost 4,000 cases.

Indonesia has been the country hit hardest by avian influenza with 115 deaths since 2005.s

Indonesia to suspend sending domestic helpers to Malaysia

Indonesia will temporarily suspend sending domestic helpers to Malaysia amid outrage over the abuse of its nationals by their employers, the labour minister said Thursday.

"We will temporarily stop sending domestic helpers to Malaysia as we wait for the completion of a review on (the current) Memorandum of Understanding," Erman Suparno told reporters, adding the suspension was effective from Friday.

It will last at least until meetings between Indonesian and Malaysian officials in Kuala Lumpur in mid-July to discuss a new agreement on migrant workers, Suparno said.

Indonesia has proposed that domestic helpers be protected from non-payment of wages and poor conditions and be ensured of the right to days off and holidays, Suparno said.

"Domestic workers should also be able to hold on to their passports," he said.

"If our demands are not fulfilled and not guaranteed in the MoU, we will not continue (sending workers)," Indonesian Ambassador to Malaysia Da'i Bachtiar said.

Malaysia has no laws governing conditions for domestic workers but the government has promised to draft legislation to protect them from sexual harassment, non-payment of wages and poor conditions.

Malaysia is home to some 1.2 million documented Indonesian workers, as well as about 800,000 Indonesians working there illegally.

Cases of abuse of maids at the hands of Malaysian bosses are a frequent source of outrage in Indonesia, contributing to often prickly relations between the two countries.

A 43-year-old Malaysian woman was charged last week with causing grievous bodily harm to a 33-year-old Indonesian domestic helper by allegedly beating her with a cane and dousing her with boiling water.

A Malaysian former flight attendant was also sentenced in November to 18 years in jail for using an iron and scalding water to inflict horrific wounds on her maid.

Malaysian PM urges stern action against Indonesian maid abuse

Malaysia's prime minister said Saturday his government will take stern action against anyone abusing Indonesian maids and urged employers to show greater interest in their welfare.

Najib Razak was responding to an Indonesian government decision to temporarily stop Indonesians from traveling to Malaysia to take domestic work amid outrage over abuse reports.

"We have to take stern action under the law against those who abuse maids," Razak told reporters.

"What we have to do is to ensure that whenever there are abuses they are dealt with expeditiously and that (employers) can step up to show a more caring attitude towards the interest and welfare of their maids," he said.

"I think once the level of confidence is increased I'm sure they will resume sending their maids to Malaysia.

"I believe (the suspension) is a temporary halt, it is to their (Indonesia's) interest as well to allow their maids to work in Malaysia," he said.

Indonesian labour minister Erman Suparno said on Thursday his country would stop sending domestic helpers to Malaysia at least until a mid-July bilateral meeting in Kuala Lumpur to discuss a new migrant worker agreement.

The action comes after a 43-year-old Malaysian woman was charged earlier this month with causing grievous bodily harm to an Indonesia woman she employed as a maid, allegedly beating her with a cane and dousing her with boiling water.

Malaysia has no laws governing the details of employment for domestic workers but has promised to draft legislation to protect them from sexual harassment, non-payment of wages and poor conditions.

Some 1.2 million documented Indonesians are in Malaysia, with illegals estimated to number about 800,000.

Malaysia to look elsewhere for maids if Indonesian ban stays

Malaysia said it could turn to other neighbouring countries to recruit maids if Indonesia continues to ban its nationals from coming here to work as domestic helpers.

Indonesian labour minister Erman Suparno said Thursday his country would stop sending domestic helpers to Malaysia at least until a mid-July bilateral meeting in Kuala Lumpur to discuss a new migrant worker agreement.

It comes after a 43-year-old Malaysian woman was charged earlier this month with causing grievous bodily harm to an Indonesian woman she employed as a maid, allegedly beating her with a cane and dousing her with boiling water.

But Malaysia's human resources minister S. Subramaniam told state media late Saturday it would have been better had Indonesia explored all avenues of discussion before taking its action.

"If the decision (to temporarily ban maids) is final, then we will decide on the best option available, like looking at the possibility of getting domestic helpers from other ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian) countries," he told state news agency Bernama.

Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak pledged earlier Saturday that tough action would be taken against anyone abusing Indonesian maids, urging employers to take greater interest in their welfare.

"We have to take stern action under the law against those who abuse maids," Najib told reporters.

Subramaniam said an average of 50 maid abuse cases were reported annually out of the 300,000 Indonesian maids working in Malaysia.

Malaysia has no laws governing the working conditions for domestic workers but has promised to draft legislation to protect them from sexual harassment, non-payment of wages and poor conditions.

About 1.2 million documented Indonesians are in Malaysia, with illegals estimated to number about 800,000.

Rate this article: Poor

The Haze Thickens

Heated Exchange on TV

Tourists Among 25 Killed in Bali

Malaysian govt denies cover-up in Kelantan prince scandal

KUALA LUMPUR : The Malaysian government has denied any cover-up in the alleged abuse of the teenage Indonesian model wife by her Malaysian prince husband.

The Minister in the Prime Minister's department Nazri Aziz will investigate if a formal report is lodged, as he said no one is above the law.

Meanwhile, the Kelantan royal family has denied all allegations of wrongdoing by Tengku Mohd Fakhry, also known as Tunku Temengganong.

17-year-old Manohara Odelia Pinot made the front page of Malaysian papers after news of her dramatic escape shocked the nation.

The teary teenage model claimed that she was sexually abused and tortured by her husband Tengku Mohd Fakhry, who treated her, she said, like a toy.

Last August, the then 16-year-old Manohara,whose father is French, married the 31-year-old prince.

Now back in Jakarta, she said she has had enough, and is filing for a divorce.

Manohara's mother Daisy Fajarina has also vowed to press charges against the prince pending a full medical report.

Speaking in Kuala Lumpur, government officials say they are in the dark as there has been no formal report lodged so far.

"He just happens to be the son of the Sultan... no one is above the law. This report is criminal act against the state and we will take action," said Minister Nazri, a Minister in the Prime Minister's department.

The Kelantan royal family, has also dismissed the allegations as slanderous and defended its youngest prince.

"Prove it. Manohara must be prepared to go to an independent doctor in Australia or France, only then it's fair," argued Mohd Sabri Shafiee, a spokesman for Tengku Fakhry.

Mohd Sabri, who is a close friend of Tengku TT - as the prince is commonly known - also expressed hopes that Manohara will apologise to clear the air.

He said: "Impossible as a human being that he can be cruel when we all know that he loves her so much. Tengku will not run away; we'll make sure the truth comes out.

He later produced footage of the couple's happy moments together. "To repair the damage, Manohara needs to tell the truth, seek the husband's forgiveness and Tengku TT will take her back," said Mohd Sabri.

He blamed Manohara's mother, whom he described as materialistic, for messing up the daughter's marriage which otherwise could have worked.

"She wants everything - house, cars, you name it. I don't want to go into details," said Mohd Sabri.

In a statement issued, the Kelantan royal family urged the media to respect their privacy and not to play up on the scandal that is fast becoming a major embarrassment to the royal family. - CNA /ls

Indonesian Teen Model's Orchard Rd Escape from Kelantan Prince Hubby