GOVT BUILDS HOUSES FOR POOR FAMILIES

By Andi Addussalam

Jakarta, Feb 28 (Antara) - The government will build about one million houses for poor families as part of its efforts to further reduce the country's poverty rate it has lowered from 14.2 percent in 2009 to 12 percent in 2012.          "Poverty indicators could be cut by half if poor families already have houses. Therefore, we want to provide houses for poor families. We want to include those in the 'Keluarga Harapan' program," Social Affairs Minister Salim Segar Al Jufri said on Wednesday.          The Ministry of Social Affairs has launched a family-based poverty elevation program called 'Keluarga Harapan' program.          According to data from the National Statistics Agency (BPS), the rate of poverty in the country has continued to decline from 14.2 percent of the population in 2009 to 13.3 percent in 2010, 12.5 percent in 2011 and 12 percent in 2012.          Minister Al Jufri met with Minister for Public Housing Djan Faridz on Wednesday to discuss how to provide houses for poor families in Indonesia as part of the government efforts to reduce further the poverty rate.          According to Minister Djan Faridz, his ministry is planning to build one million houses for poor families until 2014. This program is aimed to speed up poverty alleviation programs in Indonesia.

INDUSTRIES COMPLAIN OF CHINESE STEEL AMID PRICE HIKES

By Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, Feb 28 (ANTARA) - Steel price has been increasing in the country since early this year but steel industries are complaining of the flood of steel imports from China.          According to Sudirman Maman, chairman of the Indonesian Automotive Industry Association (Gaikindo), steel price had been increasing by about 13 to 15 percent since January.          He said here on Thursday that the price increase in steel had the potential to boost the selling price of automotive products.          National steel industries are forced to raise the price of steel at home as a result of the significant increase in the price of raw materials such as iron scrap, iron ore pellets and slabs.          The price of raw materials, most of which are imported, has been moving up since early this year. Since January, the price of scraps, for example, has increased 13 percent from US$380 per ton in October 2012 to US$430 per ton now.          The price of imported iron ore pellets has increased 30 percent from US$115 per ton to US$150 per ton.  Steel slabs are now sold at US$540 per ton from US$470 per ton in October 2012.          Amid the price increase, however, local industries have been complaining of the floods of imported steel from China in the domestic market.

GOVT TAKES STEPS TO LOWER SOARING BEEF PRICE

By Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, Feb 26 (ANTARA) - At least four ministers, two deputy ministers and the state logistics board (Bulog) head met on Monday to discuss efforts of overcoming soaring beef prices in the domestic market.          The four ministers were Chief Economic Minister Hatta Rajasa, Trade Minister Gita Wirjawan, Agriculture Minister Suswono and State-owned Enterprise Minister Dahlan Iskan.          The meeting was also attended by Bulog head Sutarto Alimoeso and two other deputy ministers of the ministry of finance and the ministry of public works.          "We met to discuss the problem of soaring beef prices. I think it is a simple problem: a problem of supply and demand. My concern is to maintain price stability. The price now is increasing from the previous Rp60,000 (US$6.2) per kg to RpRp95,000 (US$9.8) per kg," Trade Minister Gita Wirjawan said after the meeting.          Based on data available at the Central Bureau of Statistics (BPS), the beef price in the fourth week of January 2013 was recorded at Rp90,000 (US$9.33) per kg.          This price has been in that level since the first week of December 2012. It was said that the beef price in Indonesia now was the most expensive in the world.          The World Bank recorded that the average beef price per kg in Indonesia in December 2012 was US$9.76 while prices per kg in Malaysia was US$4.3, in Thailand US$4.2, In Australia US$4.2, in Japan US$3.9, in Germany US$4.3 and in India US$7.4.

RI TO MAINTAIN CPO EXPORT TAXES

By Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, Feb 25 (Antara) - The Indonesian government will consistently implement its progressive crude palm oil (CPO) export taxes in an effort to boost the development of CPO downstream industry at home.          The government's determination to consistently implement the policy was reaffirmed by Trade Minister Gita Wirjawan on Monday amid calls by oil palm farmers that CPO export taxes should be cut.          Farmers said the CPO export taxes of between 7.5 percent and 22.5 percent per metric ton would reduce their competitive edge in the face of Malaysia's CPO in the world market. Malaysia has cut its  CPO export taxes.          The Indonesian Oil Palm Farmers Association (Apkasindo) said the government should lower its export taxes. Tax cut is needed to maintain Indonesia's CPO competitiveness against that of Malaysia.          Apkindo asked that the government should this year reduce CPO export tax to 4 percent only. At present, the government is imposing  CPO taxes at a range of between 7.5 percent and 22.5 percent.          The 7.5 percent tax is imposed on CPO with a reference price of between 750 and 800 US dollars per ton. The highest level tax of  22.5 percent is imposed on CPO export with a reference price of over 1,250 US dollar per ton.

RULING DEMOCRATIC PARTY MUST REMAIN SOLID

By Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, Feb 24 (Antara) - Anas Urbaningrum's resignation as general chairman of the Democratic Party (PD) after his naming as a suspect in a sports complex development scandal will not affect the ruling party's electability if it remains solid.          "I think it will not degrade its reputation if the Democratic Party carries out immediate internal consolidation," political communication expert Bachtiar Aly of the University of Indonesia said.          The alleged graft case that implicated Anas will serve as a political lesson for all party cadres. If all cadres are able to consolidate, remain solid and restrain from giving unnecessary response, it would not reduce its electability in the face of the 2014 general elections.          "They key lies on the Democratic Party itself whether it is able to remain solid and consolidate. It should not either politicize all things," Bachtiar said.

GOVT MAY RAISE FUEL PRICES ONLY AS LAST OPTION

By Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, Feb 23 (Antara) - The government will raise fuel oil prices only if it fails to implement other scenarios that could prevent subsidized fuel consumption from exceeding the quota this year.          "The government does not rule out price hikes. But it will do it only as a last option if other scenarios could not be implemented," Deputy Finance Minister Anny Ratnawati said on Thursday.          Besides price hikes, the government has two other options: banning private cars from consuming subsidized fuels and introducing a fuel-to-gas conversion program.          Anny said the government would remain to control prices and discuss with the energy ministry efforts to save on subsidized fuel consumption and to carry out fuel-to-gas conversion program.          "The government hopes that the Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry would continue to control consumption volumes so that the quota would not be exceeded," said Anny.          This year, the amount of subsidized fuels in the state budget was set at 46 million kiloliters with subsidy worth Rp193.8 trillion.          Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Jero Wacik said last month that the government would restrict the use of subsidized fuels by private cars or raise prices if it failed to control consumption.

HOUSE DISCUSSES HAMBALANG MULTI-YEARS CONTRACTS

Andi Abdussalam
Jakarta, Feb 11 (ANTARA) - Against previous statements by lawmakers, Finance Minister Agus Martowardojo has said that Sports Affairs Ministry and the House have initiated the change of the Hambalang sports complex construction contracts from a single-year to multi-years scheme.          As the consequence of the change in the status of the contract from a single year to a multi-years scheme, the budget should be increased.         "The budget of the project was raised to Rp2.5 trillion from Rp125 billion by the Ministry of Sports and Youth Affairs together with the House's Commission X on sports affairs," the minister said after being questioned as a witness by the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) over the sports complex construction scandal which caused a loss of Rp243.66 billion to the state.          "At the end of 2009, the Ministry of Sports and Youth Affairs, namely the minister and his rank and file, initiated a project where it changed the Hambalang National Sports Achievement Development Center (PPPON) into the Hambalang National Sports School, Training and Education Center (PPPSON)," the minister said here on Tuesday.         The minister explained that along the year 2010 the Ministry of Sports and Youth Affairs and the House of Representatives (DPR)'s Commission X   held at least nine meetings to discuss the reasons why the project should be changed into PPPSON.

DEMOCRATIC PARTY DISCUSSES NO OUSTER OF ANAS

By Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, Feb 17 (Antara) - The Leadership Meeting of the ruling Democratic Party (PD) ended on Sunday without a surprise decision as many quarters have previously speculated, namely the ouster of the party's general chairman Anas Urganingrum.          "What I am saying now probably disappoint those who are probably waiting for a big news from the national leadership meeting," Chairman of PD's Supreme Council Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono told a press conference after the meeting here on Sunday.          In his capacity as chairman of the  PD's Supreme Council,  Yudhoyono said that the party's national leadership meeting did not make a surprising decision as many has expected.          An observer has earlier said Anas Urbaningrum's future as chief of the ruling Democrat Party could be determined at the party's national leadership meeting  in the Sunday Caucus.          "I think Anas Urbaningrum's future would become the top issue to be discussed at the meeting tomorrow," observer Hanta Yudha said at a discussion on "Polemic: Democrat Tsunami" on Saturday.          Speculations of forthcoming ouster of Anas surfaced following a statement by Yudhoyono, who is also the party's chief patron, that he would take reins of the party, while Anas could focus on facing his legal matters linked to the Hambalang sports center construction scandal.          Yudhoyono recently said in a press conference that he would assume leadership of the Democratic Party, asking Anas to concentrate on his legal standing amid graft allegations and ongoing corruption probes to which he has been linked.

TRANS HIGHWAYS TO ENABLE ONE DRIVING OWN CAR FROM SABANG TO MARAUKE

By Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, Feb 13 (ANTARA) - Trans Papua, Trans Maluku, Trans Java and Trans Sumatra highways construction is expected to boost connectivity across the country where people can drive to cover a distance of 5,000 km from the east to the west.          Sea corridors are also being built to connect Papua, with Maluku, Nusa Tenggara, Java and Sumatra. Especially over the Sunda Strait, a long bridge which would link Java and Sumatra is also under a planning scheme.          Besides linking various islands,  sea corridors are also built to connect six major seaports from the western to the eastern parts of the country, namely the Belawan seaport in Medan (North Sumatra) Batam, Jakarta, Surabaya, Makassar and Sorong in Papua.          The sea corridor is called 'Pendulum Nusantara' (Archipelagic Pendulum).          Chief Economic Minister Hatta Rajasa said last month that the Pendulum Nusantara system had become an official national program. "This national program aims to cut logistics costs," he told a press conference at Priok Port on January 21, 2013.          Once these projects which included Trans Highways and sea corridors are already completed, one can drive his or her private car for a 5,000 km trip or tour of the country from Marauke in the east to Sabang in the west. Of course they have to use ferries within certain sections of islands.

CARTELS ALLEGEDLY CONTROL INDONESIA'S SIX FOOD SECTORS

By Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, Feb 12 (Antara) - Indonesia with its 240 million population is a huge market for food commodities, thus offering a loophole for 'shrewd' businesses to develop and practice oligopoly.          The high rocketing of beef prices in the Indonesian market of late has led many quarters to argue that cartels have controlled the food business in Indonesia.          The Indonesian Chamber of Commerce (Kadin) even believes that cartels have controlled prices in at least six food commodities.          It has predicted that the total benefits that the cartels could enjoy from the importation of food stuff could reach Rp11.3 trillion per annum from the total annual imports of foods worth Rp90 trillion.          Kadin Deputy Chairman for logistics affairs Natsir Mansyur said that the cartels could reap Rp11.3 trillion if, for example, they took a minimum profit of Rp1,000 per kg beef. It was reported beef importers took profit between Rp1,000 and Rp5,000 per kg.          "We believe that cartels have the potential to take place in six food commodity business, namely beef, chickens, sugar, soybean, maize and rice. From the six commodities they could reap a profit of about Rp11 trillion," he said.          He predicted the profit that the cartels could enjoy could reach the average range of 15 to 30 percent of the total imports.

EXPERTS HAIL BAN ON FRUIT IMPORT

By Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, Feb 11 (Antara) - Different quarters, including experts, hail the Indonesia's decision to impose a six-month ban on the importation of 13 horticultural products, despite the fact that the United States has filed a complaint with the WTO.          The government, as per January-June 2013, has imposed a ban on the importation of durian, banana, pineapple and a restriction on the importation of melon, mango, papaya, potatoes, cabbage, carrots, peppers, orchids, chrysanthemums and heliconia flowers in an effort to protect local growers and boost the country's horticultural production.          "The government has decided to impose a ban on the importation of horticultural commodities, including fruits and vegetables in a sustainable way because local farmers always have  difficulties marketing their commodities during grand harvest time," Professor Dewa Ngurah Suprapta of the Denpasar-based Udayana University said on Sunday.          The same support also came from the Indonesian Farmers Association (HKTI). It said the government's decision to ban fruit imports in six months' time was is very constructive move to boost the spirit of local fruit growers.          "The decision set forth in the joint regulation of the agriculture minister and the trade minister number 60/2012 is praiseworthy," HKTI chief for trade Ismet Hasan Putro said.

GOVT BUILDS SEA CORRIDOR TO CUT FREIGHT COSTS

By Andi Abdusalam

Jakarta, Feb 10 (Antara) - The Indonesian government is building what it calls 'Pendulum Nusantara' (Archipelago Pendulum), a sea corridor linking six major seaports in the country from Papua in the eastern region to North Sumatra in the western parts.          The Pendulum Nusantara system is expected to reduce freight costs by at least 50 percent and to shorten cargo dwelling time at ports from about seven days to four days only.          This system will facilitate large tonnage ships to call at major ports to unload cargoes to be delivered by supporting smaller ships through an integrated system to smaller parts of the country or to smaller regions.          According to state-owned port operator PT Pelindo II, the system would also enable returning ships to have freights so that there would be no ships sailing back with vacant holds.     "The pendulum system is an effective solution to the problem of ships sailing with vacant holds from one port to another," PT Pelindo II President Director Richard J Lino was quoted by centroone.com online media as saying on Tuesday last week.          He said that the system will accommodate the arrivals of large tonnage ships at six major ports.  After they berthed at the ports, supporting smaller ships in the pendulum system would take their cargoes and delivered them to their destinations in the surrounding regions.

MONORAIL EXPECTED TO ALLEVIATE JAKARTA TRAFFIC WOES

By Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, Feb 9 (ANTARA) - Expansion of roads in Jakarta is only about 0.01 percent per annum while increase in the number of vehicles reaches 11 percent, causing the Jakarta roads unable to normally facilitate traffic flows.          Now, there are only 7,650 km of roads in Jakarta or 40.1 sq km while the number of private cars and motorcycles has reached 3.1 million and 8.2 million respectively.  These millions of vehicles pack Jakarta streets every day, causing traffic jams and drivers' frustration everywhere during the rush hours.          The operations of  busway buses on a dozen corridors have yet to give effective solutions to the traffic problems in Jakarta. Therefore, the government is planning to develop mass rapid transport (MRT) and monorail transportation systems.          The monorail project is expected to start construction soon and be operated by 2015.          "I hope the construction of the monorail system would start as soon as possible to solve Jakarta's serious traffic problem," Jakarta Governor Joko Widodo,  popularly known as 'Jokowi', said in Jakarta on Thursday.          A consortium of five state-owned enterprises led by construction firm PT Adhi Karya is proposing to build a monorail system.          The construction of the project  will be carried out in three years by a state-owned firm consortium, consisting of PT Adhi Karya, PT Jasa Marga, PT Telkom, PT Lembaga Electronika Negara (LEN) and PT Industri Kreta Api  INKA     The Jakarta monorail project that stretches  52 km from Kuningan (South Jakarta), Cawang (East Jakarta) to East Bakasi (West Java) is expected to be completed and operated by 2015.        "If the construction permit of the project is issued this month, we hope that the monorail system would be done soon and would already be operated in 2015," State-owned Enterprise (SOE) Minister Dahlan Iskan said on Thursday.           According to PT Adhi Karya which leads the consortium, the first phase of the project would cover 39-km consisting of sections that stretched from East Bakasi (West Java) to  Cawang (East Jakarta), Cibubur (East Jakarta) - Cawang and Cawang - Kuningan (South Jakarta).        Adhi Karya President Director Kiswodarmawan said that his company formed a consortium of state-owned  and regional government-owned companies to implement the project in two phases.          The first phase would start this year and finish by 2015, while the second one would begin in 2015.          "The first phase is estimated to cost Rp12 to Rp13 trillion," he noted      "We also plan to invest in this project, so the Jakarta administration does not need to think about its funding," Kiswodarmawan said adding that an estimated Rp8 trillion was needed to fund the project.          The consortium will bankroll 30 percent of the project, while the remaining 70 percent will be financed through loans.          Minister Dahlan Iskan said that the project lines passed through Jakarta and West Java areas. Therefore, its construction must be discussed with Jakarta Governor Joko Widodo, West Java Governor Ahmad Heriyawan and the central government.        "There are two choices with regard to the construction permit of the project, namely whether it would be issued in coordination with the Jakarta Governor and the West Java governor or it would be issued by the central government. If the monorail system is designed as a central government project, it will need a presidential regulation only," the minister said.       So, he said, whether the construction of the first phase (Kuningan-Cawang-East Bakasi monorail system) would start soon or not depended on how fast the project obtained a permit.      "I personally want it to be started soon so that the problem of traffic jams in Jakarta would also be overcome soon," the minister said.          Dahlan said that the Kuningan, Cawang and East Bakasi monorail sections would need an investment of Rp9 trillion. The financing of the project would come from the consortium members.        State-owned firms involved in the consortium consisted of construction firm Adhi Karya, toll operator PT Jasa Marga,  electronic firm PT Lembaga Electronika Negara (LEN), the largest telecommunications company in Indonesia PT Telkom and  train manufacturer PT Industry Kreta Api (Inka)      He did not however gave details on the financing portion each of the consortium members would bear.          PT Adhi Karya President Director Kiswodarmawan said his side would start the project after he got a permit from the central and regional governments.       "We hope that this month the decision on the construction of the project would have already been made. The sooner the permit is issued the better so that the project would be started soon," he said.          In the meantime, to help alleviate the problem of Jakarta traffic gridlock, Jakarta Governor Widodo hoped that the Jakarta monorail project would be integrated into other modes of transportation.          "The construction of the monorail project must be integrated into the Jabodetabek transportation system Master Plan," Jokowi, said.  Jabodetabek areas cover Jakarta and  its satellite towns of Bogor, Depok, Tangerang and Bekasi.        The Jakarta governor said that the presence of a monorail transportation system was badly needed in the face of increasing traffic jams because Jakarta residents now still lacked modes of mass transpiration systems.        Deputy Transportation Minister Bambang Susantono also expressed the urgency of developing monorail as part of the efforts to solve the traffic jams in Jakarta. "We should give attention to integration with other modes in the construction of monorail," he said.        Bambang and Jokowi gave full support to the plan construction of the monorail project which would be done by  Adhi Karya and other consortium members.***3*** (check-editing by yoseph hariyadi) (T.A014/H-YH) (T.A. Abdussalam/A/A. Abdussalam/A/Yosep) 09-02-2013

THREE FACTORS BLAMED FOR GROWTH FAILURE

By Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, Feb 8 (Antara) - The government has set an economic growth target for 2012 at a range of between 6.3 percent and 6.5 percent but in reality it is only able to reach 6.23 percent.          There are at least three factors blamed for the government failure to achieve its economic target last year, namely global economic crisis, high fuel imports and low government expenditure.          According to the Central Bureau of Statistics (BPS), the Indonesian economy grew by 6.23 percent last year, falling short of the targeted 6.3-6.5 percent due to global economic crisis.          The global economic meltdown weakened the purchasing power of Indonesia's traditional export markets. This can be seen in the country's trade deficit.          "The trade balance is affected by external factors. If the factors are disturbed, our exports will be affected," Head of the BPS Suryamin said.          Deputy Trade Minister Bayu Krisnamurthi acknowledged that exports in 2012 had weakened causing the trade balance to leave a deficit. "The economic growth in 2012 grew only at 6.23 percent because the country's exports were weakening," he said.          BPS data showed that Indonesia's exports dropped 6.61 percent to US$190.04 billion in 2012 from US$203.5 billion in the year before.  Its imports meanwhile rose 8.02 percent to US$191.57 billion from US$177.44 billion.

TRADERS WARNED AS RI'S BEEF PRICE HITS WORLD'S HIGHEST

By Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, Feb 7 (ANTARA) - Amid alleged bribery scandal on beef import, the price of beef now in Indonesia, a country of about 240 million, has hit the highest rate in the world, reaching US$9.76 per kg.          "Beef price in the market in the last three months has remained high, even it continues to increase. If this continues to take place without efforts to lower it, I am afraid it will reach Rp120 thousand (US$12.45) per kg. This rate is beyond the financial reach of consumers," Deputy Trade Minister Bayu Krisnamurthi said on Tuesday.          Based on data available at the Central Bureau of Statistics (BPS), the beef price in the fourth week of January 2013 was recorded at Rp90,000(US$9.33) per kg. This price has been in that level since the first week of December 2012.          The World Bank recorded that the average beef price per kg in Indonesia in December 2012 was US$9.76 while prices per kg in Malaysia was US$4.3, in Thailand US$4.2, In Australia US$4.2, in Japan US$3.9, in Germany US$4.3 and in India US$7.4.          However, Agriculture Minister denied a report which said that the price of beef in Indonesia was the highest one in the world. Yet he acknowledged price in the capital city of Jakarta was relatively high.

KPK TO INVESTIGATE BEEF CASE AT AGRICULTURE MINISTRY

By Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, Feb 6 (Antara) - Investigators will probe agriculture ministry officials after they have arrested two beef importer firm directors, one political party chief and his close associate over an alleged bribery deal on beef import worth billions of rupiah.          Johan Budi, spokesman of the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) said his agency would not stop its investigation at only the arrest of the four suspects by his commission. He indicated that the KPK would investigate the case at the ministry of agriculture.          "We need to investigate the alleged bribery linked to the issuance of a permit for the importation of beef. In the coming one or two weeks we will invite agriculture ministry officials. If need be, we will summon the minister of agriculture to ask for clarifications," the KPK spokesman said on Tuesday.          According to KPK Chief Abraham Samad, the questioning of Agriculture Minister Suswono as a witness is important to enrich KPK's investigation. "He will be questioned soon," he added.          He said the questioning was needed to enrich KPK's investigation of the case linked to former president of the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) Luthfi Hasan Ishaaq.          Samad said there were also other witnesses that would possibly be questioned besides Suswono in an effort to find possible other persons involved in the case.          The KPK has arrested Juard Effendi, Arya Abdi Effendi (both are directors of beef importer PT Indoguna Utama), Luthfi Hasan Ishaaq (a lawmaker and president of the Prosperous Justice Party /PKS) and his close friend Ahmad Fathanah.

RI, NIGERIA FOSTER CLOSER COOPERATION

By Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, Feb 4 (Antara) - Last weekend's visit of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono to Nigeria  as  part of his tour of Liberia, Saudi Arabia and Egypt, has brought the two countries closer to stepping up and expanding  cooperation  in various economic fields such as trade, investment, agriculture, aviation and services.          "The results of President Yudhoyono's visit are very positive as Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan has also expressed commitment to visiting and bringing with him a trade mission to Indonesia next June," Trade Minister Gita Wirjawan said  in Abuja, Nigeria on Sunday.              President Yudhoyono and Nigeria's President Goodluck Abelle Jonathan held a meeting for 45 minutes at the Nigerian presidential palace on Sunday, during which Indonesia and Nigeria agreed to increase trade and investment cooperation especially in the fields of food, agriculture and energy.          "It has been good so far. But in the future economic cooperation between the two countries should be made deeper. We would make an inventory of areas where cooperation should be increased,"   President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said after the meeting.

TRAVEL AGENTS ASK THEIR MONEY BACK FROM BATAVIA AIR

By Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, Feb 1 (ANTARA) - Travel agents across the country are calling for the refunding of their deposit money they have transferred to the account of Batavia Air following the closure of the airlines by a Jakarta commercial court on Wednesday.         The travel agents made the appeal through their associations such as the Indonesian Airline Ticketing Association (Astindo) and the Indonesian Tour and Travel Association (Asita).          According to Astindo, travel agents are required to deposit an amount of funds in the account of airlines before they could provide reservation services for would-be passengers. The funds are not part of the airlines' assets.          Therefore, Astindo  urged Batavia Air, following its closure, to refund the money that the travel agents have deposited with the bankrupt airlines.          "Travel agents called on Batavia Air to refund the deposit they have placed at Batavia Air," Astindo chairwoman Elly Hutabarat said on Thursday.          The same hope was also raised by the Indonesian Tour and Travel Association (Asita). "We ask Batavia Air to account for losses suffered by travel agents and consumers in the regions," Asita chairman for West Kalimatnan, Hefni AS said meanwhile.