Following are some leading stories in the main Indonesian newspapers on Dec 30.

Reuters has not verified these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy. Telephone: Editorial: +62-21-384-6364. Fax: +62-21-344-8404 or Help Desk: +803-061-2124 (toll free).

- - - -

JAKARTA POST

- MARKET WATCHDOG FINES BROKERS CLEARED OF SHORT-SELLING

Bapepam, the capital markets watchdog, said it had found no evidence of short-selling by 11 foreign brokerages and one local securities house between Oct. 6 and Oct. 8 in its investigation of the matter, but it has fined all 12 firms for breaches of administrative regulations.

- WIJAYA KARYA SAYS INFRASTRUCTURE SPENDING TO LIFT EARNINGS

State-owned construction firm PT Wijaya Karya Tbk <WIKA.JK> expects a 15.6 percent increase in 2009 revenue because of the government's plan to spend on infrastructure projects next year.

- - - - BISNIS INDONESIA

- GOVT PLAN TO RAISE STATE BUDGET DEFICIT GETS SUPPORT

Indonesia's house of representatives (DPR) supports the government's plan to raise its forecast for the state budget deficit.

- INVESTMENT IN AGRICULTURAL SECTOR TO DROP 60 PCT IN 2009

Foreign and domestic investment in the agricultural sector is expected to decline by 60 percent to around 9.72 trillion rupiah ($884 million) this year in response to the sharp drop in the price of Crude Palm Oil (CPO) in the international market.

- - - -

INVESTOR DAILY

- TELKOM SAYS TO DISBURSE 12 TRILLION RPH FOR CAPEX SOON

Indonesia's top telecoms firm, PT Telekomunikasi Indonesia <TLKM.JK>, said it would pay out 12 trillion rupiah ($1.1 billion) from its internal budget by the start of 2009 to fund capital expenditure (capex) around 20-22 trillion rupiah.

- LAYOFFS IN FIRST HALF MAY REACH 1 MLN PEOPLE - APINDO

The Association of Indonesian Employers (Apindo) said it expects total layoffs for the first half of 2009 to reach between 500,000 to 1 million people, mostly from small- and medium-sized enterprises.

- - - - KORAN TEMPO - PLN SAYS TO INCREASE PLANNED BOND ISSUANCE

State electricity firm PT Perusahaan Listrik Negara (PLN) said it expects to increase its bond issue by 20-30 percent from an initial planned 1.5 trillion rupiah because of a good market response.

- BANK MEGA SEES LOAN GROWTH OF 15-20 PCT IN 2009

Lender PT Bank Mega Tbk said it expects loan growth of 15-20 percent in 2009, and will focus on small- and medium-sized enterprises.

- - - -

JAKARTA GLOBE

- FLOODS IN GORONTALO FORCE 10,000 PEOPLE TO SEEK REFUGE

Heavy rain in Gorontalo province in Sulawesi has resulted in flooding, affecting 30,000 houses and forcing 10,000 residents to evacuate to higher ground, the secretary of Gorontalo's crisis centre said.

- - - - ($1=11,000 rupiah)

AlertNet news is provided by