1. HIV: 8 x 4 lines<\/p>\n
HIV rate
\nrises
\nalarmingly
\nin Riau<\/p>\n
Batam was rocked by two explosive news in July 2002 when two
\nresidents with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) died in
\nseparate places on the tourist island.<\/p>\n
Thirty-six-year-old Rukiyati who came from Kendal, Central
\nJava, was found dead at Sekupang Seaport and 39-year-old Laysau,
\na resident of Kampong Dalam, died of the fatal disease at the
\nBatam Authority General Hospital.<\/p>\n
Rukiyati's corpse was attacked by flies when it was recovered
\nby staff of the local social affairs office while Laysau died at
\nthe presence of his relatives in the hospital.<\/p>\n
Rukiyati and Laysau are two of 20 people who have died of the
\nfatal disease on the island over the last ten years. The total
\nnumber of people with AIDS is 21. The number of people detected
\nto have been infected by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)
\nhas reached 97, including the 21.<\/p>\n
Besides Batam, Tanjung Balai Karimun is also known a fertile
\nheaven for HIV\/AIDS spread in Riau province since it has
\ndeveloped its tourism industry to lure tourists from neighbor
\ncountries of Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand.<\/p>\n
There is no accurate data on the number of people infected by
\nHIV\/AIDS on the regency but local authorities put the figure
\nsimilar to Batam.<\/p>\n
2. Ikan: 20 x 2 lines<\/p>\n
Illegal fishing still rampant
\nin RI waters: Minister<\/p>\n
Fish theft by foreign fishermen reaches between one million tons
\nand 1.5 million tons annually due to the absence of tight
\nsupervision from the authorities, says Minister of Maritime
\nResources Development Rokhmin Dahuri.<\/p>\n
He said security authorities could not work optimally because
\nof the limited amount of equipment, including patrol boats and
\nhuman resources, and the large sea territory of the country.<\/p>\n
\"Fish theft will remain rampant in the future unless necessary
\naction in terms of qualified human resources and adequate
\nequipment are taken to tighten security on the waters,\" he said
\nin his address to the meeting of Coordinating Forum for Fish
\nResources Utilization (FKPPS) here on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
Rokhmin declined to identify the foreign fishermen's countries
\nof origins but said Indonesia has captured around 150 foreign
\nships fishing illegally in Indonesian waters.<\/p>\n
\"A number of foreigners are still serving their jail sentences
\nin a number of prisons after being found guilty of fishing
\nillegally in Indonesian waters,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Local fishermen in numerous regions across the country have
\nfrequently complained about the rampant illegal fishing by Thai,
\nPhilippine and Taiwan fishermen.<\/p>\n
Numerous foreign fishing ships have deployed sophisticated
\ntechnology to detect security authorities' patrol boats as well
\nas waters containing fish.<\/p>\n
Asked to comment on the North Sumatra fishermen's complaints
\nabout the absence of security on the waters, Rokhmin admitted
\nthat the security problem had long disturbed fishermen in Belawan
\nwaters but authorities could not take the necessary measures
\nbecause of the absence of patrol boats and money.<\/p>\n
3. Trip: 36 x 1 line<\/p>\n
East Java legislature delays travel plans<\/p>\n
The East Java legislative council has finally agreed to postpone
\nits 19 members' plan to make an overseas visit late this month,
\nbowing to mounting public pressures.<\/p>\n
The legislative council sparked condemnations recently as its
\n19-member Commission E unveiled a plan to visit Malaysia,
\nSingapore, Germany and France from Aug. 25 through Sept. 5 for
\nwhat critics said was a non-essential mission.<\/p>\n
The councillors will conduct comparative studies on education,
\nlabor and health management in those Asian and European
\ncountries.<\/p>\n
Following the harsh protests, the legislature's commission
\ndecided during its meeting on Tuesday to delay the trip and
\nreview the plan whether it would be canceled or not in the
\nfuture.<\/p>\n
\"Councillors have agreed that the plan is postponed. We have
\nalso agreed to review its urgency, purposes and targets to be
\nachieved,\" said Luthfillah Masduqi, deputy chairman of the
\ncommission.<\/p>\n
He said the delay was made for several considerations,
\nparticularly the unresolved problems with the repatriation by
\nMalaysia's government of illegal workers, many of them from East
\nJava.<\/p>\n
\"This case should be given a serious attention from the
\ncommission so as to be tackled thoroughly,\" added Luthfillah,
\nalso a legislator of the local chapter of the National Awakening
\nParty (PKB).<\/p>\n
Besides, he said, the planned trip still lacks a \"mature and
\nclear concept\", which requires further discussions on its
\nmission, goal and targeted countries in order that it would be
\neffective and efficient.<\/p>\n
He vowed not to join the visit postponed until at least
\nSeptember if his colleagues wanted to go ahead with it anytime in
\nthe future.<\/p>\n
Critics from local non-governmental organizations, academics
\nand community leaders slammed the planned trip, saying it would
\nonly waste the time and state money.<\/p>\n
4. Sumbar: 32 x 1 line<\/p>\n
Legislator refuses to be interrogated<\/p>\n
West Sumatra legislature chairman Arwan Kasri has refused to be
\ninterrogated by the prosecutor's office who are investigating
\nalleged corruption in the provincial legislative council.<\/p>\n
Halius Hosen, chief of the prosecutor's office in Padang, West
\nSumatra, regretted Arwan's refusal to cooperate, saying his
\ndecision would prolong the investigation.<\/p>\n
\"Arwan Kasri should set a good example to other councillors to
\nencourage legal certainty and law enforcement in the legislative
\nbody,\" he told reporters here recently.<\/p>\n
The prosecutor's office has already questioned the secretary
\nof the legislature's treasurer and determined the council's 2002
\nbudget contains discrepancies.<\/p>\n
The investigation was launched after a number of corruption
\ncomplaints from members of the public.<\/p>\n
M. Zen Gomo, a councillor from the local chapter of the
\nNational Mandate Party, has refused to appear for work following
\nthe presentation of the controversial budget.<\/p>\n
He said he would only return once the legislative council
\nrevised the budget.<\/p>\n
The budget has sparked criticism from numerous university
\nstudent bodies, but their demands have been ignored.<\/p>\n
The budget allocates Rp 1.7 billion for insurance for the 55
\ncouncil members and Rp 1.32 billion for councillor's welfare.<\/p>\n
5. Judi: 16 x 2 lines<\/p>\n
Prostitutes go on
\nstrike in Kupang<\/p>\n
Hundreds of hoodlums, gambling bosses and prostitutes grouped
\nunder the The Poor People's Union (SKM) went on strike on
\nWednesday in Kupang, capital of East Nusa Tenggara province,
\ndemanding the city administration and legislative council
\nlegalize gambling and prostitution.<\/p>\n
The demonstrators said the city administration could introduce
\na bylaw to legalize gambling and prostitution in a restricted
\narea of the city. They said this would help raise the municipal
\nadministration's income and create job opportunities for hoodlums
\nand prostitutes.<\/p>\n
Jefri Leonard Un Taolin, spokesman for The Poor People's
\nUnion, said in a free speech forum held at Kupang's mayoralty
\noffice that gambling and prostitution in the city should be
\nlegalized because 80 percent of the city's residents were living
\nin poverty.<\/p>\n
\"This will also raise the city's income,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Kupang Mayor S.K. Lerik ruled out the demonstrators' demands,
\nsaying the city administration would never legalize gambling and
\nprostitution because they were against Indonesian culture and
\nmorality.<\/p>",
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