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