1 x 4 columns, 28 Team set up to probe alleged misuses of budget in Papua, Aceh Tiarma Siboro The Jakarta Post Jakarta
The government has set up a team to probe alleged misuses of budget by two resource-rich, autonomous provinces Papua and Aceh, a senior cabinet minister says.
Coordinating Minister for Political and Security Affairs Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said Thursday that the team would be led by Home Minister Hari Sabarno in a close coordination with the Development Finance Comptroller (BPKP).
He, nevertheless, failed to disclose when the team would effectively carry out its investigation.
According to Susilo, the government has received information about alleged misappropriation of budgets allocated to Papua and Aceh.
;JP;MUN; ANPAa..r.. Lili-KPKPN-comment Mega told to let police investigate AG Rachman JP/4/LILI
4 x 2 columns Mega urged to suspend Rachman over graft charge Muninggar Sri Saraswati The Jakarta Post Jakarta
The recent decision of the Attorney General's Office to declare Lili Asdjudiredja, a member of the Public Servants' Wealth Audit Commission (KPKPN), a graft suspect has prompted calls for the suspension of Attorney General M.A. Rachman for suspected corruption.
Lili was chairman of a KPKPN team investigating Rachman's wealth report that ended up with the commission reporting the Attorney General to police for alleged corruption.
Police, however, are yet to investigate Rachman pending permission from President Megawati Soekarnoputri.
Legislator J.E. Sahetapy of the Indonesian Democratic Party for Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) said Rachman's corruption charge should be solved as soon as possible to save the drive to stamp out the country's endemic corruption.
;JP:IWA; ANPAa..r.. Water-Kyoto-result RI gets $15m debt swap from Germany after WWF JP/4/waterr
1 x 4 colums, 36 RI secures debt swap after water forum Moch. N. Kurniawan The Jakarta Post Jakarta
Indonesia won a US$15-million debt-for-nature swap from Germany during the third World Water Forum (WWF) in Kyoto, Japan, last week, said Minister of Resettlement and Regional Infrastructure Soenarno.
Minister Soenarno said on Wednesday that the debt swap was used to assist water-related projects such as environmental conservation and food security programs.
"... we are still seeking similar debt-for-nature swap schemes with other countries," he said when opening an exhibition to hail World Water Day here on Wednesday.
Sutardi, head of the hydrology directorate at the Ministry of Resettlement and Regional Infrastructure, said the debt swap from Germany was to be used for coping with water pollution in Garut, West Java and in Pekalongan, Central Java, rural irrigation development, and the improvement and rehabilitation of ground water pumps in several other regions.
;JP;IWA; ANPAa..r.. Protected-animals-smuggling Protected animals smuggling reaches $1.5b: survey JP/4/animal
2 x 3 columns, 36 Protected animal smuggling reaches $547.5m annually Moch. N. Kurniawan The Jakarta Post Jakarta
Smuggling of protected animals in Indonesia is valued at a whopping US$1.5 billion a year, with Jakarta topping the list with $1.5 million per day or $547.5 million per year, according to a survey.
The Gibbon Foundation survey found the practice was widespread thanks to the help of government officials and military officers, and poor law enforcement.
"This (smuggling) is certainly not a small case for this country, so people must fight against it," foundation director Willie Smits said on the sidelines of an international seminar on Indonesian Wildlife in Jakarta on Thursday.
Smits said it had carried out undercover interviews with smugglers in various cities during the survey.
Jakarta is the biggest haven for smugglers, followed by the East Java capital of Surabaya, the Central Java capital of Semarang and the North Sumatra capital of Medan, the survey found.
In Jakarta the trade of protected animals centered in Jl. Pramuka in Central Jakarta and Jl. Barito in South Jakarta.
Smits said birds and primates, particularly orangutan, were the most popular targets, as were reptiles.