1 x 4 columns, 28
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.
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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.
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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.