34 named suspects in council rampage
PALU, Central Sulawesi: Police said on Thursday they had named at least 34 suspects in an attack on the Buol Legislative Council and its speaker Amran Batalipu in Central Sulawesi earlier this month.
The suspects, including 23 students, were among the 59 people arrested after the assault on Dec. 16 during a demonstration by thousands of people at the council.
Spokesman for the Central Sulawesi Police Adj. Sr. Comr. Agus Sugianto said the 34 suspects were being held for further investigation. If charged they could face a maximum sentence of five years in prison.
He said five platoons of police and troops were still on guard in the town in case of further unrest.
Amran was seriously injured in the attack by the protesters, who beat and humiliated him by dragging him into the street. The mob also stripped the council speaker except for his underwear.
The violence erupted after the councillors refused to receive the demonstrators for a dialog on development issues in the newly created regency.
The mob also went on a rampage, damaging the fence, doors, windows, chairs and other facilities. The situation worsened when they set fire to one room of the building.
The damage caused some Rp 2 billion (US$238,095) in losses to the regency, while the council was closed as almost all facilities were looted or seriously damaged. --Antara
;JP;NFK; ANPAa..r.. Across-council-Buol-attack 34 named suspects in council rampage JP/5/buol
Malang gets new mayor
MALANG, East Java: Peni Suparto and Bambang Priyo were elected on Thursday as the new mayor and deputy mayor respectively of Malang, East Java, by the local legislative council.
Suparto, nominated by the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) and the Golkar Party, won 31 votes, defeating H.M. Noer and Poernomo who took nine votes, while another candidate Gandi Yogatama and his running mate Dewanti Ruparin Diah received only four votes.
The mayoral election ran smoothly amid tight security as dozens of students staged a rally outside the building. --Antara
;JP;NFK; ANPAa..r.. Across-council-Buol-attack 34 named suspects in council rampage JP/5/buol
17 officials to be dismissed for joining parties
KENDARI, Southeast Sulawesi: The provincial administration vowed on Thursday to dismiss civil servants who also serve as executives of political parties.
"Our data shows at least 17 civil servants in Southeast Sulawesi have become executives of political parties," secretary of the provincial administration La Ode Nsana said.
However, he said the officials concerned would first be summoned to determine whether they wanted to retain their current state posts or choose positions in their parties, on the condition that they have to retire or apply for unpaid leave.
The political party law bans civil servants from joining parties as board members, unless they retire or take temporarily unpaid leave.
The 17 civil servants in question are entering retirement soon or have little chances of advancing their career in the bureaucracy, according to sources. --Antara