Across the Archipelago

Across the Archipelago

Six die in
bus crash

PANDEGLANG, West Java: An inter-city bus carrying 32 people
skidded and tumbled into an eight-meter deep ravine, killing six-
passengers in Kadudampit, Saketi on Monday.

The "Wajar" bus, en route to Pandeglang from Labuan, was in
pursuit of another bus heading the same direction. Coming to a
tight turn at Kadudampit, the driver abruptly stepped on the
breaks, causing the bus to turn over and fall into the ravine.

Four people were killed instantly while the other two died at
the Pandeglang Public Hospital. Thirteen others were treated at
the hospital, the Antara news agency reported.(mds)

Students free
to invite Rendra

SEMARANG, Central Java: Rector Muladi of Diponegoro University
says he has no intention of banning government critics like Emha
Ainun Nadjib and W.S. Rendra.

Muladi said he will allow his students to invite intellectuals
that the government has blacklisted because of their critical
stance so long as the students have clear reasons to do so.

"For example, I will grant the request if Emha and Rendra are
invited to speak about culture, on which they are experts, not
about politics" he said.

Rendra and Emha have been barred from speaking to various
academic forums. (wah/pan)

Medan students
question fee

MEDAN, North Sumatra: Students of North Sumatra University
demonstrated on Tuesday, demanding the abolition of the Rp 50,000
($23) fee they have to pay for a field study program.

The protesters said the money had been largely unaccounted
for, probably embezzled by supervisors.

"We are doing field studies on our own account and we don't
know why we're required to pay this dubious fee," said Juppri
Newa, a student senate member.

College officials were not available for comment. (rmn/pan)

Dengue cases
in Bali

DENPASAR, Bali: Cases of dengue fever have increased
significantly over the past five years on the tourist island,
official statistics shows.

The incidence of dengue has increased from 2.4 per 100,000
people in 1989 to 9.2, the Antara news agency reported.

Last year, of the 409 people who contracted the disease, seven
died. From January through March this year, the disease affected
57 people and one of those died.

Badung, Denpasar, Tabanan, Gianyar and Bululeng were the worst
hit, health office chief Sudana said.(pan)

Helicopter
still missing

SAMARINDA, East Kalimantan: PT Airfast Balikpapan's A Skorsky
S58T helicopter with three people on board has been missing since
May 5.

The helicopter, chartered by an employee from PT Sumber Daya
Alam, was on its way from the Sepinggan airport in Balikpapan to
Tabang when it went missing.

Air transport officials said the last radio contact was
established when it was 70 miles north of Tabang, Kutai.

Three helicopters and two speedboats have been deployed to
search for the helicopter, Antara reported. (pan)

Bali ban on
cock fighting

DENPASAR, Bali: The authorities plan to ban traditional
rooster fighting because it is against religious teachings.

Chairman of the Bali provincial Legislative Council, I Gusti
Wayan Sudhiksa, told journalists Monday he supported the plan.

Cock fighting has become a hot issue in the predominantly
Hindu island since a village chief proposed to the House of
Representatives that the government formally legalize it.

Authorities say that gambling is rampant at the fights, which
the government banned in early 1980s.

The village chief of Ulakan, Wayan Ramia, proposed that every
event that features cock fighting should be supervised to make
sure that no gambling was involved, Antara reported. (pan)

Drug ring
busted in Batam

JAKARTA: The Riau provincial police working together with
counterparts in Singapore and Australia have broken-up an
international narcotics ring and confiscated hundreds of
kilograms of heroin.

Maj. Gen. Koesparmono Irsan said on Tuesday that 10 people
suspected to have connections with the ring have been arrested in
Singapore and Australia.

In Batam, police on Friday stormed a house at the Nagoya
estate on Batam island where they made one of the biggest drug
busts in recent times.

Koesparmono said Batam was being used by the ring as a
distribution center for exports to neighboring countries. (mds)