Alleged terror head jailed
Alleged terror head jailed
PEKANBARU, Riau: A man alleged to be a senior member of
terrorist group Jamaah Islamiyah (JI) was jailed for 18 months
for immigration offenses by the Dumai District Court on Tuesday.
The court found Mas Slamet Bin Kasturi, alleged by some to be
JI's chief in Singapore, guilty of violating immigration laws and
falsifying identity cards during his stay with his family in the
province last year.
The panel of judges led by Muljanto found no evidence the
accused had links to suspects in the Christmas Eve explosions in
Batam and Pekanbaru and the Oct. 12, 2002, Bali blasts.
The court was guarded by hundreds of police. Hundreds of
locals attended the hearing.
Both Mas Slamet's lawyer Darmansyah and the government
prosecutor said they were considering appealing the
decision.--Antara
Governor claims to back forest protection
BANJARMASIN, South Kalimantan: South Kalimantan Governor
Sjachriel Darham claims to fully support central Government
attempts to stop the exploitation of the Meratus protected
forest.
"It's the central government's authority to stop all
activities in the protected forest if it wants to stop them. The
provincial administration will fully support such a decision," he
said here on Tuesday.
He was responding to increasing calls from communities in the
Meratus area for a halt to the exploitation of timber, coal and
gold from the forest.
At least four timber and mining companies -- PT Kodeco, PT Aya
Yayang, PT Meratus Sumber Mas and PT Bina Alam Indah Lestari --
have destroyed or damaged thousands of hectares of the forest in
their quests for wood or ore.
The governor said the provincial authorities would continue
monitoring all activities to avoid any further deterioration of
the forest environment. --Antara
Troubled governor launches book
JAKARTA: Lampung governor-elect Alzier Dianis Tabranie, who is
facing corruption charges, launched a book, modestly titled
Alzier, Fenomena Politik di Era Reformasi (Alzier, Political
Phenomenon in the Reform Era), in Jakarta on Tuesday.
Out in force were a number of high-powered supporters of
Alzier, who was elected governor on Dec. 30, 2002 but has yet to
be sworn in because of the ongoing corruption investigation.
Alzier's troubles began when his nomination won the support of
the majority of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle's
branches in Lampung but the party's executive board backed former
governor Oemarsono for his second term of office.
Indonesian Chamber of Commerce chairman Aburizal Bakrie and
the former chairman of the Lampung gubernatorial election
committee, S. Abbas Hadisunyoto, spoke at the launch.
"The party and the central government should suspend Alzier
only if he is found guilty," Abbas said, referring to the 1999
regional autonomy law.
Abbas said the government's decision not to install Alzier was
political engineering.
In the book, Alzier describes how the party and the central
government were ignoring the political aspirations of the people
of Lampung and how the corruption cases were engineered to
prevent him from governing Lampung.
W. Manggarai regency to be inaugurated
KUPANG, East Nusa Tenggara: Minister of Home Affairs Hari
Sabarno will likely inaugurate the new regency of West Manggarai,
East Nusa Tenggara, at the same time he swears in the province's
new governor and deputy governor later this month.
The chairman of the Golkar Party faction at the provincial
legislative council, Melkianus Adoe, said on Tuesday that the
minister was considering inaugurating the new regency.
He called on the people of West Manggarai to be patient in
waiting for the minister's decision on the appointment of the
acting regent.
According to the 1999 regional autonomy law, the home minister
appoints an acting governor and establishes a regency legislature
with the initial task of preparing a fair election.
Governor Piet A. Tallo who won the gubernatorial election on
June 19 is due to be sworn in for second term for the 2003-2008
period. Tallo's running mate Frans Lebu Raya will be deputy
governor. --Antara