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