Bali schools need renovation

DENPASAR, Bali: A number of elementary school buildings built in the 1970s in Bali are in need of renovation because of their sheer age.

I Gusti Ngurah Oka, chief of the local education and culture office, said most of the aged school buildings were located in Karangasem regency and, so far, only a few had been renovated due to financial limitations.

Some of the buildings could no longer be used and classes were being held in the open air but such a situation could not persist, especially during the rainy season, he said.

"The condition of school buildings does not affect school activities," he said.

Ngurah Oka said several regencies were also lacking schools, such that many students had to travel a long distance to go to school.

"Most students living in remote areas have to walk six kilometers (km) to 10 km to reach their schools," he said. --Antara

S'poreans seeks security pledge

BATAM, Riau: Singaporean businessmen called on local authorities to provide a security assurance for their investments on the island.

Eddy, president of PT Barelang Wood Industry on the island, said it would be difficult for the country to attract more foreign investors to invest on the island unless security authorities gave them a security assurance.

He said the timber company, which had invested Rp 800 billion on the island, could not operate because the plant had been blockaded by local people since last October.

Many people who owned land appropriated by local authorities for the plant had blockaded it because they had not yet received any compensation for the land.

Eddy also said a number of businessmen were also concerned about two brawls between four ethnic groups last week, which left many youths injured and seven cars damaged by fire.

"Security authorities should take strict action against all involved in the brawls and those who burned the cars," he said.

He warned that Indonesia would lose out in international competition with China, Myanmar, the Philippines and Malaysia to attract more investors. --Antara

Forested areas damaged in Bandung

BANDUNG, West Java: Around 50,000 hectares of protected forest that have functioned as a catchment area for the provincial capital of Bandung are in a damaged state due to intensive development of housing compounds and illegal logging over the last three years.

Damage in the protected forest has caused flooding in the city and severe erosion and sedimentation along the Citarum River, according to data from the local forestry office.

"We are working to reforest all barren areas in the protected forest but it cannot function as well as it did in the past," Kartiwa, chief of the local forestry office, said here on Monday.

He said a total of 35,600 hectares of forest in 275 villages around Bandung had been converted into farmland.

"The forest in Cimeyan, Lembang, Cisarua and Parompong is in a poor state due of the housing development. So far, we have reforested only 3,000 hectares with assistance from the Japan International Cooperation Agency," he said. --Antara

Police, TNI involved in clash

ATAMBUA, East Nusa Tenggara: A number of police and Army personnel were involved in a clash at a gambling location in Sesekoe, Umanen, Belu regency, on Sunday.

Witnesses, who asked to remain anonymous, said the clash occurred when three policemen tried to apprehend a number of soldiers, who were involved in gambling activities in the area.

The soldiers, from Infantry Battalion 743/PSY, wore civilian clothes when they took part in the gambling.

The clash ended after the servicemen's superior and several officers from the local military police went to the site.

The local police raided the gambling site after receiving a tip-off from local people.

A policeman was kicked in the stomach while several others were involved in a fracas with servicemen and hoodlums.

The serviceman who kicked the policeman in the stomach was put into detention by the local police for further investigation.

Chief of the Belu Military Subdistrict Lt. Col. Didi Sudiana said the clash had been caused by a misunderstanding between the servicemen and the police.

"I will deal sternly with any servicemen who were involved in the gambling," he said.

Chief of the Belu Police Precinct Adj. Sr. Comr. Nender Yani said the local police would interrogate their personnel involved in the clash.

He said he would coordinate with the chief of the local military subdistrict to prevent such a case from occurring in the future. --Antara

57 escape police detention

SERANG, Banten: A total of 57 women and men, who were netted in a drug operation, escaped Cilegon Police detention on Sunday before they were due to be interrogated.

However, the local police interrogated 89 others; three of them were found in possession of banned drugs while 59 others did not have identity cards.

Betti Indiani, 31, Anani Syarif, 31, and Djoko, 39, were detained for further investigation when the police confiscated a number of inex pills from them.

They were taken to the police detention center after being picked up at Bojong Village, close to Anyer tourist resort, which has become well-known for its drug parties at weekends.

The 59 who did not have identity cards were fined Rp 10,000 each.

Deputy chief of Cilegon Police Precinct Sr. Comr. Syamsuddin said the operation had been carried out after the police had received many tip-offs and complaints from local people about frequent weekend drug parties at the coastal resort.

In addition, the police also confiscated 14 cars and 21 motorcycles, which were suspected to have been used to conceal the drugs. --Antara