Brothers' spat sends regent packing

KOTABARU, South Kalimantan: Kotabaru Regent Sjahrani Mataja walked away from a ceremony to open a new community health center in Sungai Balidi village on Tuesday after finding the building was locked.

Antara reported that the developer of the building, Hasan, kept the key to the health center's front door due to unfinished business with his brother-in-law Subhan, the main contractor of the Rp 89 million (US$10,000) project.

Hasan claimed that Subhan owed him Rp 38 million upon completion of the project, while the project manager, Fadlan, contended he had paid Subhan a total of Rp 86 million prior to the opening ceremony.

Subhan told Antara after the canceled ceremony he would pay his debt to Hasan as quickly as possible. -- Antara