Collapsed bridge isolates West Sumba

Collapsed bridge isolates West Sumba

KUPANG, East Nusa Tenggara: People in the West Sumba regency on
Sumba island face isolation after heavy rainfall on Monday tore
down the only bridge connecting the regency with supplies of
basic commodities from East Sumba.

West Sumba's population of more than 300,000 people receive
their supplies of basic commodities from a port in Waingapu
located in East Sumba.

"The collapse of the bridge at Lindiwacu (river) will disrupt
access between the West Sumba and the East Sumba regencies," said
East Nusa Tenggara council member Umbu Pura Woha on Thursday.

He said the only way now for people to travel between the two
regencies was to cross the river Lindiwacu.

According to him, it will take some time before the local
administration could rebuild the bridge.

But activities like the distribution of West Sumba
agricultural products to outside the Sumba island, and the
supplies of basic commodities into Sumba will continue albeit
much more slowly, Umbu added. -- Antara

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Across-Batam-TV-Singapore
Batam TV to widened coverage
JP/ /Across

'Batam TV' to widen coverage

BATAM: Despite protests from neighboring Singapore and Malaysia
about overlapping frequencies, Batam's first local television
station, Batam TV, plans to widen its broadcasting coverage to
include the whole island as well as Singapore.

Batam TV director Mafirion said on Thursday it planned to move
its broadcasting antenna to a new location where the signal was
stronger. He said the plan followed a study from a Bandung-based
consulting team Batam TV had hired.

"We've received recommendations on a number of good locations,
but based on economic considerations Batam TV will soon broadcast
from a new location at Hotel Nagoya," said Mafirion.

The television station currently airs from Batam's Carnival
Mall area, located on the northern tip of the island closest to
Singapore. Hotel Nagoya Plaza is located some 20 kilometers south
of Carnival Mall, at the center of the island where the land is
more elevated.

Mafirion said that from Nagoya Batam TV should be able to
broadcast its programs to all areas of the island as well as
Singapore.

Batam Mayor Nyat Kadir launched Batam TV and Radio Hang FM on
January 18, 2003. But their presence drew protests from several
television and radio stations in Singapore and Malaysia because
their frequencies overlapped.

The ministry of telecommunication in Jakarta has ordered Batam
TV and Radio Hang FM to stop operating. It said neither had an
operation permit, hence the overlapping frequencies.

Batam TV has said it was working on acquiring the permits. It
now airs 12 hours a day and has eight reporters to cover news on
the island. -- Antara