Council mulls censuring Cirebon mayor
CIREBON, West Java: The Cirebon legislative council is considering censuring Mayor Subardi, who has been in office for six months, for alleged incompetence.
Council speaker Suryana expressed disappointment on Wednesday over the Cirebon mayor's "poor performance".
"We will soon summon the mayor for questioning about various issues related to his administration's policies," Suryana told The Jakarta Post.
The planned summons was confirmed by the council's deputy speaker, Sunaryo HW, who was defeated by Subardi in last January's mayoral election.
Subardi, who was nominated by the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) and the National Mandate Party (PAN), was sworn in as the new mayor on April 16.
He garnered 15 of 30 votes from the legislative council in the mayoral election, defeating the Golkar Party's Sunaryo who grabbed 14 votes.
Sunaryo said the council was preparing to invoke its right to question the mayor. "We will ask him whatever we want."
Another senior councillor, Enang Iman, said the council could issue a "no-confidence motion" against Subardi if it was not satisfied with his answers.
Enang accused the mayor of frequently being absent from his office because he was out of town.
Subardi said he would comply with any summons. --JP
;; ANPAa..r.. Across-Makassar-project Dispute prompts Megawati to delay project JP/5/across1
Dispute prompts Megawati to delay project
MAKASSAR, South Sulawesi: President Megawati Soekarnoputri has canceled plans to inaugurate the Tomini Bay Development Authority Board next week due to a dispute among three governors on Sulawesi island over the project.
"One of the governors has a different vision than us. Instead of sparking a conflict, we have postponed the plan temporarily," Gorontalo Governor Fadel Muhammad said on Wednesday in Makassar, South Sulawesi.
Megawati was scheduled to inaugurate the project during a visit to Gorontalo on Oct. 11.
Fadel said he had been notified by the maritime affairs and fisheries minister that Megawati would not be inaugurating the authority board during the visit due to the controversy.
The project involves the provinces of Gorontalo, North Sulawesi and Central Sulawesi.
However, the Central Sulawesi governor has said he will oppose the project unless the main office of the authority board is located in his province.
He has argued that most of the 193,923-square-kilometer Tomini Bay is located within Central Sulawesi. --Antara
;JP;NFK; ANPAa..r.. Across-Cirebon-council Witnesses blame delay in arms trial JP/5/acros9
Witnesses blame delay in arms trial
JAYAPURA, Papua: The military tribunal here delayed again on Wednesday the trial of two soldiers charged with involvement in the April burglary of munitions from an Army arsenal in Mamena regency, as witnesses did not appear.
The Jayapura military court should have heard the testimony of witnesses either against or in support of First Lt. Pilius Wenda and Serianus Jikwa.
The delay was the third for the same reason as military prosecutors were unable to present seven witnesses at the trial. Five live in Wamena and two others in Manokwari regency.
Prosecutor Lt. Col. Sucahyo said the Trikora military headquarters had promised to help present the witnesses at the trial, but as of Wednesday, none had showed up, he added.
Trikora Military Commander Maj. Gen. Nurdin Zainal said his personnel in Wamena had encountered difficulty in finding the witnesses as they had moved to other locations.
Pilius was charged with providing weapons to Papuan rebels who were initially blamed for the April 4 theft of thousands of bullets and guns. He could face the death penalty.
Serianus was charged with treason in connection with the burglary.
Seven other soldiers were sentenced to up to seven months and 20 days for negligence when the burglary took place, which killed two troops and one civilian. --JP
;JP;NFK; ANPAa..r.. Across-Cirebon-council Jambi Police free 4 Chinese citizens JP/5/acros09
Jambi Police free 4 Chinese citizens
JAMBI, Jambi: Four Chinese nationals arrested last Sunday in Jambi province for alleged possession of fake passports have been freed, the head of the provincial immigration office said here on Wednesday.
Djoko Susetyo said Hu Xihui, Yang Chaorong, Hu Chuang Biao and Yang Xi Biao were freed on Tuesday after the provincial police and the immigration office had not found any violation.
Authorities found their passports to be authentic, Djoko added.
He said the four Chinese, who had traveled from China's Guangdong province to Jambi to buy textiles, were arrested at Makmur Hotel on Monday at about 10 p.m. --Antara