Councillor lashes out at district heads

MEDAN, North Sumatra: A Medan councillor condemned on Wednesday seven district heads in Medan for traveling to Malaysia.

"Suspected bird flu has been discovered in their areas, and they're traveling to Malaysia," Ikrimah Hamidy, chief of the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) faction at the Medan council, said incredulously.

The seven district heads in question are from Medan Selayang, Medan Tuntungan, Medan Baru, Medan Kota, Medan Polonia, Medan Johor and Medan Denai. Fears of bird flu surfaced recently after reports that 2,000 quail and hundreds of chickens in the areas had died mysteriously.

Medan municipal government spokesman Arlan Harahap confirmed that the district heads had gone to Malaysia to attend a seminar on the environment. However, Arlan denied reports that the trip had anything to do with the reelection of Medan Mayor Abdillah. -- JP