Department store rejected

Department store rejected

SURABAYA: East Java provincial legislative councilors have
rejected a proposal to convert a hockey field on Jl. Darmawangsa
into a department store, Antara reported yesterday.

The news agency quoted councilor Eddie Budi Prabowo as saying
that department stores had no "social function" and that building
one in the area would create traffic congestion.

He suggested instead that the field be used for the expansion
of nearby Dr. Sutomo General Hospital.

The director of the hospital, Dr. Dikman Anshor, confirmed
that the management had plans to develop the facility into a
training hospital to serve eastern Indonesia regions in
particular.

The planned seven-story hospital would thus need more
facilities, including a helipad for emergencies, he said. (swe)