Gang of thieves uncovered
MEDAN, North Sumatra: Medan Police in North Sumatra have arrested two military personnel and a policeman accused of selling stolen motorcycles to the neighboring province of Aceh.
The two soldiers were identified only by their initials FR, alias As, and Pon, while the policeman in question was a chief sergeant, named only as RDB.
The three suspects were arrested on Monday after Medan Police uncovered a gang specializing in motorcycle thefts in the city on Sunday.
The gang involved a 39-year old woman, Jumiati, and three men, Farizal, Fauzi and Maulana Akbar.
Medan Police chief Sr. Comr. Badrodin Haiti, speaking to journalists here on Monday, said Jumiati told investigators that the two soldiers and the policeman were also involved in the gang.
The three served as brokers of the stolen motorcycles, which were sold in Aceh, Badrodin added.
He added that FR had sold at least 200 stolen motorcycles, Pon 117 units and RDB 10 others since 2001.
"Most of the motorcycles stolen from various parts of North Sumatra have been sold to Nangroe Aceh Darrusalam at reduced prices," the local police chief said. --JP
Yogya sultan awarded royal title
PADANG, West Sumatra: Sultan Hamengku Buwono X, who also serves as the Yogyakarta governor, and his wife Gusti Kanjeng Ratu Hemas were officially accorded a royal title by West Sumatra's customary people.
The award presentation was held in a ceremony on Monday at the Rajo Palace, Pagaruyung, around 106 kilometers north of Padang, the capital city of West Sumatra.
The precession started with a speech by Pagaruyung Palace's heir Sutan Muhammad Taufik Thaib, who later installed a customary hat called deta on the sultan's head.
It was followed by giving a wavy double-bladed dagger and a stick to the sultan accompanied by the firing of cannon.
Thousands of people, including foreign visitors, attended the ceremony.
The endowment, endorsed by the Minangkabau communal highest consultative meeting and Pagaruyung Palace leaders, was aimed at "reactualizing" the respect of the Pagaruyung's first sultan, Adityawarman, who was of Javanese descent.
Speaking at the ceremony, the sultan said the award was a "symbol of unity" among different ethnic cultures. "Our attendance seems to bridge the polarization between two cultures of Minang and Java," he added. --JP
Love makes boy crazy
YOGYAKARTA: A drunken boy rushed angrily into teachers' office of a senior high school in Sleman regency, Yogyakarta, injuring the school's principle and a student with a knife.
Deputy chief of the Depok police subpercinct Second Insp. Firman said the 16-year-old boy, Abdul Rahman, went through the compound to search for 17-year-old Ari Rudianto he accused of grabbing his girl friend Sri Utami.
Ari is a student of the school, where Sri is his classmate.
Realizing that Rahman was chasing him, Ari sought protection at his teacher's office. But his whereabouts was unfortunately detected by the attacker.
"Rahman immediately got into the teachers' office and attacked with his small knife the school's principle, Mugiono, who tried to stop him. He also injured Ari before other people finally managed to grasp him," Firman said.
Rahman, who dropped out of a senior high school, has been detained in local police custody along with his friend Sumino who accompanied him during the assault. --JP