Garuda pledges funds for Aceh

JAKARTA: National carrier Garuda announced on Tuesday that it would donate some Rp 500 million (about US$53,700) in cash to help finance humanitarian relief operations in devastated Aceh.

The company said in a press statement that the aid was on top of its free cargo and passenger service between Jakarta and Aceh, which has now reached a value of around Rp 1 billion.

It added that around Rp 300 million of the cash aid would be distributed as scholarships for Acehnese students whose parents had died during last week's tsunami disaster, while the remaining Rp 200 million would be used for humanitarian relief. -- JP