Go east, Siswono says

Go east, Siswono says

PAMEKASAN, Madura: Minister of Transmigration Siswono
Yudohusodo is calling on Maduranese people, known for their love
of traveling, to settle in the less-developed eastern areas of
Indonesia.

Siswono was here to launch a campaign to encourage people from
densely populated areas of Java, Bali and Madura to resettle in
the sparsely occupied areas of Eastern Indonesia, Antara reported
yesterday. Most of the Maduranese have settled in areas of
western Indonesia, in such places as Sumatera and West
Kalimantan, Siswono said.

"You should now go east -- to Sulawesi, Maluku, Halmahera, and
Irian Jaya," Siswono said.

Pamekasan Regent Soebagio said that, given the condition of
Madura Island, his residents do not have any other option but to
transmigrate. The 7,930 hectare regency, for instance, has a
population of 657,785 with a density of 830 people per kilometer,
while job opportunities are scarce. (swe)