Governor rapped over trip on the sly

BANJARMASIN, South Kalimantan: South Kalimantan Governor M. Sjachriel and two provincial assemblymen came under fire on Sunday for visiting Australia despite the various issues demanding speedy resolutions in the region.

The governor, according to Antara sources on Sunday, was accompanied by his development secretary, a provincial assemblyman and a member of the provincial assembly's commission D.

Mansyah Addryans, speaker of the provincial assembly, confirming the trips said the governor had sought the approval of the home affairs minister while the councillors had made no such request.

He continued that some time earlier a gold mining company, PT Placer Dome Inc., that was planning to conduct exploration in South Kalimantan, had invited the governor and councillors to Australia.