Govt, House to hold talks on Ambalat
JAKARTA: The House of Representatives will meet with the government on Friday night to discuss the dispute with Malaysia over the offshore Ambalat oil block in the Sulawesi Sea.
House Speaker Agung Laksono said on Tuesday the meeting would take place at the State Palace to discuss the government's strategy for maintaining possession of Ambalat.
A number of legislators have criticized the government for failing to consult the House on its decision to deploy reinforcement troops to the disputed area.
According to Law No. 34/2004 on the Indonesian Military, the government is required to inform the House within 48 hours after any large deployment of troops under a war threat. -- JP
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VP opens Asian Physics Olympiad
PEKANBARU, Riau: A total of 120 senior high school students from 19 countries participated in the sixth Asian Physics Olympiad, which was opened here on Tuesday by Vice President Jusuf Kalla (not by President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono as reported earlier).
The week-long event ending on May 2 is being held at the campus of the Riau Politeknik University.
The organizing committee said that certain nations had not sent teams due to concerns over security and natural disasters.
The vice president said in his opening speech that the physics olympiad should serve as an encouragement for Indonesian students to learn more about science, particularly physics, so that Indonesia could catch up with other countries in this particular field.
He also criticized teachers and school masters who are more interested in pushing students to achieve passing grades rather than focusing on quality education. -- Antara
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Police to join new illegal logging team
JAKARTA: The National Police said on Tuesday they will submit four names to the Military Police chief as members of a joint team that will handle illegal logging cases.
The government plans to set up the team to deal with legal procedures for illegal logging trials since most suspects came from different backgrounds, including police and military personnel and civil servants, and different procedures are required in handling their cases.
National Police spokesman Insp. Gen. Aryanto Boedihardjo said the four proposed officers were Sr. Comr. Alpiner Sinaga, Adj. Sr. Comr. Yerrit Maryono, Comr. Yafit Parembang and Adj. Comr. Mugiyono -- all investigators of the special crimes division at the National Police Headquarters.
The four officers will assist other team members from the Attorney General's Office and the Indonesian Military. Military Police deputy chief Brig. Gen. Hendardji will reportedly lead the team. -- JP