Govt not green says

Govt not green says
House legislator

JAKARTA: Increasing pollution and environmental damage in the
country has been blamed on the government's poor awareness of
environmental issues.

House of Representatives legislator M. Askin told a discussion
on Tuesday that the next president should empower the state
minister of the environment to make amends for the poor record.

Askin said the government had so far shown greater interest in
the economy than the environment. -- Antara

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Scene-education-IYPT
RI wins gold medals in physics meet
JP/4/SCENEt

RI wins gold
at physics meet

JAKARTA: Indonesia -- represented by five senior high school
students from Jakarta -- won on Tuesday a gold medal at the 17th
International Young Physicists Tournament (IYPT) in Brisbane,
Australia, which is underway until Thursday.

Aldi Indra and Sandy Pratama from BPK Penabur 1 Christian high
school, Wendy Siman from Tarakanita 2 high school, Abdullah
Rasmita from SMU 8 state high school 8 and Muhammad Zuhdi from
SMU 37 state high school comprised the second Indonesian team to
take part in the competition.

Last year's event was held in Upsalla, Sweden. -- JP

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Scene-terrorism-trial
Terror suspect denies charges
JP/4/SCENE

Terror suspect
denies charges

JAKARTA: Defendant Husni Rijal alias Ilham Sopandi denied on
Tuesday his involvement in terrorist activities and his knowledge
of the identity of fellow suspect and brother of Riduan
Ishamuddin alias Hambali, Rusman Gunawan.

"I am just a student, who was arrested due to my friendship
with Gun Gun (Rusman)," Husni said, in his defense at the Central
Jakarta District Court.

Husni said that knew Gun Gun as the two attended the same
university, in Karachi, Pakistan, but he had known him only by
his alias, Abdul Hadi. Only after his capture -- along with Gun
Gun and four other students -- did it become clear that Gun Gun
was Hambali's sibling.

Prosecutors also charged Husni with the use of a fake identity
card and passport under the name Ilham Sopandi. Husni said it was
his nickname as a student at the Islamic boarding school al-
Mukmin, in Sukoharjo, Central Java -- which was run by alleged JI
spiritual leader Abu Bakar Ba'asyir. -- JP

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Aceh-deportation-immigration

JP/4/ACEH

Three foreigners
expelled from Aceh

BANDA ACEH, Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam: The Aceh Provincial
Immigration Office deported on Tuesday two Malaysians and an
American for entering the restricted province of Aceh without
proper immigration and security documents.

Imron Zubandi, an official at the immigration office, said on
Tuesday that the two Malaysians -- Ong Kung Wai and Jumat bin
Madjid -- were business consultants, while Sean Blanchet, was a
student.

Following the declaration of martial law in Aceh last year,
the Aceh Immigration Office severely restricted foreigners from
entering unless they had special permits from the martial law
administrator and immigration office. Martial law has been lifted
recently and Aceh is now under a civil emergency administration,
but the curtailment of foreign and domestic tourists,
businesspeople, rights workers, journalists and students, is
still in effect. -- JP

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Scene-drug-pardon
No mercy for drug dealers: President
JP/4/SCENE

No mercy for drug
dealers: President

MANADO, North Sulawesi: President Megawati Soekarnoputri
underlined on Monday that she would never grant clemency to
convicted drugs dealers, saying they posed too great a danger to
the nation's young.

Over 20 drugs dealers are now on death row after Megawati
rejected all of their requests for clemency.

The President also called on the public to join the fight
against drugs, warning that drug use was also one of the major
causes for the spread of HIV/AIDS. -- Antara