JP/5/MUI

JP/5/MUI

Koran controversy
hits Jambi

JAMBI, Jambi: Copies of the Koran carrying a photograph of
gubernatorial candidate Zulkifli Nurdin have been circulating in
Jambi over the past few days, sparking controversy ahead of the
gubernatorial election on June 26.

Sulaiman Abdullah, the head of the Jambi branch of the
Indonesian Ulema Council, criticized the circulation of the
Korans, calling it an example of religion being abused for
political purposes.

Sulaiman said his organization was seeking avenues to resolve
the controversy.

Bahrul Rozali, the head of the Al Arafah Foundation, which
helped circulate the Korans, denied politics played any part in
the foundation's actions.

"There is no political motive. We saw that Muslim students
needed more Korans and we printed them," said Bahrul, while
acknowledging that some of the printing costs were paid for by
Zulkifli.

A similar controversy occurred in Indramayu regency recently,
when the Indramayu regent put his picture on the inside front
cover of Korans and distributed them as part of his campaign
ahead of an election in June. -- JP

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Focus-UGM-student

JP/5/FOCUS

UGM students
protest fees

YOGYAKARTA: In conjunction with National Awakening Day on May 20,
hundreds of Gadjah Mada University (UGM) students demonstrated
here on Friday to demand the revocation of the university's
status as an autonomous state body.

Since the university was made an autonomous state body four
years ago, tuition has skyrocketed and numerous illegal fees have
been imposed on students, the demonstrators said.

As the cost of an education at the university has gone up, the
quality of teaching has remained the same, said the chairman of
the UGM Student Executive Body, Romy Ardiansyah.

As an autonomous state body, the university no longer is
subsidized by the central government and must provide 100 percent
of its own funding. UGM, the oldest university in the country,
has more than 30,000 students. -- JP

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Focus-China-Karel

JP/5/FOCUS

Chinese boats
seized in Maluku

AMBON, Maluku: A senior naval officer announced on Friday the
Navy had seized two fishing boats from China and an Indonesian
boat carrying illegal logs in the waters of Maluku.

The ships were seized on Sunday and Wednesday near Arafura
after it was found they did not have the necessary documents,
said the chief of the naval base in Ambon, First Adm. Bambang
Supeno.

Dozens of crew members, most Chinese nationals, are being held
at the base for legal processing, Bambang said.

Since January, the Navy has seized some 50 boats carrying
illegal logs or fishing illegally in the waters of Maluku.

Bambang said crew members from about 30 of the seized boats
were facing prosecution. -- JP

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Focus-train-Bandung

JP/5/FOCUS

Human error behind
Lampung train crash

BANDUNG: A train accident in Bandarlampung on Thursday night that
killed six people was caused by human error, a spokesman for
state train operator PT KAI said on Friday.

Noor Hamidi said a PT KAI employee at the Rejosari station
should have prevented the Fajar Utama Express passenger train
from departing the station. A few moments after it was allowed to
depart, the passenger train slammed into a freight train carrying
coal, leaving at least six people dead and dozens of others
injured. -- JP