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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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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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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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