JP/7/Across
S. Sulawesi Muslims consider independence referendum
MAKASSAR, South Sulawesi: The South Sulawesi Muslims' Second Congress held here ended on Monday with a recommendation to implement Syariah (Islamic Law) in the province of South Sulawesi by either special autonomy or independence.
The press release distributed on Tuesday also said that the Congress recommended two options for the province; special autonomy -- to include Syariah -- or a referendum for separation from Indonesia leading to an independent state.
Azwar Hasan, the secretary general of the Committee for the Preparation of the Implementation of the Syariah, said in the press release that the Congress had resulted in a two-fold recommendation.
"The first is an internal recommendation, which has seven points. One of the points states that South Sulawesi Muslims should be consistent with their struggle for the implementation of the Islamic Law, by demanding special autonomy for the province -- under the auspices of the unitary state of the Republic of Indonesia.
"The second is an external recommendation which has 11 points. One of the points states that if the (people's) aspiration for the implementation of syariah is not accommodated, the Congress will take concrete steps to seek an independence referendum, the details of which will be explained later," said Azwar.
The Congress was rocked by an explosion in the dining hall on Sunday evening, wounding three people. Police have yet to reveal if they have any leads in the investigation. --JP
;JP;33; ANPAa..r.. Across-Palembang Palembang brothel closed JP/7/Across
Palembang brothels closed
PALEMBANG, South Sumatra: Governor Rosihan Arsyad has officially declared that the popular brothel district of Kampung Baru in Palembang would be closed permanently.
The governor said in a meeting with brothel operators and sex workers on Sunday that the closure of the 27-year-old prostitution complex located on Jl. Col. H. Berlian was legally backed by the gubernatorial decree No. 573/2000.
"Now that the brothels are closed, no one is allowed to engage in prostitution-related business in the area. Such practices were officially prohibited as of Jan. 1, 2002," he said.
The prostitutes attending the meeting were powerless to defend their livelihood. After the meeting, one of the prostitutes, Ani, however said that life would be more difficult with the closure of the complex. "But, I will try to find another job to support my life," she said. Meanwhile, Hasbullah, one of the brothel operators, said he was sure that the sex workers would not obey the government's decision.
He said the government had been discriminative. "There are illicit prostitution rings in hotels, inns, discotheques or beauty salons. We want the government to ban their activities too."
;JP;25; ANPAa..r.. Across-PT KAI PT KAI has new (temporary) directors JP/7/Across
PT KAI has new (temporary) directors
BANDUNG: The commissioner of the state-owned railway company PT KAI, Santo Budiono, announced on Saturday that five officials had been appointed to temporarily replace five directors of PT KAI who resigned en masse on Dec. 28 following the three Christmas Day train wrecks that took place in different areas of Java and left more than 50 dead.
All five new officials were recruited from within PT KAI management.
The five new directors include the director of finance Tintin Winiwati, who was previously the head of the PT KAI Financial Resources Office, director of human resources Masjraul Hidayat, who was formerly the head of the Human Resources Development and Planning Office, the director of business development Syahrial Siregar, who was previously the head of the PT KAI Planning and Development office.
Edi Sasongko was appointed as director of operations and Nugroho Wibowo was appointed as the director of technical affairs. Edi was the head of the business support unit while Nugroho was previously the head of the railway traffic unit.