JP/7/Across

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

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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."

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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.