JP/8/g-arrest
JP/8/g-arrest
Suspicious man arrested at council
JAKARTA: A 40-year-old man claiming to be an eviction victim
and hoping to lodge a complaint at the City Council, was arrested
by a security guard as he attempted to force his way into the
council compound.
City Council Security Chief Mauladi said Derman Purba was
arrested because he ignored the warnings from several security
personnel not to drive into the compound with his kijang van.
"He even shouted profanity at us while driving in," Mauladi
said, adding that Derman also ignored the order to stop when he
reached the City Council basement.
Derman was taken to the Gambir police subprecinct for
questioning, a half kilometer away from City Council building on
Jl. Kebon Sirih, Central Jakarta.
His identity card said he was residing in Palmerah, West
Jakarta and working as a journalist.
Derman said he ignored the warnings because he wanted to meet
a councillor to convey his personal opposition to the recent
eviction of poor people in Tanjung Duren, West Jakarta. --JP
Sutiyoso hopeful on Bantar Gebang
JAKARTA: Governor Sutiyoso expressed his optimism that he
would be able to successfully negotiate with the Bekasi municipal
administration for the planned extension of the Bantar Gebang
garbage dump contract, despite increasing calls from several
Bekasi councillors to terminate the contract.
Sutiyoso said he had several times held talks with the Bekasi
mayor to discuss various issues, including the dump, to forge
cooperation.
"I don't believe Bekasi will end the contract since the
administration does not have strong reasons to do it. We even
plan to expand our cooperation on how to make use of the
garbage," he said.
A number of Bekasi councillors called on the mayor on Tuesday
not to extend the contract because of the deteriorating
environment in the area. Jakarta dumps around 6,000 tons of
garbage there each day.
Jakarta experienced a garbage crisis in late 2001 when the
Bekasi administration closed the dump because of environmental
concerns. -- JP