Kaimoeddin rejected as acting governor

Kaimoeddin rejected as acting governor

KENDARI, Southeast Sulawesi: The legislature (DPRD) in
Southeast Sulawesi has expressed opposition to government plans
to appoint La Ode Kaimoeddin as acting governor after the
governor and vice governor were accused of money politics.

Deputy DPRD speaker Andrey Djufri said on Wednesday the
caretaker should be someone from the home affairs ministry
office.

Southeast Sulawesi had elected Ali Mazi and running mate
Yusran Silondae as governor and deputy governor respectively for
the 2002-2007 period, but their inaugurations, originally
scheduled for Dec. 23, were delayed indefinitely to give
authorities enough time to probe allegations of money politics.

Kaimoeddin, the incumbent Southeast Sulawesi governor, said
earlier that Home Affairs Minister Hari Sabarno had appointed him
as the acting governor. -- Antara

Buleleng prone to landslides

DENPASAR, Bali: Some locations in the hilly area of Buleleng
regency in Bali are prone to landslides, therefore residents
should be alert, the local regent says.

Buleleng Regent Putu Bagiada said on Wednesday that potential
landslides did not only occur in the area of Pancasari and
Gitgit, but also Banjar and Tejakula.

Besides unstable land, most of the forest in the area was
gone.

Deforestation has been on the rise since the reform era, he
said.

The regent said last year's floods and mudslides had claimed
at least four lives and damaged dozens of houses in Tejakula.

Putu Bagiada warned people of possible floods, urging them to
stay alert. He said the public administration had assigned some
rescue teams to deal with possible disasters. -- Antara

PWI mulls sanction for member

BATAM, Riau: The Indonesian Journalists Association (PWI) has
pledged to punish its member identified as MWD, 51, for his
alleged involvement in the smuggling of eight luxury cars.

"If his involvement (in the smuggling) is proven, we will
impose a penalty," said Batam PWI chairman Socrates on the
sidelines of a PWI meeting here on Tuesday night.

The meeting was convened especially to discuss the alleged
involvement of MWD in the smuggling.

MWD was accused of manipulating export-import documents issued
by the Trade and Industry Office in Batam. However, MWD denied
any wrongdoing, saying that the actor was a man identified as UJ.

The smuggling case was disclosed when police discovered that
the cars, imported from Singapore via Batu Ampar Port, would be
used for taxis.

Since April, 2002 the Batam mayoralty has banned the
importation of used cars in order to reduce traffic congestion.
-- Antara

Children suffer from damaged schools

BANDUNG, West Java: About 75 percent of elementary school
students in Garut regency, West Java, can not have effective
education due to damaged school buildings.

Head of the education office Dardjo Sukardja said he hoped the
rehabilitation funds from the national education ministry could
be spent on renovating 24 school buildings.

Dardjo said he planned to seek funds from the provincial
administration.

At present, there are 268,706 elementary school pupils
studying at 1,526 schools in Garut.

About 75 percent of them or 210,530 students could not attend
regular classes because 1,145 buildings were severely damaged.

Local councillors Barman Cahyana and Wan Gunawan expressed
regret over the unfavorable condition. -- Antara