Kendari elevated to mayoralty

KENDARI, Southeast Sulawesi: Minister of Home Affairs Moch. Yogie S.M. formally elevated Kendari's status from an administrative town to a mayoralty yesterday.

At the same time, Yogie also installed Lasjkar Koedoes as acting mayor of the city, Antara reported.

The promotion will place heavier demands and responsibilities on the city administration, especially since Kendari is the seat of the Southeast Sulawesi provincial administration, he said.

The decision to elevate Kendari's status was in anticipation of the economic development in Indonesia's eastern provinces, which, the minister said, would hopefully develop Kendari into an economic growth center.

Kendari, which is 187,990 square kilometers in size, is divided into three districts and 26 subdistricts. Its population was put at 171,990 in 1994 and has been growing at a rate of 8.22 percent a year. (emb)