KFC told to close during Ramadhan
MATARAM, West Nusa Tenggara: A deputy speaker of the Mataram legislative council urged on Monday the closure of American- branded, fast-food restaurants and other food stalls to shut down during fasting hours in Ramadhan, the Muslim fasting month.
Wildan specifically cited Kentucky Fried Chicken and McDonald's at the Mataram Mall, which are very popular with local epicureans
"Those two restaurants, which are located at the center of the city, are always full of visitors," he bemoaned.
Wildan, who also heads the United Development Party (PPP) branch of Mataram, said other restaurants and eateries, as well as "places of entertainment" should close their doors.
"The majority of food stall owners are Muslims. If Muslims themselves are reluctant to respect those who are fasting, what about people of other faiths?" he wondered.
If there were any Muslims who forthrightly opened their restaurants during Ramadhan, the local administration should take firmer action against them than they would against the non-Muslim owners, Wildan added.
This year, Ramadhan begins in the last week of October. Indonesia has a secular government, though about 80 percent of the population subscribes to Islam. --Antara
;JP;kda; ANPAa..r.. Across-land-clearance Students protest land clearance JP/5/Acros
Students protest land clearance
KUPANG, East Nusa Tenggara: Dozens of students protested on Monday at the East Nusa Tenggara governor's office, slamming the Manggarai regental administration's policy of clearing coffee plantations used by local farmers, but which the regent claims was state land.
They said that Manggarai Regent Anthon Bagul Dagur should be held responsible for destroying around 1,140 hectares of coffee farms in nine subdistricts since early this month, which were the only source of income for many local farmers.
The protesters also urged the regent to step down for issuing such a policy, which they said violated Bylaw No. 1/2002 on forest management.
The move could seriously damage the ecosystem and environment, and inflict financial losses on the farmers, the argued.
"The government is surely allowed to clear land but not in this way, by seizing the farmers' livelihood," protest coordinator Richard Pentor said.
The 1,140 hectares of land covers parts of the subdistricts of Ruteng, Langka Rembong, Wae Riti, Poco Ranaka, Lamabaleda, Elar, Kota Kamba Borong and Satarmese.
The Manggarai administration claimed the land was part of state forests.
"If the claim is proven true, the clearing of the land is not a proper solution. The government should have sought other alternatives that do not victimize local farmers," Pentor said. --JP
;JP;kda; ANPAa..r.. Across-lazy-official Governor threatens lazy officials JP/5/Acrosss
Governor threatens lazy officials
KENDARI, Southeast Sulawesi: Southeast Sulawesi Governor Ali Mazi threatened on Monday to fire lazy civil servants who do not show up for work.
The slothful civil servants would first be issued reprimands and if they ignored the warnings, the local administration would recommend their dismissal, he said.
"Evaluations have been carried out on all civil servants, especially those at the Southeast Sulawesi secretariat, to find out which officials are lazy," Mazi said after attending a meeting at the province's legislative council in Kendari.
He could not specify the number of local civil servants who were habitually late or absent, but said related authorities had given him the data and he would soon follow up on the information by issuing verbal and written reprimands.
The decision to dismiss indolent officials may also affect those in all local government agencies, including the village level, the governor added.
He said serious improvement of the civil servants' performance and discipline was desperately needed so the province's development programs could operate efficiently, particularly in applying development strategies for the Prosperous Community System (SMS). --Antara