KFC told to close during Ramadhan

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

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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

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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