Legislators board wrong boat

SERANG, Banten: Members of the House of Representatives Commission III on agriculture and food affairs went aboard the wrong ship and sailed to Putri island during their visit to observe mangrove forest along the Tangerang coastal area on Thursday.

The legislators initially planned to board a boat belonging to a fisherman from Tanjung Kait, but the owner of a luxury boat, approached the entourage and offered a ride.

Without any coordination with the local administration, all members of the entourage moved to the second boat, including Tangerang Regent Agus Djumara.

However, the boat did not go along the coastal area but it went directly to Putri island. The boat was to take the owner home to the island.

Legislators protested, saying that they were on duty to observe the mangrove forests.

"We are on an official trip along the coastal area and not a pleasure trip," legislator Fachri Andi Laluasa told the boat's crew.

The legislators were later returned to Dadap port after the boat took the owner to the island.

Antara reported that the legislators had to wait for hours until the fisherman's boat returned and fetched them for the real observation of the coastal areas. (emf)