Legislators seek Idul Fitri bonus

SAMARINDA, East Kalimantan: The East Kalimantan provincial legislative body (DPRD) was slammed on Friday for allegedly proposing that its members be given a Rp 75 million bonus each, ahead of Idul Fitri.

"The proposal is embarrassing. While 250,000 workers from the timber industry are facing massive layoffs due to the global recession, DPRD members have seized the opportunity to think about their own personal wealth," local political observer Sarosa Hamongpranoto said.

Sarosa added that the legislators should have thought a bit before making such a proposal because they already receive large salaries, allowances and other professional benefits, including cars.

"They are apparently not satisfied by their generous allowances, so they ask for Idul Fitri bonuses. They should have a look around at other people, many of them need assistance," he added. --Antara

HIV/AIDS cases on the rise in NTT

KUPANG, East Nusa Tenggara: The number of HIV/AIDS cases in East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) recorded a sharp increase in the last three years, a local official announced.

Johanis Pake Pani, chairman of his administration's commission for the prevention of HIV, said there had only been one HIV/AIDS case in 1998 and that the number had risen to 12 by the end of this year.

Two of the 12 victims, mostly sex workers and drug addicts, have died, he said, adding that most of the cases were found in the provincial capital of Kupang.

Pake said at least seven regencies in NTT were particularly vulnerable to the spread of HIV/AIDS, requiring special surveillance from local residents and officials.

The regencies include Kupang, Belu, Alor, East Flores, Maumere and Ende, he said, adding that the finding was the result of blood samples taken from 650 different people. --Antara

Firecrackers seized from ship

MAKASSAR, South Sulawesi: Security authorities at Makassar port in South Sulawesi said on Friday that they had confiscated thousands of firecrackers from a ship in which thousands more explosives had been seized in an earlier raid.

At least seven boxes of firecrackers were seized from KM Ganda Dewata on Thursday, port police chief Com. Kadarusman said. The ferry had sailed from Jakarta, he added.

On Monday, the police found a container packed with 18 boxes of firecrackers on the same ship.

Kadarusman said the confiscated firecrackers, seized on different days, belonged to the same owner, Syekh Bahar, who lives in Sidrap regency.

He said the police would again summon Bahar for further questioning over the seizure of the explosives. --Antara

Woman arrested over fake money

KENDARI, Southeast Sulawesi: A 31-year old woman was caught red-handed at a local traditional market using counterfeit Rp 50,000 banknotes, police said on Friday.

Adj. Sr. Com. Rusli Rais, spokesman for the North Sulawesi Police office, said Sainab was arrested on Thursday night and is now being detained in a Kendari Police cell.

The police also confiscated 39 fake Rp 50,000 banknotes from the suspect, he added.

He said the arrest was made after witnesses became suspicious of banknotes belonging to Sainap, who had spent a lot of money shopping without having bargained first with sellers. --Antara

Bus robberies common in Lampung

BANDAR LAMPUNG, Lampung: Many residents in Bandar Lampung, the provincial capital of Lampung, have complained about the common occurrence of robberies on city buses.

Most cases take place on buses plying the Tanjungkarang to Perumnas Way Halim route, said an unidentified driver from the village of Sukarame in Bandar Lampung.

He said some passengers have also been blackmailed on buses driving along Jl. Sultan Agung.

"Two days ago, an old man was robbed on a yellow city bus traveling from Tanjungkarang to Way Halim," said another driver, who declined to be named.

He said the robbers had beaten the victim and forced him to hand over Rp 140,000 and his wristwatch.

He said he and other drivers were powerless because the robbers were often violent and armed with weapons. --Antara