Military-style uniforms not for civilians

Military-style uniforms not for civilians

SEMARANG, Central Java: Members of political parties' security forces should not wear military or police-style uniforms in order to avoid confusing the public, a senior military officer said on Friday.

"Military or police-style uniforms must not be worn by those who have no right to wear them. Such a misuse will only cause confusion among the people," Central Java's Diponegoro Military Command chief of staff, Brig. Gen. Salim Mengga, said.

So those political party security forces that currently wear military-style uniforms must change them, he said.

He said the Central Java Military Command and the Central Java Police had agreed to ask political parties to create clear rules on the use of military or police-style uniforms. -Antara

;JP;IWA;TARKO; ANPAa..r.. Across-sultan-title New title for Sultan Hamengkubuwono X JP/5/ACROSS

New title for Sultan Hamengkubuwono X

PEKANBARU, Riau: Yogyakarta Sultan Hamengkubuwono X has been given the honorary title Sri Amanah Dwi Wangsa from the Riau Malay Indigenous Institution.

Riau Governor Saleh Djasit said on Thursday evening the honorary title was a sign of appreciation for the sultan's efforts to help natives of Riau who reside in Yogyakarta.

"At present there are 5,000 people from Riau who are studying in Yogyakarta," Saleh said.

Some 8,000 other natives of Riau have graduated from schools and universities in Yogyakarta, he added.

Also, Saleh said, the sultan's father, Sultan Hamengkubuwono IX, helped Riau students continue their studies in Yogyakarta when they faced financial difficulties during the government's war against the separatist movement in Sumatra during the 1950s. - JP

;Antara;IWA; ANPAa..r.. Across-legislators-misuse Councillors face questioning JP/5/ACROSS

Councillors face questioning

PALEMBANG, South Sumatra: Three councillors from the South Sumatra Legislative Council will be questioned by the prosecutor's office about a Rp 7.5 billion (US$860,000) scandal that allegedly involves 11 councillors.

"We are still processing the letter of permission to question the three councillors," Attorney General's Office spokesman Antasari Azhar said on Friday during a visit to Palembang.

Antasari said he did not know the names of the legislators to be questioned as they were still in the hands of Minister of Home Affairs Hari Sabarno.

So far the local prosecutor's office has questioned three councillors about the scandal: Zamzami Achmad, Natsir Djakfar and Yusfar Hidayatullah, he said.

"We do not intend to delay the inquiry of the scandal," Antasari said.

He said there were similar cases in the provinces of Riau, West Sumatra and North Sumatra.-Antara