Minister dodges roadblock in Riau

Minister dodges roadblock in Riau

Haidir Anwar Tanjung, The Jakarta Post, Pekanbaru

State Minister of Research and Technology Hatta Radjasa and Riau
Governor Saleh Djasit escaped here on Thursday hundreds of angry
villagers who tried to stop three buses transporting their
entourage.

The residents who came from the town of Bangkinang in Kampar
regency were among those who opposed the election of Kampar
Regent H. Jefry Noer, Antara news agency reported.

However, it was not clear what had motivated their attempt to
stop the minister's entourage that was supposed to attend the
inauguration of a palm oil factory in Batu Belah village in
Bangkinang subdistrict.

The event proceeded smoothly however and was presided over
Minister Hatta.

The protesting villagers formed a roadblock at the Jl. M. Boya
crossroad near Bangkinang town, waving their arms and telling
passengers aboard the three buses to return to Pekanbaru, the
capital city of Riau.

Only print and electronic media journalists and local lower-
ranking officials were traveling on the buses.

The minister, the governor and the Kampar regent as well as
other top local government officials were not among the
passengers that were stopped by the protesters as they had
arrived at the venue by private cars before the roadblock
started.

A security vehicle that was escorting the three buses was also
affected by the roadblock. It was not clear whether the residents
eventually allowed the buses to pass or told them to return to
Pekanbaru.

Officials said the minister and the governor had been informed
of the residents' plan to stage a roadblock while they were
having lunch at a restaurant on the Pekanbaru-Bangkinang highway.

The minister and the governor, who initially was traveling on
one of the buses, eventually moved to a private car to get to the
venue safely.

Earlier on Thursday morning, Hatta opened a national symposium
on intellectual property rights in Pekanbaru.

He told the forum that Indonesia could lose billions of
dollars as it did not enforce laws on intellectual property
rights, particularly in biodiversity.