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.