Moslem youths protest hoarding

Moslem youths protest hoarding

TANGERANG (JP): At least 40 Moslem youths flocked to Tangerang
mayoralty's office yesterday to protest the municipality's
sluggish response to the rising prices of basic staple foods,
partly due to hoarding.

The group's arrival at the office caused mayoralty workers to
panic and kept the police busy.

The group, which called itself Forum Silaturrahmi Pesantren
dan Masjid Tangerang (Tangerang Islamic Education and Mosque
Forum), repeatedly shouted Allahu Akbar (God is great) and
unfurled posters.

Tangerang military district commander Lt. Col. Harman Rozanie
and Tangerang Police precinct deputy chief Maj. M. Iriawan later
invited the protesters to meet with Tangerang Mayor Djakaria
Machmud and his assistants.

Djakaria reminded the group to behave responsibly during the
meeting as their actions could cause further disruptions ahead of
next month's General Session of the People's Consultative
Assembly.

The forum's secretary, T.B. Mahdi Adhi Adhiansyah, expressed
dissatisfaction after the meeting, saying: "The mayor didn't
respond to our complaint, instead he used it for political gain."

The protesters, who wore white clothing with a yellow ribbon
tied around their right arms, presented six demands.

Among the six, were the sale of stock, believed to have been
hoarded, at reasonable prices, and the revocation of licenses of
companies accused of hoarding.

They also demanded the municipality take stern action against
hoarders. (41/emf)