National Police to take over cases

National Police to take over cases

BANDUNG, West Java: National Police Headquarters will likely
take over from the West Java Police the investigation of possible
corruption cases in the provincial administration, according to
an officer.

The deputy chief of the directorate handling corruption cases,
Sr. Comr. Marsudi, said the National Police planned the move
because it was thought the provincial police were moving too
slowly on the cases.

"We are waiting for the National Police to fulfill their
promise to handle the corruption cases immediately," Wirawan,
spokesman for the West Java Anti-Corruption Alliance, said after
meeting with Marsudi here on Tuesday.

He said Marsudi promised to send a special team to the
province to continue the investigation into the cases.

Wirawan said the provincial police were investigating 22
public officials in the province suspected of having siphoned off
Rp 9 billion from the province's 2000 and 2001 budgets, but so
far no suspects had been named.

He declined to elaborate on the cases because police were
still investigating.

Reliable sources said the police had also been asked to
investigate a decision by Governor R. Nuriana to set aside Rp 25
billion for the purchase of land for 100 provincial councillors,
the alleged embezzlement of Rp 224 billion in taxes from street
lighting and possible illegal payments of Rp 1 billion per year
to the provincial police. --JP

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Across-NSumatra-warned-terror
N. Sumatra warned of terror attacks
JP/5/Across

N. Sumatra warned of terror attacks

MEDAN, North Sumatra: North Sumatra Governor Tengku Rizal
Nurdin called on security officials and residents to remain alert
for possible attacks by the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) and
extremist groups.

"Regents and mayors should coordinate with the local military
and police to monitor newcomers in their areas in order to
prevent unwanted incidents," the governor said during a seminar
on terrorist attacks here on Tuesday.

He said two recent bombings in Jakarta should serve as a
warning for the province that GAM was intensifying its
activities, and could use the province as a safe haven if the
government begins military operations in Aceh.

Insp. Gen. Ansyad Mbay, chief of the antiterrorism desk at the
office of the coordinating minister for political and security
affairs, said that besides GAM, the activities of the Jamaah
Islamiyah terrorist group also were being monitored.

"The two groups have been involved in all of the bombings (in
Indonesia) between 1999 and 2002," he said, adding that there
were indications that GAM was behind the recent blasts near the
UN office in Jakarta and at the Soekarno-Hatta International
Airport. --JP

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Across-Papua-orchids-extinction
Papua's orchids face extinction
JP/5/Across

Papua's orchids face extinction

JAYAPURA, Papua: The 2,770 orchid species found in Papua are
in danger of extinction because of rampant theft, says Papua
Governor Jaap Solossa.

"Illegal hunters are looting these beautiful orchid species
from the vast forests in the province. We need an orchid seedling
plantation to prevent the protected species from disappearing,"
he said when opening an orchid exhibit here on Tuesday.

He said the wholesale felling of trees in industrial forests
also contributed to the decreasing number of orchid species in
the province.

Many of Papua's orchid species are known worldwide because of
their unique forms and colors.

Papuan Orchid Association (PAI) chairwoman Regina Karma said
her association was trying to empower locals to farm orchids to
improve their welfare.

"Besides running several plantations, PAI also supplies
orchids from locals for export," she said. --JP