Pekanbaru stocks up

PEKANBARU, Riau: The city has been stocking up meat to ensure an adequate supply during the week-long national Koran reading contest, known as the MTQ, which gets underway tomorrow.

The agencies that normally supply meat for the city have given assurances that they will be able to meet all the meat requirements during the week, the Antara news agency said.

Thousands of people, including participants, observers and journalists, are converging in the city for the MTQ, always a major national event.

The Pekanbaru Husbandry Office has issued a warning against meat suppliers not to hoard their commodity in the hope of profiting from the influx.

"Sure, make a profit by all means, but do so by selling more and not by hiking up the prices," the office chief Agustaruddin said.