Pertamina gives a little back

SORONG, Papua: More than 1,000 students from Papua received scholarships from state-run oil and gas company PT Pertamina last year.

Pertamina's legal and public relations head in Sorong M.R. Junarto said on Saturday that it had disbursed a total of Rp 459.9 million for scholarships for 1,090 junior and senior high school students, as well as for those attending university.

"We prioritize the Papuan indigenous people in Sorong -- the Moi tribe -- as scholarship recipients. They need to be well- educated, so that they will not lag behind their peers from outside Papua," he said.

Pertamina Sorong also granted Rp 600 million to finance the construction of a student dormitory in the town of Manokwari, Junarto said.

The company also rented some houses in Sorong for students from the Moi tribe. --Antara