Politician's relative flees with hostess

JAYAPURA, Irian Jaya: Local police are searching for a relative of former Irian Jaya governor Jacob Pattipi after the man disappeared with Rp 200 million of his wife's money and a pub hostess last October.

M. Ali Pattipi, a 39-year old cousin of Jacob, allegedly disappeared with the money belonging to his first wife, Anny Manauku, 29.

He was believed to have fled to Jakarta or West Java along with 43-year old Nurbayah, a former pub hostess in Maros, South Sulawesi.

Anny, a restaurant owner, said Ali was jobless when she married him in 1996. He had an affair with Nurbayah when he worked as a project contractor. --Antara.