Protesters take legislators hostage

Protesters take legislators hostage

MAKASSAR, South Sulawesi: Hundreds of students and residents here held two local legislators captive during a protest at the provincial legislative council on Tuesday to push for their demand for the establishment of West Sulawesi province.

The protesters demanded the South Sulawesi legislature back the demand and help speed up the process of creating West Sulawesi province.

The two councillors, Adil Patu and Hamzah Hapati Hasan, were taken hostage after hundreds of students, along with local people from the regencies of Mandar, Polmas, Mamasa and Mamuju, were unable to see the council speaker to voice their opinions.

The demonstrators later turned wild and banged the table, slamming the council's poor performance and its slow response to public opinion.

The protesters urged the legislature to issue a decision on the formation of West Sulawesi province within 48 hours as of Tuesday.

Deputy council speaker Eddy Baramuli said he understood the protesters and vowed to make their aspiration come true, as long as it was based on existing laws. --Antara