Quiet in Bali surprises PDI

DENPASAR, Bali: The Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI) was surprised to find that the provincial government has done nothing grand to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Indonesia's independence on Aug. 17.

The chairman of the PDI faction of the provincial legislative Council, I Gusti Gede Adnyana, charged Tuesday that the local government was not enthusiastic about commemorating the Independence Day.

"Compared to Java, the atmosphere here is very different. In Java, we can feel the aura of the celebrations. People everywhere decorate their houses," said Adnyana.

He said that lower-level officials, such as subdistrict heads and village chiefs, should have made residents in their areas beautify their neighborhoods weeks ago. (anr)