Referendum likely for Pantai Regency

SAMARINDA, East Kalimantan: It was very likely that a referendum would be held to accommodate people's aspirations on the establishment of a regency of Pantai, chairman of the Pantai Regency campaign team Syaifuddin DJ said here on Thursday.

He said that the residents of the Sangasanga, Samboja, Anggana and Muara Jawa districts should cast their vote on whether they wanted a new regency or not.

"Such a referendum will be the most democratic manner for the residents," Syaifuddin said. "The organizing committee for the 'act of free choice' event must be impartial and honest."

Residents of the four districts had earlier expressed their desire to establish a new regency on the grounds that the four districts were located at a great distance from Tenggarong, the capital of the existing regency of Kutai Kertanegara.

"Those who want to go to Tenggarong have to go around to Samarinda or Balikpapan first. This is very uneconomical," Syaifuddin said.

He said that the regency of Pantai would become the biggest source of revenue for the Kutai regency budget. "It contributed a total of Rp 1.4 billion from its oil and gas resources this year. Ironically, the area has been developed less (than others)." --Antara