Rehab center opens in Yogyakarta

YOGYAKARTA: Police in Yogyakarta have established a rehabilitation center in Kalasan, Sleman, some 15 kilometers east of downtown Yogyakarta to cope with the increasing number of drug addicts.

Yogyakarta Police chief Sr. Comr. Sudirman said on Saturday that the rehabilitation center was built to help users overcome their addiction.

Sudirman said the police would cooperate with Sardjito General Hospital, a local Islamic boarding school and leaders of different religions.

Sardjito hospital will provide medical treatment while religious leaders will counsel the patients, the officer said.

Sudirman did not mention the number of drug addicts in the province, saying only that drug abuse in the province was relatively high.

Half of the drug cases in the province involve high school and university students, he said. -- Antara

;JP;KHS; ANPA..r.. Across-Palu-rice-distribution Rice distribution scam probed JP/5/acros

Rice distribution scam probed

PALU, Central Sulawesi: The Central Sulawesi Supervisory Agency has been instructed to probe alleged irregularities in the distribution of some 170 tons of rice to poor families in Central Lore district.

Poso Regent Abdul Muin Pusadan had ordered the probe after receiving reports from former Central Lore district secretary Yusack Mentara.

Poso regency spokesman Abdul Haris Rengga said on Sunday that a special team was investigating the allegations. The result of the probe will be compared with Yusack's report.

According to Abdul Haris, Yusack alleged that irregularities had occurred involving the Central Lore district head who, he said, colluded with six heads of nearby villages.

A forum of villagers in Central Lore district had complained about alleged irregularities since early April to the regent, but there was no immediate response.

A source said officials with the local logistics agency were also involved in the alleged collusion. - Antara

;JP;KHS; ANPA..r.. Across-CKalimantan-fields Fields remain untilled JP/5/acros

Fields remain untilled

MUARA TEWEH, Central Kalimantan: Hundreds of thousands of hectares of fields in North Barito regency, Central Kalimantan, have been deserted by would-be investors.

Head of the regency's plantation office Esganda Wangi said on Saturday that only 28,712 of 280,570 hectares designated as plantation fields were being cultivated.

At least 21 investors have applied for business licenses since 1996, but only two have started business.

The investors intended to invest in oil palm plantations and rubber plantations, Eganda said without revealing the total value of the investment plans.

According to the head of local agrarian office, Budi, only 11 of the 21 investors had been awarded business licenses, nine of which had expired.

Budi said the remaining nine would have to reapply if they wanted to continue business there. --Antara

;JP;KHS; ANPA..r.. Across-Jambi-project-rejected Substandard projects to be rejected JP/5/acros

Substandard projects to be rejected

JAMBI: Governor Zulkifli Nurdin pledged on Sunday that he would reject any road projects in the province that did not meet required standards.

He made the statement after realizing that most roads, be they intercity or interprovince roads, in the province were in bad condition.

The governor told the provincial office of settlement and infrastructure to improve its control over road construction to ensure that they meet required standards.

Zulkifli emphasized that roads were vital for the transportation of humans, commodities and to facilitate development projects.

The governor also promised to punish contractors who built substandard roads. --Antara

;JP;KHS; ANPA..r.. ~Across-

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Schools in Cianjur damaged

CIANJUR, West Java: Hundreds of elementary students in Cugenang district, Cianjur, have been unable to attend classes because their school buildings are damaged.

At least 23 out of 53 school buildings are in total disrepair while three others have collapsed, leaving many students without classes.

Some parents regretted on Sunday that the government was slow in addressing the problem.

The head of the local education office, Bodin, acknowledged that some school buildings were in poor condition.

Bodin said he had sent a letter to the regental government, but had received no response.

Students of the collapsed schools -- SD Jamaras, SD Sukajaya and SD Sindangjaya -- were having combined classes in limited space. Many of them have no chairs to sit on. -- Antara