Reports on famine denied

PALANGKARAYA, C. Kalimantan: Governor Warsito Rasman denied a press report yesterday that more than 5,000 people were facing a famine in remote areas of Barito Utara district.

"Don't write such a sensational story. How could a famine occur in Central Kalimantan?" he was quoted by Antara as saying at the opening of a workshop on regional development.

Although drought had been hindering the ferrying of food up river to the province's hinterlands, no one was short of food, he said.

A local daily said yesterday that 5,279 people in the province's Barut hinterland were short of rice. A source close to Antara said the Barito river was so low that it was hard to ferry food to at least six villages along its tributary, the Babuat river.

To prevent a hike in food prices, especially during drought, the local authorities are subsidizing transportation on the river. (swe)