Residents question land acquisition fund

MEDAN, North Sumatra: Hundreds of residents living along Jl. Ngumban Surbakti, Medan, returned to the North Sumatra legislative council on Friday to voice questions about the land acquisition fund of Rp 76 billion for the 3.4-kilometer outer ring road project in Medan Selayang subdistrict.

The rally, held for a second time, coincided with a plenary session of the council to discuss fund irregularities found in the 2003 budget.

The session, which was attended by North Sumatra Governor Tengku Rizal Nurdin and some other local senior officials, was at one time suspended because the protesters tried to enter the meeting room.

The protesters urged the governor and the Medan mayor to provide information on the funds used for the acquisition of their land for the project. --JP