Sarwono against highway project

Sarwono against highway project

JAKARTA: A former state minister for the environment has
called on the government to cancel the Ladia Galaska highway
project in Aceh as it might endanger the lives of Acehnese by
damaging the ecosystem on Mount Leuser.

"Please understand the project will only bring harm to many
Acehnese people in the future. They will possibly suffer water
shortages like those in Java if the project continues," the
former minister, Sarwono Kusamaatmaja, who served during the
administration of President Soeharto, told a press conference on
Friday.

The Ministry of Settlements and Regional Infrastructure signed
a contract with a developer on June 3 on the highway project
despite opposition from several ministers, non-governmental
organizations and the international community.

The development of the 1,586-kilometer project began with a
three-kilometer section in Jamat Lokop, East Aceh completed in
1999. It was later postponed for a while after strong opposition,
including from the European Union.

The proposed highway starts on the west coast of southern
Aceh, passes through Gayo and Alas, and ends on the east coast
facing the Straits of Malacca, in North Sumatra.

A section of the road, however, would cut through Mount Leuser
National Park, which has been named a world heritage site. The
park is home to around 300,000 species. -- JP

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Scene-PPP-verification
PPP passes preliminary screening
JP/4/PPP

PPP passes preliminary screening

JAKARTA: The United Development Party (PPP) passed a
preliminary screening conducted by the Ministry of Justice and
Human Rights on Friday.

Ramly Hutabarat, a ministry official in charge of the
screening, announced the results at PPP's headquarters here.

PPP is the 43th party to have passed the preliminary screening
by the ministry. The procedure ascertains whether a political
party meets administrative requirements at the central board
level, including whether parties possess secretariats and have
valid organizational structures.

Having passed the preliminary screening, the branches and
chapters of a party in the regions will be screened by the
ministry.

When it passes the screening, a party will exist as a legal
entity, allowing it to go on to the next stage of party
verification by the General Elections Commission (KPU). -- JP