Some 38,000 families may experience floods next year

Some 38,000 families may experience floods next year

The city social welfare agency announced on Thursday that some
38,000 families would likely be affected by floods early next
year.

The agency's social protection division head Nandi Tjaspandi
revealed that the agency had proposed a fund of Rp 2 billion from
the current budget to help flood victims.

"But the fund will only be enough to assist 10,000 of the most
severely affected families," Nandi told reporters.

He said the fund would also be used as an honorarium for 932
volunteers that will help the victims, including setting up
communal kitchens.

The Rp 2 billion fund is less than the Rp 4.5 billion fund
that was collected during a charity night earlier this year for
flood victims.

The Rp 4.5 billion fund became an issue when Governor Sutiyoso
decided to hand over the fund to non-governmental organization
ICE on Indonesia, which is led by television presenter Irma
Hutabarat.

Deputy Governor Fauzi Bowo announced on Tuesday that the
administration decided not to use the budget to take flood
prevention measures, but instead to make preparations to assist
residents in 169 flood-prone areas.

;JP;SIM;
ANPAj..r..
Greater-train
Boy on train roof electrocuted
JP/8/GREAT

JAKARTA: A boy who rode on the roof of an overcrowded electric
train died of electrocution on Thursday morning at Jatinegara
railway station in East Jakarta.

The victim was about 10 years old, and the body was
immediately taken to Cipto Mangunkusumo general hospital in
Central Jakarta, but by late afternoon no one had come to claim
the body, according to an employee of the hospital's morgue.

Passengers sitting on the roof of a train or clinging to the
doors are a common sight during peak hours here. Despite the
danger, they prefer to take overcrowded trains than public
transportation by road because it is cheap and quick. Many of
them also do not pay the fares. --JP

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ANPAj..r..
Greater-Education
US education expo at Hilton
JP/8/GREAT

JAKARTA: The International Student Network, Inc. is bringing a
group of U.S. educational institutions here for the American
Education Expo Asia 2002, which will take place on Saturday and
Sunday from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. at the Hilton Hotel in Central
Jakarta.

The expo will feature representatives from leading
universities, colleges, community colleges, English language
schools and organizations engaged in American study abroad
programs.

They will answer questions about admission requirements,
academic programs, costs, financial aid, scholarships, housing,
extracurricular activities and application procedures at U.S.
universities. --JP

;JP;MULTA FIDRUS;
ANPAj..r..
Greater-vendor
Street vendor nabbed for pelting stones
JP/8/GREAT

Vendor arrested for throwing stones

TANGERANG: A street vendor was arrested by police following a
brawl between dozens of Tangerang public order officers and
hundreds of vendors on Thursday evening at Pasar Anyar.

Five public order officers were injured in the brawl and taken
to Tangerang General Hospital as vendors pelted them with stones.

One officer was still in hospital as of Friday, while the
street vendor, Anton, remains in police custody. Anton, who sells
men's belts, was the only one caught in the act of pelting stones
at the officers.

The incident caused a large traffic jam, with many passing
public transportation minivans and private cars trapped in the
congestion. Many vehicle windows were damaged from the stones
thrown by the vendors.

However, there were no reports of injured motorists.

The brawl ended after hundreds of police officers from the
Tangerang Police Headquarters, just 200 meters away, arrived and
fired shots into the air.--JP