Students protest extravagance

PEKANBARU: Hundreds of students from different universities took to the streets on Thursday to protest at what they claimed were extravagant allowances and payments for Pekanbaru city administration executives and city councillors.

In their statement, the students, who were grouped under the Indonesian Muslim Students Action Front, pointed to the Rp 75 million (US$8330) paid for a mayoral medical examination, Rp 175 million for official mayoral visits to the subdistricts, and the Rp 85 million annual housing allowance paid to council deputy speakers.

The protesters were received by Pekanbaru council speaker, Teguh Pribadi Arsyad, deputy speaker Ayat Cahyadi and a number of councillors. - JP