TANGERANG: A total of 113 couples, including some

TANGERANG: A total of 113 couples, including some
grandparents, gathered together for a mass wedding on Tuesday in
Cisoka district of Tangerang. The event was organized by Dian
Mitra, a local social foundation.

The residents of five villages across the district: Sukatani,
Sukareo, Cikasuka, Cikuya and Cempaka participated.

The oldest couple at the mass wedding Mamat, 60, and Sukirnah,
56, have three children and several grandchildren.

"We feel like a new bride and groom," said Mamat.

Both Mamat and Sukirnah said they did not remember how many
years they had been together. Also, they did not apply for the
marriage certificate as they could not afford the fees.

The foundation held the mass wedding to help the poor people
obtain the legal documents for their marriage, according to Toto,
one of the organizers. --JP

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ANPAj..r..
Greater-burn
Angry residents burn down house
JP/8/GREAT

TANGERANG: Some 200 residents of Leuwi Halu village in
Tigaraksa district of Tangerang burned down a house which was
believed to have been used to spread misleading religious
teaching practices on Monday evening.

Tigaraksa subprecinct police chief Adj. Comr. Purwadi
said on Tuesday that the angry residents arrived at 8:30
p.m., when some 50 people were reading wirid (religious prayer)
led by Haitami, 40, the house owner.

The residents yelled. They scolded Haitami and his
congregation and threw stones at the house. Minutes later,
some shouted "burn the house," so they immediately torched the
house which was leveled to the ground. A motorcyle was also
burned in the incident.

The congregation, comprising of married couples and their
children, as well as Haitami, managed to escape.

Purwadi said the police regretted the incident, but no one has
been arrested.--JP

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ANPAj..r..
Greater-Bekasi
Renovation of Pondok Gede market sought
JP/8/GREAT

BEKASI: Hundreds of garment vendors from Pondok Gede market
urged the local administration to renovate the market, which is
now in poor condition.

The traders, grouped in the Association of Pondok Gede Market
Vendors, complained that the market was badly in need of
renovation as it was damaged by fire three years ago.

They said that they were afraid that if it rained hard, the
water would pour down through the leaks in the roof.

"People would be reluctant to visit the market and worse, the
water would damage our merchandise," Sarmada, one of the vendors
told Antara on Tuesday.

He hoped that the Bekasi administration would immediately
renovate the market so that the work would be finished by the
Ramadhan fasting month in November.

Garment vendors always enjoy a brisk business during Ramadhan
as people want to celebrate Idul Fitri with new clothes.--JP