Tangerang court in disrepair

TANGERANG: The head of the Tangerang District Court, Zainal, said on Wednesday the court building was in poor condition and needed immediate repair.

"We have to replace the wall surrounding the court because it could collapse and fall on residents' houses located behind the court," he told The Jakarta Post.

Zainal said numerous hearings had been postponed due to a lack of courtrooms, while the court also needed a larger room to store all its files.

Court spokesman Ade Komarudin said the court had received 950 cases since January, 60 percent of which were drug cases, and had only been able to process about 600 of the cases.

The government has upgraded the status of the court due to its work in handling of drug cases. Since January 2000, the court has sentenced 23 people to death for drug offenses. -- JP

;JP;MLT; ANPAj..r.. Great-election-bribery Election funds allegedly misused JP/8/fund

Election funds allegedly misused

TANGERANG: A number of non-governmental organizations grouped in the Tangerang NGO Komunike alleged on Wednesday that funds were misappropriated in the recent mayoral election.

NGO Komunike chairman Imron Hamami said they suspected a misuse of funds because the election committee had yet to file an accountability report on the use of Rp 2.2 billion (US$258,883).

"The committee said they allocated Rp 100 million of the funds for meals during the election on Nov. 16, but that was during the Ramadhan fasting month. It also said it spent another Rp 60 million for media, but the media said they were not paid until election day," he said.

Imron said NGO Komunike would soon meet with the election committee to seek clarification of the matter.

Wahidin Halim was elected mayor and Deddy Safei deputy mayor. -- JP