Tapos certificate to be reviewed

BOGOR (JP): West Java Governor R. Nuriana said on Wednesday the government would review the land use certificate for a cattle ranch owned by former president Soeharto because the certificate is valid only until next year.

"If the certificate cannot be extended due to complaints from local residents, we will not extend the certificate," he said.

However, he reminded people that the ranch still was managed by PT Tri-S, led by Soeharto's eldest daughter, Siti "Tutut" Hardijanti Rukmana.

He called on people not to occupy the ranch because the firm still had the right to use the land.

He said his administration would coordinate with related parties to determine whether the ranch's land use certificate would be extended.

Hundreds of local farmers occupied parts of the 750-hectare ranch, located in a mountainous area of Bogor, a few months after the resignation of Soeharto in May last year.

The farmers claimed Tri-S illegally appropriated their land in the 1970s. (24/jun)