Team to gather data on Pinrang riots

Team to gather data on Pinrang riots

JAKARTA (JP): Director General for Regional Autonomy and
Public Administration Ryaas Rasyid of the Ministry of Home
Affairs said on Thursday in Jakarta that he had sent a team to
Pinrang, South Sulawesi to gather data regarding riots there.

"We'll check it up first and ask them (officials in the
region) to take necessary preventive steps... we are also
monitoring the situation through the governor," he said.

The dispatched team would arrive in Pinrang on Thursday, he
said.

Ryaas said that he understood why the people in Pinrang
resorted to violence, but he also called on the people to give
the law a chance.

"What we can do is persuade people to stay calm while waiting
for the legal processes of the court," Ryaas said on the
sidelines of a deliberation on a political bill at the House of
Representatives.

Tens of thousands of people who feel that they have been
cheated by two local cooperatives, set fire to a number of
government offices in protest of the administration's handling of
the scam.

The people had entrusted their savings, which according to
South Sulawesi vice governor Masnawi AS reached at least Rp
745.17 billion, to the Latimojong and Buasa Sawito cooperatives.
Many customers said that they were cheated because the
cooperatives promised them at least a 30 percent interest rate.

A team set up to handle the complaints has pledged to return
only Rp 3.1 million of the lost savings.

The scam not only victimized the customers, but has also cost
local officials their jobs. Regent Firdaus Amirullah, chief of
the local military command Lt. Col. Slamet Haryanto and police
chief Lt. Col. Suwarno have been fired for alleged involvement in
the swindle.

On Thursday, the situation in the city remained tense as
people threatened to burn buildings again, including the local
prison where the managers of the cooperatives are detained. On
Wednesday night, the house of a councilor, also a cooperative
executive, was set on fire. Up to 1,000 security personnel have
been deployed to the area. (30/prb/aan)