UI hosts int'l seminar on anthropology

UI hosts int'l seminar on anthropology

JAKARTA: As many as 211 researchers from 18 countries are
expected to participate in the Fourth International Seminar on
the Indonesian Anthropology Journal, which began on Tuesday.

The first day of the three-day seminar, hosted by the
University of Indonesia (UI)'s School of Political and Social
Studies, featured as speakers Coordinating Minister for People's
Welfare Alwi Shihab, Amri Mazali from the UI and Hans Antlov from
the Ford Foundation.

Themed "Indonesia in the Changing Global Context: Building
Cooperation and Partnership?", the seminar's topics include the
collective identity of Indonesian democratization, Asian culture
and tradition.

It will also discuss issues of community, gender,
globalization, local politics, pluralism and lifestyle, the
organizing committee said in a statement. --JP

;Antara;
ANPAa..r..
House-Fuel-Protest

JP/4/scene

Agung slammed over
fuel crisis advice

JAKARTA: Activists slammed House of Representatives Speaker
Agung Laksono on Tuesday for his call for the government to
abolish fuel subsidies in the interest of the public over the
lingering fuel shortages.

"The House speaker should not have raised such a proposal. His
comment about the proposed scrapping of fuel subsidies has caused
renewed public anxiety," Muslim Student Association (HMI)
chairman Hasanuddin said.

Kasino Fachruddin, another activist, from the Lingkar 98 youth
group, said that amid the fuel crisis, the House leader should
not have issued a statement that cornered low-income people.

The two activists urged President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono to
ignore Agung's proposal and to instead side with low-income
people by not scrapping the fuel subsidies.

Agung had commented the fuel subsidies should be abolished and
that such a call should receive the people's endorsement.

He argued that should the fuel price reach US$100 a barrel,
the subsidies could reach up to Rp 250 trillion, which would
restrict the government in its efforts to improve the people's
welfare.

Hasanuddin and Kasino blamed the fuel crisis on Susilo's
economic ministers, who they said should be reshuffled. --Antara

;Antara;
ANPAa..r..
Regent-Graft-Probe
Another ex-regent to face graft probe
JP/4/scene

Another ex-regent to face graft probe

JAKARTA: A number of legislators from Doupu regency in West
Nusa Tenggara (NTB) reported former local regent Abubakar Ahmad
to the Attorney General's Office (AGO) here on Tuesday for
alleged corruption.

Abubakar is accused of marking up the price of a fire truck
his administration purchased last year for Rp 900 million
(US$92,783).

However, an investigation showed that the fire truck was not a
new one and should have cost only Rp 300 million, said Doupu
legislative council deputy speaker Iwan Kurniawan, who led the
delegation of local councillors received by AGO spokesman
Soehandoyo.

"This case has been handled by the NTB High Prosecutor's
Office since 2004, but the investigation into Abubakar Ahmad at
the time was hindered by the absence of permission from the
President to summon him, a state official," Iwan added.

He also questioned why no progress had been made in the graft
case, even though Abubakar was no longer the regent of Doupu.

Iwan said the former regent allegedly marked up the prices of
570 motorcycles bought by the Doupu administration, which caused
some Rp 2 billion in state losses. --Antara