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
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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