Village poll spurs protests
KUDUS, Central Java: Dissatisfied with the election of their new village chief, dozens of youths ran berserk, attacking neighbors, stoning cars, vandalizing houses and setting fire to a sugar storehouse this past week.
Scared residents have fled their homes since hostilities began on April 28. Villagers are afraid to report the case to the police for fear of reprisals.
"They terrorized the whole village and many of our neighbors have fled for safety," said villager Hardiyanto. "These guys really wage a terror campaign."
The election was won by Kusdi Utomo who obtained 2,077 votes. His rivals, Suharyono and Markin, got 2,053 and 1,187 votes respectively. (wah/pan)
Workers strike for more pay
DEMAK, Central Java: Hundreds at a cashew nut processing factory, PT Jawa Muna Agro Demak, went on strike on Friday to demand higher wages.
The workers demanded that management increase their daily wage from Rp 1,300 (US$ 60 cents) a day to the minimum wage of Rp 2,700, which is required by law.
They also demanded that the firm stop canceling the meal allowance of workers who turn up late three times or more a week.
Spokesman for the company, Ekohadi, promised the laborers would get a higher wage next month. "We are still looking into the other demands," he said.
Dozens of police officers closely watched the peaceful protest.
"We will take to the street next time if the management fails to meet our demands," a female worker said. (wah/pan)
Doddy's library opened
BANDUNG, West Java: The Prof. Doddy A. Tisna Amidjaja Library, named after the late scientist, was opened here on Thursday at his home on Jl. Matumanikam.
Doddy was former rector of the Bandung Institute of Technology (ITB) and was Indonesia's ambassador to France when he died last year.
The library, which is open to the general public, was a lifelong dream, according to his relatives. He had begun the idea of opening a library in 1993, the Antara news agency reported.
It consists of 10,000 books in science and general knowledge, including contributions from various foundations, publishers, ITB and the Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI). (01)
Soeharto makes brief stopover
KUPANG, East Nusa Tenggara: President Soeharto made a brief stopover here on Friday on his way from Jakarta to Merauke, Irian Jaya.
Soeharto, first lady Mrs. Tien Soeharto and several ministers took a one-hour break at the El Tari airport in Kupang before resuming their flight to Irian Jaya, the Antara news agency reported.
The President is scheduled to witness the first grand harvest at the Semangga Tanah Miring transmigration camp today and launch a number of development projects in the province. (01)
ITB moves against `jockeys'
BANDUNG, West Java: The Bandung Institute of Technology (ITB) says it will expel students who entered the prestigious college by paying others to take their entrance exams.
ITB has launched an investigation into allegations that a number of its first year students qualified by getting someone else take the exams, people popularly known as "jockeys".
Some of these jockeys were apparently senior ITB students who did it in return for hefty fees, according to preliminary investigations, the Antara news agency reported.
The college has launched an internal investigation and will hand over the case to the police, who may bring criminal charges. (01)