Villagers run amok over cash aid

TANGERANG: Dozens of disadvantaged people in Kronjo subdistrict, Tangerang regency, ran amok on Friday morning, demanding that they too be given the quarterly Rp 300,000 cash handout from the central government.

They destroyed the subdistrict administration's offices and then demanded that the subdistrict head appear before them.

Fuad, a member of Village Representative Council (BPD) who witnessed the incident, said that the crowd arrived at about 9:30 a.m.

"After 15 minutes shouting for the money, the angry residents began hurling stones at the subdistrict offices, breaking all the windows. They then broke into the offices and smashed everything they found," he said.

None of the subdistrict officials dared to intervene.

Subdistrict head Sutrisno said some of the attackers had been detained by police and were still being questioned.

He said he had tried to explain to the public that his office was not in any way involved in the registration of those entitled to receive the cash assistance.

Four hundred of the village's population of 1,000 residents had been registered as recipients. -- JP