President wants Bakrie to pay out mudflow compensation today

The Jakarta Post | Wed, 12/03/2008 3:50 PM

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has demanded the Bakrie Group settle on Wednesday all its liabilities tied to the compensation owed victims of the Lapindo mudflow disaster in East Java.

"The president wanted the matter settled today," presidential spokesperson Andi Mallarangeng told reporters at the State Palace Wednesday noon.

Earlier the President held a meeting with a representative of the Bakrie family, Nirwan Bakrie, accompanied by Public Works Minister Djoko Kirmanto and Social Services Minister Bachtiar Chamzah.

Andi said the president left the meeting to attend the inauguration of the A.H. Nasution museum in Menteng, Central Jakarta, and instructed the ministers and Nirwan to draw up the final settlement details within two hours.

The meeting with the president will resume again later this afternoon, Andi said.

Thousands of protesters have been rallying in front of the State Palace in Monday following Bakrie's failure to disburse the remaining 80 percent of the compensation to the victims by the Dec. 1 deadline. (and)

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