Former regent denies he receives money from Caltex

Fadlah Sulaiman, the former regent of Bengkalis in Riau denied that PT Caltex Pacific Indonesia paid the compensation payment for Rantau Bais villagers through him, Riau Pos reported on Thursday.

Faldlah also denied press reports that he was also involved in the negotiations between the Rantau Bais villagers and Caltex over the compensation payment. "The negotiations between the farmers and Caltex took place directly without any involvement of the third party," he said.

Earlier media reports said that PT Caltex Pacific Indonesia had stopped that the third stage of the compensation payment to a group of farmers in Rantau Bais in the Rokan Hilir regency, Riau after another group of farmers in the regency claimed that they were the rightful owner of the land now being used by the oil company.

Caltex spokesman Djati Susetya said in Pekanbaru recently that the compensation payment would be stopped until Rantau Bais farmers settled their difference with the Sawit Permai farmers.

Caltex has agreed to pay a compensation payment to Rantau Bais farmers for the land it used for about RP 6 billion. The first and second stage of the compensation payment had been settled.(*)