Rodent Tales
Pico, a young man in Pontianak, was drawn to get involved in developing the sale of rodent tuber, believed to be an effective anti-cancer herb. He involved his neighbors and even local prisoners in his business.
September 14, 2011
ALVIA Alhadi pulled out a plant from the taro family from the sodden area of ground he was walking through. The plant is around 30 centimeters tall, its stem laden with juice. Its leaves are round with a pointed tip, making them heart-shaped. The corolla (crown) of its flowers is rather like a rats tail, "So this plant is called keladi tikus (rodent tuber)," Alhadi, nicknamed Pico, told Tempo when we met him on Monday, two weeks ago.
The plant, with
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