First family to relax in Bali<\/p>\n
DENPASAR, Bali: Taking a break from her state duties,
\nPresident Megawati Soekarnoputri plans to enjoy an extended
\nweekend in Bali with her family.<\/p>\n
The first family -- the President, husband Taufik Kiemas and
\ndaughter Puan Maharani -- will stay at a villa in Jimbaran
\ninstead of the Tampaksiring presidential palace.<\/p>\n
\"This is just a family event, and the President has no
\nofficial schedule until next Monday,\" an official at the
\nPresidential Palace told The Jakarta Post on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
Megawati will arrive in Bali on Wednesday to open the fifth
\nforeign ministerial gathering of the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM)
\nin Nusa Dua.<\/p>\n
After the ASEM forum, Megawati, who took two days off last
\nweek with a sore throat, will spend the rest of the week on the
\nisland, returning to Jakarta on Sunday. Megawati's grandmother
\nwas Balinese. -- JP<\/p>\n
;IWA;
\nANPAa..r..
\nScene-political-party
\nScholars urge religious-free campaign
\nJP\/4\/party<\/p>\n
Scholars urge religious-free campaign<\/p>\n
JAKARTA: Political parties contesting the 2004 elections
\nshould avoid the use of religious symbols while campaigning to
\nminimize the possibility of clashes among party supporters,
\nscholars say.<\/p>\n
Cecep Syarifuddin, a leader of the country's largest Muslim
\norganization, Nahdlatul Ulama, said on Tuesday that elections
\nwere part of the democratic exercise, so political parties should
\nuphold democratic values.<\/p>\n
\"The use of religious symbols to win the people's support
\nwould only increase the possibility of clashes among party
\nsupporters, which could lead to the disintegration of the
\nnation,\" he said during a seminar on religious harmony ahead of
\nthe elections in Jakarta on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Syafi'i Maarif, the chairman of Muhammadiyah, the
\ncountry's second largest Muslim organization, said clashes could
\nbe avoided if political leaders accepted the results of the
\nelections. --Antara<\/p>\n
;IWA;
\nANPAa..r..
\nScene-Panwaslu-fund
\n'Govt not serious about elections'
\nJP\/4\/election<\/p>\n
'Govt not serious about elections'<\/p>\n
JAKARTA: The chairman of the General Elections Supervisory
\nCommittee, Komaruddin Hidayat, accused the government on Tuesday
\nof being lackadaisical in its preparations for next year's
\nelections.<\/p>\n
\"I would say the government is not serious in its preparations
\nfor the election,\" Komaruddin said after a meeting with Vice
\nPresident Hamzah Haz.<\/p>\n
He said the government's failure to release in full the funds
\nfor his committee was an indication of its lack of urgency.<\/p>\n
\"Without supervision, democracy cannot run well,\" he said,
\nadding that supervision was an integral part of the election
\nprocess.<\/p>\n
He stressed the importance of setting up committee branches at
\nthe central, provincial, district and subdistrict levels, but
\nsaid that without the funds this would not be possible.<\/p>\n
The committee, according to Komaruddin, had received only Rp
\n200 billion (US$200 million) of the Rp 500 billion it needed to
\ndo its job. --Antara<\/p>\n
;JP;ASA;
\nANPAa..r..
\nNational-Golkar
\nGolkar passes screening
\nJP\/4\/4Scene<\/p>\n
Golkar passes screening<\/p>\n
JAKARTA: The Ministry of Justice and Human Rights declared on
\nTuesday that the Golkar Party had passed the first stage of
\nscreening by the ministry, paving the way for the party to
\nparticipate in the 2004 legislative elections.<\/p>\n
The screening was done at the party's headquarters in Slipi,
\nWest Jakarta, and was aimed at determining whether Golkar met the
\nrequirements of a political party.<\/p>\n
The ministry was represented by, among others, Oka Mahendra, a
\nmember of the minister's expert staff. On the Golkar side was
\nAkbar Tanjung, the embattled chairman of Golkar, and several of
\nthe party's deputy chairmen.<\/p>\n
During the screening, the ministry team examined the list of
\nthe party's board of executives and the identity cards of both
\nthe chairman and the secretary-general. The ministry still has to
\nscreen Golkar's regional offices. --JP<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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