Golkar pledges better education system<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): After spending the first three days of the
\ncampaign making promises to eradicate poverty and reduce
\nunemployment, Golkar changed course slightly yesterday by
\npromising to improve the nation's state education system.<\/p>\n
The dominant grouping entered the fourth day of the campaign
\nyesterday pledging it would strive to increase the state
\neducation budget in a bid to produce better qualified Indonesian
\nhuman resources to meet the challenges of the 21st century.<\/p>\n
\"Golkar is concerned with efforts to improve the quality of
\nIndonesian human resources,\" Harmoko said in front of thousands
\nof Golkar supporters in Jambi.<\/p>\n
\"One day all Indonesians will be university graduates or
\ndoctoral-degree holders. We don't want our people to have only an
\nelementary school education.\"<\/p>\n
Harmoko, who is also the Minister of Information, denied his
\nstatement was just an empty promise. \"We'll work hard to fulfill
\nour promises,\" he promised again.<\/p>\n
Jambi is one of Golkar's strongholds. It won 91 percent of the
\nvotes cast in the province in the last election. This year it has
\nset its target at 96 percent.<\/p>\n
\"The target is merely to help the government fulfill its
\npromises to meet people's aspirations,\" said the chairman of the
\ngovernment-backed organization.<\/p>\n
He made another promise when describing the funds needed by
\nthe Tanjung Jabung residents in Jambi to install a water
\ntreatment facility to meet their daily clean water needs. \"Golkar
\nwill provide Rp 4.5 billion (US$1.8 million) for the (planned)
\nconstruction of the water treatment facility,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Also yesterday, Harmoko publicly helped a small-scale
\nbusinesswoman, Sumini, in her efforts to raise Rp 500,000 to
\nexpand her trading business.<\/p>\n
He summoned an official of the Jambi Provincial Development
\nBank, Machmud, to step onto the stage, and asked him to give a
\nnon-collateral loan to Sumini.<\/p>\n
Rocker<\/p>\n
Lady rocker Renny Djajoesman, who is currently in East Timor
\nfor a series of Golkar campaign appearances, offered to act as a
\nbridge between the local people and the government. She said
\nthere were differences in how the two sides viewed development in
\nthe province.<\/p>\n
\"I saw that the East Timorese have many things on their minds.
\nPerhaps, they'll be willing to express their hidden wish through
\nart,\" she told The Jakarta Post yesterday.<\/p>\n
Renny said she would stage a play which also included music,
\ndrama, poetry and local arts.<\/p>\n
\"We expect those who are still silent to open up through
\narts,\" she said. (imn\/33)<\/p>",
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