JP\/4\/scen-10<\/p>\n
NU to hold mass prayer in March<\/p>\n
SURABAYA, East Java: The largest Muslim organization in
\nIndonesia, Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), is planning to hold a mass
\ngathering in this province in March, and has called upon people
\nto repent and to pray for the nation's safety from disasters.<\/p>\n
Organizing committee chairman Sholeh Hayat said on Sunday that
\nparticipants would come from Surabaya and the nearby cities of
\nMojokerto, Gresik, Lamongan, Sidoarjo, Pasuruan and Bangil.<\/p>\n
The mass gathering would be held not only to pray for the
\nstate, but also to pray for the people's prosperity and safety,
\nhe added.<\/p>\n
A number of senior Muslim clerics are scheduled to attend the
\ngathering, including Abdullah Faqih from Tuban, Idris Marzuki of
\nLirboyo in Kediri, and Sahal Mahfudz, a senior executive of NU.<\/p>\n
Separately, NU chairman Hasyim Muzadi said that several
\nambassadors from countries in the Middle East and Europe had also
\nbeen invited to the gathering. -- Antara<\/p>\n
Golkar teaches cadres in Papua<\/p>\n
JAYAPURA, Papua: Despite the internal rift in its executive
\nboard, activities of the Golkar Party remain undisturbed, as
\nevidenced by the training it has carried out in order to prepare
\ncadres in Papua for the 2004 general elections.<\/p>\n
A number of 131 cadres from 28 regencies and 14 new regencies
\nthroughout Papua participated in a party training workshop in
\nJayapura from Feb. 2 to 6.<\/p>\n
Jan L. Ayomi, director of the party's training unit in the
\nprovince, said on Saturday that the activity had been organized
\nto help the province recruit more qualified human resources.<\/p>\n
It was also aimed at increasing the number of voters for the
\n2004 elections, Ayomi added.<\/p>\n
In the 1999 general elections, Golkar gained 54 percent of
\nvotes in Papua, the highest among other political parties. The
\nparty has targeted to increase their ballots by up to 65 percent
\nin the 2004 elections.<\/p>\n
In his speech, Golkar chairman Jhon Ibo urged cadres to always
\nfocus on the people's aspirations and to uphold national unity.
\n-- Antara<\/p>\n
'More nonvoters in next elections'<\/p>\n
SEMARANG, Central Java: Sociologist Arief Budiman predicted
\nthat the number of people who would not apply their right to vote
\nin the 2004 elections would rise by up to 15 percent.<\/p>\n
Arief said the people who would prefer not to vote would be
\nthose who had voted for Megawati's Indonesian Democratic Party of
\nStruggle (PDI Perjuangan) in 1999.<\/p>\n
He added that these people had been disappointed with the
\nperformance of the party, once considered a party that always
\nfought for the common people.<\/p>\n
"Neither would the people vote for Golkar, because of the
\npast. As being a nonvoter has become an alternative, they will
\nchoose not to vote," said Arief, a professor at the University of
\nMelbourne, here on Saturday.<\/p>\n
Arief had introduced the nonvoter option in 1971 during an
\nengineered election organized by then-president Soeharto.<\/p>\n
In past elections, the number of nonvoters was less than 12
\npercent of those who voted. -- Antara
\n
\n;JP;DJA;
\nANPAa..r..
\nScene-bills
\nTwo labor bills to be endorsed on Feb. 25
\nJP\/4\/SCENE<\/p>\n
Two labor bills to be endorsed on Feb. 25<\/p>\n
SURABAYA: The two labor bills being deliberated by the House
\nof Representatives have been scheduled to be endorsed during the
\nplenary session on Feb. 25.<\/p>\n
Minister of Manpower and Transmigration Jacob Nuwa Wea said
\non Saturday in Surabaya that all arrangements and repairs had
\nbeen made to the last draft.<\/p>\n
"I do not see any reasons for a rejection, so I will urge the
\nHouse of Representatives to pass the bills by the deadline," the
\nminister said.<\/p>\n
Both employers and labor unions have settled a number of
\ncontentious chapters, including those on industrial strikes, on
\nmultiple payments and outsourcing, in a four-month discussion
\nheld after the endorsement of the bill was delayed last November.<\/p>\n
Jacob contended that the House had conducted a series of
\ndiscussions with workers unions to ensure that neither bill would
\nmake them suffer, so there should be no more problems.<\/p>\n
"The House has met these unions in the past four months, so we
\nare going to finalize the bills and deliberate them as
\nscheduled," he added.<\/p>\n
About 22 workers unions rejected the bills, saying that it
\nviolated workers' rights. The contentious issues included
\nprotection for women and child workers, strikes and severance
\npay. -- Antara<\/p>",
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