Parties differ on election debates<\/p>\n
JAKARTA: The issue of whether presidential candidates in 2004
\nshould be required to take part in public debates has yet to be
\nresolved by legislators deliberating the bill on presidential
\nelections.<\/p>\n
All of the factions except for the Indonesian Democratic Party
\nof Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) agree that presidential candidates
\nshould take part in debates, to explain their programs to the
\npublic.<\/p>\n
PDI Perjuangan, the largest faction in the House of
\nRepresentatives, has rejected the proposal. Some observers
\nbelieve this rejection is due to fears that party leader Megawati
\nSoekarnoputri, who is also the President, would not fare well in
\nthe debates.<\/p>\n
Megawati, who was ushered into the presidency in 2001, has
\noften failed to communicate her policies to the public.<\/p>\n
\"The type of campaign (candidates wish to run) should not be
\ndetermined for them. Each candidate should be given the chance to
\ndetermine the most effective way for them to campaign,\" PDI
\nPerjuangan legislator Pataniari Siahaan said on the sidelines of
\na closed-door meeting here on Monday.<\/p>\n
Patrialis Akbar of the Reform faction and Amin Said Husni of
\nthe National Awakening Party (PKB) faction emphasized that the
\ndebates would help the public determine the capabilities of the
\npresidential candidates. --JP<\/p>\n
;JP;WAWAN;
\nANPAa..r..
\nScene-Antara-subscribers
\n'Antara' lashes out at subscribers
\nJP\/4\/Scene<\/p>\n
'Antara' lashes out at subscribers<\/p>\n
JAKARTA: Most subscribers to state-owned news agency Antara
\nuse the agency's news reports as raw material only, Antara chief
\neditor Mohammad Sobary said on Monday.<\/p>\n
\"Thus our soul has been murdered by our subscribers,\" Sobary
\nsaid during a hearing with House of Representatives Commission I
\nfor media and defense affairs.<\/p>\n
Sobary made the statement in response to questions from
\nlegislators on the commitment of the state news agency to
\nmaintaining the country's territorial integrity, as reflected in
\nits stories.<\/p>\n
Legislators questioned why stories on the Aceh conflict mostly
\ndwelled on civilian casualties and suffering, instead of
\nhumanitarian activities in the province.<\/p>\n
Sobary said that because most subscribers used Antara's
\nreports only as their raw material, it was difficult to judge the
\nagency's commitment to national unity based on Antara articles
\nused by both the print and electronic media.<\/p>\n
Sobary, who was appointed Antara's chief editor by former
\npresident Abdurrahman Wahid, emphasized on Monday that the news
\nagency was committed to maintaining the country's integrity. --JP<\/p>\n
;JP;ASA;
\nANPAa..r..
\nScene-Golkar-screening
\nGolkar begins presidential screening
\nJP\/4\/4Scene<\/p>\n
Golkar begins presidential screening<\/p>\n
JAKARTA: Hasta Karya, a forum of eight organizations under the
\nGolkar Party, began screening four presidential hopefuls on
\nMonday at the Mulia Hotel here, months before the party holds
\nnational congresses in October 2003 and February 2004.<\/p>\n
The four, who were invited by the forum to present their
\nvisions for the country, were media baron Surya Paloh, Minister
\nof Transportation Agum Gumelar, Coordinating Minister for
\nPeople's Welfare Jusuf Kalla and former Indonesian Military chief
\nGen. (ret) Wiranto.<\/p>\n
Oetojo Oesman, who led the meeting, said Hasta Karya was
\nworking to identify who was eligible to run for president.<\/p>\n
The forum will soon summon several other presidential
\nhopefuls.<\/p>\n
After completing the screening of the presidential hopefuls,
\nthe forum will select several candidates and present them at the
\nparty's national congresses.<\/p>\n
At the October congress five candidates will be selected, and
\nby February next year the party will name one candidate to
\ncontest the 2004 presidential elections scheduled to take place
\nsometime between June and August.<\/p>\n
Hasta Karya will have just eight of the 530 official votes at
\nthe party's national congresses, but its position is significant
\nbecause most of its members are executives at Golkar's chapters
\nand branches, which hold 30 and 416 votes, respectively.<\/p>\n
Among the members of Hasta Karya are the Association of Mutual
\nAssistance Cooperatives and the Mutual Aid Family Conference.
\n--JP<\/p>",
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