DPD to have less power than DPR

DPD to have less power than DPR

JAKARTA: The Regional Representatives Council (DPD) will be
prevented from disrupting the decision making process in the
People's Consultative Assembly (MPR), a legislator says.

Yahya Zaini said his Golkar faction would suggest that the
bill on the composition of legislative bodies now being
deliberated should not give the DPD power that matched that of
the House of Representatives regarding the decision making
process in the MPR.

Article 13 (3) of the bill states that the Assembly session is
valid if it is attended by at least three-quarters of MPR members
in deliberating key issues like impeachment of the president.

The article does not specifically mention whether the quorum
requires the presence of both DPR and DPD members.

DPR has 550 members and DPD 150 members. The two legislative
bodies form the MPR, which will convene at least once a year.

The article means an MPR session can proceed if it is
sponsored solely by the House, regardless of the absence of DPD
members. -- JP

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Govt seeks cars for ASEAN Summit
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Govt seeks cars for ASEAN Summit

JAKARTA: State Secretary Bambang Kesowo disclosed on Wednesday
his concern about Indonesia's preparations for the ASEAN summit
which is slated to take place in October in Bali.

Bambang said that among his main concerns was how to procure
world-class cars for heads of states attending the summit.

He made the statement during a hearing with House of
Representatives (DPR) Commission I for political, security and
foreign affairs.

Apart from heads of 10 ASEAN countries, the summit will be
attended by four ASEAN partners and possibly delegations from
Australia, Papua New Guinea and East Timor.

The state secretary said he hoped he could find companies that
can provide cars for rental. "It will only create controversy if
we buy new cars," Bambang said.

He said he hoped his office could provide state guests with
the Volvo S30, the latest in the series. -- JP

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Govt to recruit 190,000 teachers
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Govt to recruit 190,000 teachers

JAKARTA: The government said on Wednesday it would recruit
190,000 contract teachers next year and 47,000 in the following
year to overcome the shortage of teachers.

Secretary-general of the Ministry of Education Makmuri Muchlas
said the contract teachers would be hired on a three-year basis
although their contract could be extended if they performed well.

"We will take candidates from their own regions," he told a
press conference.

He also said the government would not promise to take on the
teachers as civil servants.

For this year, the government has said that it would recruit
some 190,714 contract teachers to teach students from
kindergarten to high school.

Of the total, 13,367 teachers would be assigned to
kindergartens, 96,866 to elementary schools, 78,408 to junior and
senior high schools and 2,133 to special schools.

All contract teachers would receive Rp 460,000 (US$57.5) as a
monthly salary . -JP

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Australia provides A$4.5 in aid
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Australia provides A$4.5 in aid

DENPASAR, Bali: Indonesia and Australia signed an agreement on
financial aid worth at A$4.5 million (US$2.97 million), most of
which will be used to build a new Intensive Care Center at the
Sanglah Hospital, Denpasar.

The two-story center will cost A$3.6 million, and the project
is expected to begin in June and be completed early in 2004.
Australia and the Bali provincial health office are discussing
the most effective form of the remaining A$900,000 assistance.

The new Intensive Care Center will have an Intensive Care
Unit, an Intensive Cardiac Care Unit, and a Burns Unit. The fund
will also be used to refurbish the hospital morgue.

Sanglah Hospital played a major role in treating survivors and
keeping the bodies of the victims in the Oct. 12, 2002 bombings
on the resort island.

Signing the agreement were managing director of the Sanglah
Hospital, I Gusti Lanang M. Rudiartha, the head of Bali
provincial health office, Made Molin Yudiasa, and Sam Zappia, the
Australian Embassy Counselor for Development Cooperation.

The agreement was part of a A$10.5 million package of
assistance to Bali committed by Australian Prime Minister John
Howard during his visit here on Feb. 15.

Australia lost 88 of its citizens in the blasts, which killed
202 people, mostly foreigners. --JP