Family planning agency set to elect new leader
SEMARANG, Central Java (JP): The Indonesian Planned Parenthood Association (PKBI) has a choice between a physician, an economist or a psychologist, all noted public figures, for its chairman.
The association, which has pioneered Indonesia's family planning campaign since way back in 1957, is holding its congress to discuss the strategy to take it to the end of the century and to elect its leader.
Three names have been mentioned as probably choices: the incumbent Kartono Mohamad, a physician; economist Priyono Tjiptoherijanto, who is currently the deputy chairman; and psychologist Sarlito Wirawan who is currently a member of the advisory board.
The congress got underway here on Tuesday with a keynote address from Central Java Governor Soewardi.
Central Java has been given the honor of hosting the congress because of its success in promoting PKBI's campaign for vasectomy amongst men as an alternative family planning method.
On average 6,000 men are vasectomized in the province each year, while other provinces manage less than 1,000.
Some 300 people from PKBI's branch offices in 22 provinces are taking part in the three-day congress which is due to end today. Minister of Population and the chairman of the National Family Planning Board (BKKBN) Haryono Suyono is slated to close the gathering.
The association has gone beyond simply encouraging people to use contraceptives but it is actively promoting the concept of responsible family planning.
Most recently, it has also launched a program on sex education for youth and it is currently in the preparatory stages of creating Indonesia's first sperm bank.
The congress today is also slated to confer an honorary membership to Haryono Suyono for his services and commitment to the PKBI and to the development of family planning in Indonesia.
A similar award in the past had been given to Emil Salim (former environment minister), Supardjo Rustam (former cabinet minister) and Ali Sadikin (former Jakarta governor).
Also attending the congress was Pritam Singh, a representative of the East Asian and Southeast Asian Region of the London-based International Planned Parenthood Federation, to which PKBI has been affiliated since 1969. (arf)