Golkar begins presidential screening

Golkar begins presidential screening

JAKARTA: Hasta Karya, a forum of eight organizations under the
Golkar Party, began screening four presidential hopefuls on
Monday at the Mulia Hotel here, months before the party holds
national congresses in October 2003 and February 2004.

The four, who were invited by the forum to present their
visions for the country, were media baron Surya Paloh, Minister
of Transportation Agum Gumelar, Coordinating Minister for
People's Welfare Jusuf Kalla and former Indonesian Military chief
Gen. (ret) Wiranto.

Oetojo Oesman, who led the meeting, said Hasta Karya was
working to identify who was eligible to run for president.

The forum will soon summon several other presidential
hopefuls.

After completing the screening of the presidential hopefuls,
the forum will select several candidates and present them at the
party's national congresses.

At the October congress five candidates will be selected, and
by February next year the party will name one candidate to
contest the 2004 presidential elections scheduled to take place
sometime between June and August.

Hasta Karya will have just eight of the 530 official votes at
the party's national congresses, but its position is significant
because most of its members are executives at Golkar's chapters
and branches, which hold 30 and 416 votes, respectively.

Among the members of Hasta Karya are the Association of Mutual
Assistance Cooperatives and the Mutual Aid Family Conference.
--JP