Golkar passes screening

JAKARTA: The Ministry of Justice and Human Rights declared on Tuesday that the Golkar Party had passed the first stage of screening by the ministry, paving the way for the party to participate in the 2004 legislative elections.

The screening was done at the party's headquarters in Slipi, West Jakarta, and was aimed at determining whether Golkar met the requirements of a political party.

The ministry was represented by, among others, Oka Mahendra, a member of the minister's expert staff. On the Golkar side was Akbar Tanjung, the embattled chairman of Golkar, and several of the party's deputy chairmen.

During the screening, the ministry team examined the list of the party's board of executives and the identity cards of both the chairman and the secretary-general. The ministry still has to screen Golkar's regional offices. --JP