Golkar seeks

Golkar seeks
more support

JAKARTA: The campaign team of Golkar Party presidential
candidate Gen. (ret) Wiranto will seek more support from mass-
based organizations to help gather support for his bid in the
July 5 election.

Irsyad Sudiro, a Golkar leader and member of the team, said on
Friday the party would host a national meeting for the
organizations here on May 28.

Golkar won 21 percent of the vote in the April 5 legislative
election and expects between 5 percent and 7 percent more in the
presidential election.

Wiranto's running mate Solahuddin Wahid is expected to woo
support from members of the 40 million-strong Nahdlatul Ulama
(NU) organization. - JP

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Scene-Lemhanas
Lemhanas to stay neutral in election
JP/4/scene

Lemhanas to stay
neutral in election

JAKARTA: The National Resilience Institute (Lemhanas) pledged
on Friday to remain neutral in the presidential election.

Lemhanas governor Ermaya Suriadinata said during a ceremony in
observance of the institute's 39th anniversary that despite its
neutrality, it would be delighted if one of its graduates was
elected the next president.

Golkar Party's presidential aspirant Wiranto, Democratic
Party's presidential candidate Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and Agum
Gumelar, the running mate of United Development Party's
presidential candidate Hamzah Haz, are Lemhanas graduates, while
Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle's presidential nominee
Megawati Soekarnoputri is an honorary member of the institute. --
JP

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Scene-Korea-biotechnology
RI, North Korea ink scientific deal
JP/4/SCENE

RI, North Korea
ink scientific deal

JAKARTA: The Indonesian Ministry of Research and Technology
and the North Korea Sciences Academy agreed on Friday to
cooperate in biotechnology research and exchange of scientists.

Secretary of the minister of research and technology Ashwin
Sasongko said the joint research would focus on biomass
utilization for future energy and animal vaccination.

"We will also discuss the use of nuclear energy but there is
no specific cooperation in that field," Ashwin said after a
meeting with the North Korean delegation at his office. - JP

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Scene-council-autonomy
Councillors want autonomy to stay
JP/4/ACEH

Councillors want
autonomy to stay

JAKARTA: The Association of Indonesian Municipal Legislatures
(Asdeki) urged on Friday the government and the House of
Representatives to maintain the genuine spirit of regional
autonomy when amending Law No. 22/1999 on regional
administration.

"We do not oppose the review but urge the government and the
House to keep regional autonomy intact," Asdeki's deputy chairman
Rudi Mastura told a press conference.

Rudi, who is also the speaker of Palu Legislative Council in
Central Sulawesi, said the association also demanded that the
government and the House allow the association to participate in
the review of the law. --JP

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Scene-techno-seminar
Public awareness of technology low
JP/4/BPPT

Public awareness
of technology low

JAKARTA: The Agency for the Assessment and Application of
Technology (BPPT) will hold a three-day seminar aimed at raising
public awareness of technology next week.

During the seminar, which starts on Tuesday, experts and
government officials will talk about a synergy between technology
and industry in a bid to improve productivity and product
competitiveness. An exhibition will cap the event.

BPPT will also organize a computer assembling competition for
senior high school and university students at the end of June,
with participants to be restricted to Greater Jakarta. -- JP