Inauguration of regional heads can wait
PEKALONGAN: Minister of Home Affairs Hari Sabarno said that although he had yet to inaugurate 25 regents and mayors, local governments should not have any problem running their regions without their superiors.
"I am suppose to inaugurate two of the 25 new regents, but I can't do both at the same time," he told reporters on Saturday.
Hari said he was also waiting for governors to provide their opinions on a number of regents and mayors before he could inaugurate them.
Since the autonomy laws took into effect in 2001, regions may elect their own governors, regents and mayors. But elections in many regions have been bogged down by quarrels within the local councils or disputes with the government head of the region.
Hari added that if locals rejected the appointment of a particular regional head, they should complain to their local councils, which had elected them. -- Antara
;JP;bkm; ANPAa..r.. Party-PPP-name PPP Reformasi to change name JP/4/Scene
PPP Reformasi to change name
JAKARTA: The United National Development Reform Party (PPP Reformasi), a splinter group from Vice President Hamzah Haz's PPP, said it would rename itself during the party's extraordinary congress this week.
"The main agenda of the extraordinary congress is changing the party's name and its symbol," said Fathi R. Sidiq, the secretary of PPP Reformasi.
He added that the congress would seek to "consolidate" the party following a recent reshuffle of its board of executives.
Some 1,200 participants would attend the congress, which will run from April 7 until April 9 in Pondok Gede, East Jakarta, he said.
PPP Reformasi is led by famous Muslim preacher Zainuddin MZ.
Among the new names Zainuddin had earlier mooted were the Reform Star Party, the Reform Line Party, and the Reform Upholder Party. -- Antara
;JP;bkm; ANPAa..r.. Labor-Iraq-evacuation No workers evacuated yet JP/4/Scene
No workers evacuated yet
MATARAM: Minister of Labor and Transmigration Jacob Nuwa Wea said that Indonesian workers in the Middle East remained safe despite the ongoing war in Iraq, and that none had been evacuated so far.
"Entering the 17th day of America's aggression against Iraq, not a single Indonesian worker has been evacuated from the Middle East," said Jacob on Sunday. "They are safe and remain at their respective workplaces."
He said he had recently spoken to six Middle Eastern ministers, who had told him their governments would protect the workers.
More than 83,000 Indonesians work in several countries in the Middle East. But around 63,000 workers have jobs in Kuwait, which has served as a springboard for America's invasion of Iraq.
Fears of Iraq retaliating by firing Scud missiles at Kuwait have so far been proven wrong. -- Antara