;JP;MUN; ANPAa..r.. Scene-corruption-emergency Govt to issue new anti-graft decree JP/4/SCENE Govt to issue new antigraft decree

JAKARTA: Justice and Human Rights Minister Hamid Awaluddin said on Tuesday that his ministry has finished drafting a new antigraft decree, which requires suspected corruptors to be put in jail from the beginning of the investigation.

"We want them to be imprisoned from the start of the investigation," he told reporters, referring to many cases where corruptors had managed to flee justice, despite their conviction by courts.

Hamid said his ministry will conduct a discussion with the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK), the National Police, the Attorney General's Office and the Supreme Court regarding the draft of the government regulation in lieu of law.

The new government plans to enforce the law in a bid to accelerate its anti-corruption campaign within its first 100 days in power. -- JP

;JP;KHS;Cd; ANPAa..r.. Scene-PAN-congress Six figures compete for PAN chairmanship JP/4/Scene8 Six compete for PAN leadership

JAKARTA: At least six figures will join the race for the leadership of the National Mandate Party (PAN) in a congress scheduled for next month.

The open race among PAN leaders will take place after PAN leader Amien Rais rejected demands that he stand for reelection.

The six figures are Samuel Koto, Afni Achmad, Ahmad Farhan Hamid, Fuad Bawazier, Didik J. Rachbini and Moeslim Abdurrahman.

Samuel Koto, an ex-legislator, said on Tuesday that he would maintain PAN as a party that is always committed to reform and corruption eradication.

During the congress -- to take place in Semarang, Central Java -- the candidates will fight to win votes from 432 regency chapters, 31 provincial chapters, and the central executive board.

PAN is the fifth biggest faction in the House of Representatives, after Golkar, the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), the United Development Party (PPP) and the Democratic Party. - JP

;JP;CD; ANPAa..r.. Scene-garuda-aid JP/4/Scene5 Garuda pledges funds for Aceh

JAKARTA: National carrier Garuda announced on Tuesday that it would donate some Rp 500 million (about US$53,700) in cash to help finance humanitarian relief operations in devastated Aceh.

The company said in a press statement that the aid was on top of its free cargo and passenger service between Jakarta and Aceh, which has now reached a value of around Rp 1 billion.

It added that around Rp 300 million of the cash aid would be distributed as scholarships for Acehnese students whose parents had died during last week's tsunami disaster, while the remaining Rp 200 million would be used for humanitarian relief. -- JP