Muslim scholar raps envoys

YOGYAKARTA: Noted scholar Syafii Ma'arif criticized on Thursday diplomats from Middle Eastern countries for their lack of enthusiasm to study and understand Indonesian culture, saying that their reluctance hampered closer ties between Indonesia and those countries.

"As far as I am concerned, almost none of the ambassadors from Middle Eastern countries in Jakarta has learned the Indonesian language, much less getting acquainted with Indonesia's very complex Islamic culture," Syafii was quoted by Antara as saying on Thursday.

"It's unfair because our ambassadors there are obliged to learn and master the Arabic language," he said at a seminar on the relationship between Indonesia and Middle Eastern countries.

Syafii also said that many universities in Indonesia opened Middle East study centers, but no Middle Eastern countries opened a study center on Indonesia.

This, according to Syafii, was an indication that Middle Eastern countries paid little attention to Indonesia, despite the latter's effort to develop good, strong ties with them.

"A good relationship will not be achieved if Middle Eastern countries maintain this behavior," said Syafii, who is also chairman of Muhammadiyah, the country's second-largest Muslim organization. -- Antara

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UII curriculum to be revised

BANDAR LAMPUNG: The curriculum of the State Islamic University (UII), previously known as IAIN, will be revised thoroughly and the revision is expected to be implemented in 2003.

"The revision will be discussed at a meeting of vice rectors of all State Islamic Universities in Ciawi, Bogor, West Java," said Bandar Lampung-based Raden Intan Islamic University Rector Noor Ghozin Sufri.

Under the current curriculum, local content only accounted for 40 percent of the total, he said.

However, under the new curriculum, local content would account for 60 percent of the total subjects, while national content would be the remainder, he added.

Noor Ghozin said the new curriculum would enable scholars to compete globally. --Antara

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Taufiq Kiemas visits Gudang Garam

SURABAYA: Taufiq Kiemas, the husband of President Megawati Soekarnoputri, is scheduled to make a one-day visit to publicly listed cigarette producer Gudang Garam, Kediri, East Java, on Friday.

East Java provincial spokesman Slamet Suprijono said on Thursday that Taufiq and his entourage would take a special Air Force F-28 airplane.

"He will arrive at the Iswahyudi Air Force airport in Madiun at 11 a.m. and will be welcomed by East Java Governor Imam Utomo," he said.

After Friday prayers, Taufiq would fly to Gudang Garam's factory in Kediri.

"Taufiq will be briefed about Gudang Garam's profile, particularly the handmade clove cigarette unit and machine-made clove cigarettes," said Slamet, adding that Taufiq would return to Jakarta at 3 p.m. --Antara

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House to complete elections bill

JAKARTA: The House of Representatives (DPR) is expected to complete its deliberations on the election bill by the end of January to ensure that the 2004 general election can take place as scheduled.

Legislator Teras Narang, who chairs a House special team deliberating the bill, said on Thursday they were working on the long-awaited bill.

He said although the House was in recess until Jan. 13, his team would continue to deliberate the bill.

Teras added that due to the existence of many contentious articles in the bill, legislators had agreed among themselves to continue the deliberations.

"I believe the bill will be ready for effective use by the General Elections Commission in January 2003," he added. --Antara

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Yusril to announce Xmas remission

MANADO, North Sulawesi: Minister of Justice and Human Rights Yusril Ihza Mahendra is expected to grant special remission to prisoners in Manado.

Employee at the provincial office Berty Rompas said the minister would announce the remission at a ceremony at Tuminting Prison here.

The measure would be part of the celebration of Christmas and New Year.

"The minister is scheduled to arrive in Manado on Dec. 24 and will announce the remission on Dec. 25," Berty added.

There are 469 prisoners in Manado due to receive an amnesty, 18 of whom will be released.

Prisoners due to receive remission are from Manado, Tondano, Tahuna, Tomohon, Ulu Siau, Kotamobagu, and Bitung. -- Antara

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MMI reports CGI to police

JAKARTA: The Indonesian Mujahidin Council (MMI) filed on Thursday a complaint with the police over what it said was an effort by the International Crisis Group (ICG) to discredit its leader Abu Bakar Ba'asyir.

In its Dec. 11 report, ICG accused the detained cleric Ba'asyir of heading Jamaah Islamiyah and said there appeared to be a "curious link" between Achenese close to Jamaah Islamiyah and Indonesia's military intelligence.

MMI also planned to file a lawsuit against ICG "because it has disseminated false reports that can cause restlessness among the people," said Fauzan Al Anshori, of the council, after filing the complaint with police headquarters.

The move follows a threat on Wednesday by the Indonesian military to sue ICG unless it revised the report titled Indonesia's Terrorist Network: How Jamaah Islamiyah Works.

Among their objections, they take issue with accusations in the report that the military's spokesman is in regular contact with Teungku Fauzi Hasbi, whom, it said, had ties to Jamaah Islamiyah.

"The report could cause public misunderstanding as it links me to one of the Jamaah Islamiyah members, Fauzi Hasbi," Maj. Gen. Sjafrie Syamsuddin said on Wednesday.

Sidney Jones, the Indonesia director of ICG, could not be reached for comment.

The ICG described Jamaah Islamiyah as a collection of terrorist cells that included mostly Indonesians who had lived in Malaysia and fought Christians in eastern Indonesia. --AP

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Manado blast trial nears

MANADO, North Sulawesi: The dossiers on the nine suspects in the Oct. 12 bombing of the Philippine Consulate in Manado, North Sulawesi, have been sent to the local prosecutor's office, police said on Tuesday night.

"The dossiers were handed over to the (prosecutor's) office last week," head of the Manado Police intelligence division Anom Wibowo told reporters here after attending a pretrial hearing requested by four of the nine suspects.

Asked about the delay in the submission of the dossiers to the prosecutors, Anom said the police had to wait for the result of forensic examinations from the laboratory at Makassar, South Sulawesi, which had only one forensic expert. --Antara