Parties differ on election debates

Parties differ on election debates

JAKARTA: The issue of whether presidential candidates in 2004
should be required to take part in public debates has yet to be
resolved by legislators deliberating the bill on presidential
elections.

All of the factions except for the Indonesian Democratic Party
of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) agree that presidential candidates
should take part in debates, to explain their programs to the
public.

PDI Perjuangan, the largest faction in the House of
Representatives, has rejected the proposal. Some observers
believe this rejection is due to fears that party leader Megawati
Soekarnoputri, who is also the President, would not fare well in
the debates.

Megawati, who was ushered into the presidency in 2001, has
often failed to communicate her policies to the public.

"The type of campaign (candidates wish to run) should not be
determined for them. Each candidate should be given the chance to
determine the most effective way for them to campaign," PDI
Perjuangan legislator Pataniari Siahaan said on the sidelines of
a closed-door meeting here on Monday.

Patrialis Akbar of the Reform faction and Amin Said Husni of
the National Awakening Party (PKB) faction emphasized that the
debates would help the public determine the capabilities of the
presidential candidates. --JP

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'Antara' lashes out at subscribers
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'Antara' lashes out at subscribers

JAKARTA: Most subscribers to state-owned news agency Antara
use the agency's news reports as raw material only, Antara chief
editor Mohammad Sobary said on Monday.

"Thus our soul has been murdered by our subscribers," Sobary
said during a hearing with House of Representatives Commission I
for media and defense affairs.

Sobary made the statement in response to questions from
legislators on the commitment of the state news agency to
maintaining the country's territorial integrity, as reflected in
its stories.

Legislators questioned why stories on the Aceh conflict mostly
dwelled on civilian casualties and suffering, instead of
humanitarian activities in the province.

Sobary said that because most subscribers used Antara's
reports only as their raw material, it was difficult to judge the
agency's commitment to national unity based on Antara articles
used by both the print and electronic media.

Sobary, who was appointed Antara's chief editor by former
president Abdurrahman Wahid, emphasized on Monday that the news
agency was committed to maintaining the country's integrity. --JP

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Golkar begins presidential screening
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Golkar begins presidential screening

JAKARTA: Hasta Karya, a forum of eight organizations under the
Golkar Party, began screening four presidential hopefuls on
Monday at the Mulia Hotel here, months before the party holds
national congresses in October 2003 and February 2004.

The four, who were invited by the forum to present their
visions for the country, were media baron Surya Paloh, Minister
of Transportation Agum Gumelar, Coordinating Minister for
People's Welfare Jusuf Kalla and former Indonesian Military chief
Gen. (ret) Wiranto.

Oetojo Oesman, who led the meeting, said Hasta Karya was
working to identify who was eligible to run for president.

The forum will soon summon several other presidential
hopefuls.

After completing the screening of the presidential hopefuls,
the forum will select several candidates and present them at the
party's national congresses.

At the October congress five candidates will be selected, and
by February next year the party will name one candidate to
contest the 2004 presidential elections scheduled to take place
sometime between June and August.

Hasta Karya will have just eight of the 530 official votes at
the party's national congresses, but its position is significant
because most of its members are executives at Golkar's chapters
and branches, which hold 30 and 416 votes, respectively.

Among the members of Hasta Karya are the Association of Mutual
Assistance Cooperatives and the Mutual Aid Family Conference.
--JP