PBB hopes to finish among top three
JAKARTA: The Crescent Star Party (PBB) has set its aims on finishing among the top three in the 2004 legislative election, its chairman said.
PBB chairman Yusril Ihza Mahendra expressed on Monday his optimism that his party would meet its target, considering its preparations, which he said were "much better" than in 1999.
The Muslim party, a proponent of implementing sharia, or Islamic Law, in Indonesia, won 14 seats at the House of Representatives to finish sixth in the last election, placing it among parties that beat the 2 percent electoral threshold.
Yusril was speaking at the opening of the party's national working congress at a haj dormitory in Bekasi, West Java.
The congress is to discuss, among other issues, the party's strategy to improve its standing in the 2004 polls and to evaluate its performance in the past year.
Around 500 party executives representing the central board and regional chapters are attending the congress, which will run through Wednesday.
Coordinating Minister for People's Welfare Jusuf Kalla and Nahdlatul Ulama chairman Hasyim Muzadi are expected to address the participants on the final day of the congress on their vision of Indonesia's future. -- Antara
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Military, students train together
MANADO, North Sulawesi: Over 1,500 military cadets and students, including those from the Jatinangor, West Java-based Public Administration Institute (STPDN), are gathering in an joint training program here.
Indonesian Military (TNI) chief of general affairs Lt. Gen. Djamari Chaniago said the unprecedented joint training was expected to help future military and civilian leaders reach common understanding and cooperation in tackling various national issues.
Participants of the training program come from the Army, Navy, Air Force, National Police, military academy and STPDN.
Previously, the training involved only military and police cadets.
Djamari called on participants to share their experiences and ideas on how to promote nationalism, a culture of cooperation and pluralism.
North Sulawesi governor AJ Sondakh, Wirabuana Military Commander overseeing Sulawesi Maj. Gen Suprapto and North Sulawesi Police chief Brig. Gen John Lalo were all present at the opening ceremony at Sparta Tikala square, Manado. -- Antara
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Govt to improve reproductive health
JAKARTA: The government is setting up a national commission on birth control in a move to reduce the number of abortion cases and maternal mortality rates in the country, which remain high among Southeast Asian countries.
Minister of Health Achmad Suyudi said at a workshop on reproductive health here on Monday that the commission was needed to coordinate policy-making and measures to curb the abortion rate. The commission will fall under the responsibility of the Coordinating Minister for People's Welfare Jusuf Kalla.
The commission will focus on young women in order to provide them with knowledge on reproductive health. Achmad said the pilot program was expected to protect youths from abortion, early marriage, sexually transmitted diseases and HIV/AIDS.
Achmad said that in the long run, the commission would also draft policies for the national family planning program, which is being run by the National Family Planning Board (BKKBN).
Abortion cases now reach 2 million annually, while the maternal mortality rate stands at 390 per 100,000 births. Malnutrition as a result of poverty has been blamed for the country's poor reproductive health record. -- Antara
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Govt destroys 19,000 pirated VCDs
JAKARTA: The Directorate General of Intellectual and Property Rights (HAKI) destroyed on Monday 19,000 pirated VCDs, CDs and DVDs at its office on Jl. Daan Mogot, Tangerang in Banten as part of the implementation of the new law on intellectual property rights.
The HAKI director general, Abdul Bari Azed, said that the pirated goods had been confiscated during raids in Menteng DVD in Central Jakarta and Ratu Plaza and ITC Fatmawati, both in South Jakarta.
Bari said that there were currently 50 factories with 200 machines illegally producing four million copies of pirate VCDs, CDs and DVDs per day within Indonesia.
He said pirated VCDs, CDs and DVDs of films and music alone caused US$250 million in state losses per year.
"We will continue the raids and target businessmen who posses advanced technology in producing pirated VCDs, CDs and DVDs since President Megawati Soekarnoputri has given 1,000 percent support to us," he said.
Meanwhile HAKI director Emawati Junus said she had sent warning letters to shopping malls and plazas in Tangerang and Bogor asking them not to sell illegal VCDs, CDs and DVDs. -- JP