PIB registers for 2004 election

PIB registers for 2004 election

JAKARTA: The New Indonesia Association (PIB) party re-
registered with the Ministry of Justice and Human Rights in a bid
to run in the upcoming elections.

Party chairman Sjahrir led the delegation during the
registration on Friday. Sjahrir, a noted economist, has been
nominated as the party candidate for the 2004 presidential
election.

PIB also reported on Friday that it had established branches
in 24 provinces, 181 regencies and 1029 subdistricts and had
10,000 party members across the country.

Indonesia will hold its first-ever direct presidential
election in 2004, preceded by the legislative election on April
5.

At least 237 parties have registered with the justice
ministry. Only parties that have chapters in at least half of the
country's 31 provinces and branches in at least half of the
country's 410 regencies and municipalities may contest the
election.

As of Friday, there were only 49 parties registered for the
elections. -- JP