Symposium on Islam in Indonesia

Symposium on Islam in Indonesia

JAKARTA: The New Zealand Asia Institute, Auckland University and the Indonesian Embassy in New Zealand are scheduled to hold a symposium with the theme: "Overlooking Indonesia: Openness, Religious Harmony and Globalization."

The embassy said in a statement on Tuesday that the one-day symposium would be held at Auckland University's conference center on March 19.

The symposium is aimed at improving understanding among New Zealanders about Islam and Muslims in Indonesia, and to help them comprehend Islam from economic, political, historical, cultural and social perspectives.

The symposium will features noted figures, including secretary general of the Association of Indonesian Muslim Intellectuals Marwah Daud and former minister of religious affairs Tarmizi Taher as speakers.

It will also present academics and representatives from the New Zealand government, parliament, private sector and nongovernmental organizations as speakers, including Tim Behrend, Eric van Reijn, Jim Veitch, Andrew Renton-green and David Kirsey. -- Antara

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E-government to be developed

JAKARTA: State Minister of Administrative Reforms Feisal Tamin said here on Tuesday that his office would develop an e- government to help administrative efforts in both the central and regional governments.

"The e-government is also popularly called government on line," the minister said during a hearing with the government affairs commission at the House of Representatives.

The development of the modern system would be linked to all government organizations, especially public service institutions, he said.

Through such a program, data and information could be accessed and utilized by the public quickly, accurately and securely, he said.

Feisal said that the application of e-government would enable all government organizations to do their jobs electronically, thereby helping them speed up the decision making process.

So far there had been 119 websites developed by government institutions throughout the country.

"Out of the total, 52 belong to central government institutions, seven to state enterprises and 60 to regency and provincial administrations," he added. -- Antara

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Muslim lawyers to sue RP, Malaysia

JAKARTA: A group of Indonesian attorneys known as the Muslim Defense Team (TPM) has announced plans to sue the Philippine and Malaysian governments for creating the false impression that Indonesia is a hub for terrorists, and for naming Abu Bakar Ba'asyir as a member of the al-Qaeda terrorist network.

TPM head Mahendradatta, who is also Abu Bakar's lawyer, said here on Monday that his group would also ask the Philippine and Malaysian governments to restore his client's good name.

However, he refused to reveal how much compensation his group would seek from the two countries, saying that he still needed to consult further with his counterparts.

Malaysian police have named Abu Bakar Ba'asyir as a leader of a Muslim fundamentalist group believed to have links with Osama bin Laden's al-Qaeda terrorist network, widely blamed for the September attacks against the U.S.

Philippine police on the other hand, have also arrested Fathur Rohman Al Ghozi, an Indonesian believed to be a graduate of the Al-Mukmin Islamic Boarding School in Ngruki, Sukoharjo in Central Jakarta, which was once led by Abu Bakar Ba'asyir, for possessing one ton of explosives.

During questioning by Indonesian police on Thursday and Friday, Abu Bakar Ba'asyir denied all the charges against him. -- Antara

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Chinese New Year holiday optional

JAKARTA: Chinese New Year, which falls this year on Feb. 12, is not a national holiday, but an optional holiday, a religious affairs ministry official says.

"Optional holiday means its implementation depends on individual discretion, whether to make it a holiday or not," said the Ministry of Religious Affairs' public relations chief Muhamad Kailani in Bandung, West Java, on Tuesday.

The Chinese New Year has never been celebrated as a national holiday in Indonesia, but confusion loomed after authorities realized that one calendar had marked Feb. 12 in red, signifying a national holiday, while most other calendars printed Feb. 12 in black, signifying a normal workday. The religious affairs ministry's statement is expected to end the confusion.

Muhamad Kailani said Chinese New Year, or Imlek as it is known in Indonesia, has become an optional holiday since 2001.

Advisor to the Khong Hu Cu Religious Council Yansen D. said in Bandung, West Java, on Tuesday that declaring Imlek as an optional holiday would suffice as it reflected the government's sensitiveness to the aspirations of Khong Hu Cu followers. -- Antara