UK Muslim politicians due here
JAKARTA: A delegation of five senior British Muslim politicians will visit Indonesia from March 20 through March 23.
The delegation, to be led by House of Lords member Lord Patel of Blackburn, will meet with a number of government officials and leaders of Muslim groups.
Other delegation members include Labor Party member of parliament Khalid Mahmood, Foreign and Commonwealth Office official Asif Ahmad, former prime ministerial advisor Farzana Hakim, and advisor to the Conservative leader Mohammad Riaz.
The delegation will also visit Yogyakarta and take part in a seminar on the relations between the government and the provinces, to be held at Gadjah Mada University.
;JP;ANTARA; Scene-pornography What is pornography? JP/8/SCENE
What is pornography?
JAKARTA: The absence of a clear-cut legal definition of pornography has made it difficult for police authorities to fight pornography, a high ranking police officer says.
Deputy chief of the Indonesian Police public relations division Brig. Gen. Edward Aritonang said during a discussion on pornography organized by the Central Coordination Body of Public Relations Agencies (Bako Humas) and the Ministry of Religious Affairs that the definition of pornography in existing laws was too general and open to contradicting interpretations.
"Because of the lack of a clear-cut definition, each journalist has to make a subjective interpretation as to what is pornographic and what isn't," Aritonang said.
The National Council of Ulemas (MUI) has been urging the authorities to deal firmly with publications and television stations publishing and broadcasting pornographic pictures or programs.
Aritonang pointed out that a number of suspects had in the end been acquitted as they could not be proven guilty of the charges due to the unclear legal definition.
"Besides, the defense lawyers and testimonies by experts had further weakened the charges because they claimed the matters in question were artistic creations rather than pornography," he said. -- Antara
;JP;TAS; ANPAa..r.. Scene-Drug-Test PDI-P members must take drug test JP/8/SCENE
PDI-P members must take drug test
JAKARTA: Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) chairwoman Megawati Soekarnoputri instructed party members on Tuesday to undergo a drug test as part of the party's campaign to combat narcotics.
"As part of our effort to combat drugs we should start with ourselves," Megawati was quoted by PDI Perjuangan deputy secretary-general Pramono Anung as saying during the party's weekly meeting.
Megawati chaired the meeting.
Pramono said party members who tested positive for drug abuse would be expelled immediately, regardless of their position within the party.
He also said that the party issued on Tuesday an announcement for party members to take a drug test as soon as possible.
Earlier, Megawati, who is also the country's President, instructed all employees of government departments and offices to take drug tests as part of an attempt to eliminate the currently widespread drug abuse. --JP