Winfried misses trial

JAKARTA: Corruption suspect Winfried Simatupang failed to appear at a hearing of his graft trial at the Central Jakarta District Court on Monday, claiming to be sick.

The panel of judges, presided over by Judge Amiruddin Zakaria, decided to adjourn the hearings for two weeks, to give Winfried time to recover.

The panel also ordered the state prosecutors to produce a second opinion on Winfried's health condition, who was being treated at the MH Thamrin Hospital in Salemba, Central Jakarta, for a heart problem.

Defense lawyer LMM Samosir told the court that Winfried was admitted to the hospital late on Thursday.

Winfried's trial is part of the Rp 40 billion graft case, involving House of Representatives Speaker Akbar Tandjung.

Monday's hearing was scheduled to examine Winfried, the contractor of Raudhatul Jannah Foundation who was approved by Akbar Tandjung to organize the government's charity program by distributing food to the poor. The project turned out to be a scam.

In a bizarre move, Winfried returned all the Rp 40 billion, claiming that he was afraid to tell the prosecutors earlier that he still had the money inside his bedroom. -- JP

Megawati, ministers to visit Palu

PALU, Central Sulawesi: At least five ministers will accompany President Megawati Soekarnoputri on a visit to the Central Sulawesi capital of Palu later this month to open a national congress of the Alkhairaat Islamic organization.

Burhanuddin Maragau, head of the information and communication bureau in the province's administration, said on Monday that Megawati had no other agenda except for the opening of Alkhairaat's eighth congress scheduled for June 30.

The congress will be attended by 1,100 Alkhairaat delegates from across the country and will be closed by Vice President Hamzah Haz on July 3.

The ministers who will accompany Megawati will be Minister of Religious Affairs Said Agil Munawar, Minister of Home Affairs Hari Sabarno, Minister of Social Affairs Bachtiar Chamsyah, Minister of National Education Malik Fadjar and State Minister for Cultural Affairs and Tourism I Gde Ardika.

Indonesian Military (TNI) Commander Gen. Endriartono Sutarto will also join the entourage," Burhanuddin said. --Antara

PPP to elect chairman in 2003

JAKARTA: The United Development Party (PPP) will likely convene a congress to elect the party's next chairman in 2003, one year ahead of its original schedule, PPP co-chairman Tosari Wijaya said on Monday.

"The decision will be made during a meeting of the PPP central board and will be taken to the party's national working meeting for endorsement in July 2002," he said.

The PPP, the third largest faction in the House of Representatives, was scheduled to hold the congress in 2003 but later postponed it to 2004 at the request by its top chairman, Hamzah Haz, who is also vice president.

The delay sparked a bitter rift within the PPP, prompting some party executives led by noted Muslim preacher Zainuddin M.Z. to set up a separate party called PPP Reformasi (reform).

Speaking after meeting Hamzah, Tosari, also a deputy speaker of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR), said most executives of the PPP central board wanted the holding of the party's congress to be rescheduled for 2003. --Antara

Golkar to pick retired general

JAKARTA: The Golkar Party is considering appointing another retired general as its new secretary general to replace former military officer Tuswandi who passed away on June 12, 2002.

Golkar Chairman Akbar Tandjung said on Monday his party's new secretary general will likely be from the Indonesian Military (TNI) in a bid to maintain its historical relations with the armed forces.

Backed by the military, Golkar won landslide votes in past elections during the repressive 32-year rule of former dictator Soeharto who used the party as his political vehicle to retain power.

Tuswandi, a retired two-star general, died from a heart attack at Golkar's headquarters in Slipi, West Jakarta. He served as the party's secretary general since July 1998. --Antara

;JP;DEB; ANPAa..r.. Scene-Unesco-meeting

JP/4/Unesco

UNESCO opens week-long meeting

JAKARTA: Members of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) started their week-long meeting on Monday to draft its medium term strategy for the Asia Pacific region for the next six years.

Executive chairman of the Indonesian National Commission for UNESCO Arief Rachman said on Monday that the meeting would also discuss the challenge of reducing poverty through education for all, applying science toward building a knowledge-based society, and removing social, cultural and communication barriers.

Other key issues include coping with globalization through building cultural and education bridges between people, applying information technology to the benefit not only of the rich but also those who are excluded, achieving sustainable development and education on how to prevent the spread of AIDS.

The meeting will also address the root causes of conflict in order to build a culture of peace through a region that has been bedeviled by a number of threats to both external and internal peace, Arief said. --JP