A dangerous game<\/p>\n
The most talked about topics these days are obviously the June
\ngeneral election and the repeated armed clashes in East Timor and
\nAceh. The first is discussed with optimism while the others with
\na feeling of regret and disgust, especially last week's bloodbath
\nin Aceh, in which at least 40 unarmed demonstrators were killed.<\/p>\n
However, in the middle of this mixed public mood, President
\nB.J. Habibie has managed to steal the show by making a shocking
\nstatement accusing communists, \"Marhaenists\" and socialists of
\nplotting to sow disunity among the people.<\/p>\n
In condemning the perceived plot, Habibie used the term
\n\"Komas\", an abbreviation of the three ideologies never before
\nheard. It is worth noting here that \"Marhaenism\" is a term coined
\nby president Sukarno while leading a militant nationalist
\nmovement during the late 1920s in Bandung. The term was later
\npopular among his followers, who, after Indonesia's independence,
\nreestablished the Indonesian Nationalist Party (PNI).<\/p>\n
Habibie's contentious statement was quoted by the chairman of
\nthe Muhammadiyah Youth Organization after a meeting with the
\nPresident at the Bina Graha Office on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
According to Nadjamuddin Ramly, the youth leader, Habibie said
\n\"Komas\" was plotting to seize power through terrorist acts such
\nplanting bombs and inciting riots. Recently the nation was
\nshocked by a powerful bomb explosion in the offices of the
\nIstiqlal Grand Mosque in Jakarta.<\/p>\n
No suspects have been arrested for the crime but many believe
\nit was meant to make Muslims retaliate against followers of other
\nreligions. The suspects also expect all religious followers
\nfight each other while the nation is making preparations for the
\npoll.<\/p>\n
However, many observers are not interested in connecting
\nHabibie's statement to the bomb blast and other heinous crimes
\nacross the country because they were more upset by the apparent
\nnegative intention of the President's remarks.<\/p>\n
The President's logic was so unpalatable that it angered many
\npolitical observers. Roeslan Abdulgani, a senior nationalist who
\nwas president Sukarno's spokesman and president Soeharto's
\nadviser for state ideology, said that by making the controversial
\nstatement Habibie's logic is bankrupt.<\/p>\n
Roeslan, 84, also said that the statement, which attempts to
\nturn communists, Marhaenists and socialists into scapegoats for
\nthe current trend toward national disintegration is not only
\nmistaken but naive.<\/p>\n
According to Roeslan, who took an active role in the
\nIndonesian revolution, the disintegration is rather caused by
\nresentment toward the centralized power of a corrupt regime which
\nvictimized the people in the provinces to enrich the rulers and
\ntheir accomplices. He did not name names.<\/p>\n
Roeslan hints that Habibie is an arrogant and frustrated power
\nholder.<\/p>\n
He is not alone in rebuking Habibie. Among the many that agree
\nwith him is H. Probosutedjo, Soeharto's half brother and chairman
\nof the newly established Marhaenist Front Indonesian National
\nParty, who said he planned to file a lawsuit against the
\nPresident for the statement.<\/p>\n
Habibie stressed on Friday that he did not identify
\nMarhaenists and socialists with communists. The President said he
\nhad been misquoted by the youth leader. He gave the impression
\nthat he did not make the simple-minded statement widely reported
\nby the media. What he was trying to do was soothe the indignation
\ncaused.<\/p>\n
The President has made confusing remarks on many an occasion,
\nand sometimes they were not without a message. What is clear
\nthrough last week's statements is that Habibie is beating a drum
\nof war against the communists, a stance which sounds untimely
\nunless what he really has in mind is a witch hunt.<\/p>\n
His regime has failed to solve too many tragic incidents, and
\nby holding the communists and socialists responsible, Habibie
\nseems to be washing his own hands of any blame for the tragedies.<\/p>\n
The act is a suicidal game, especially for someone who wants
\nto remain in the saddle of power.<\/p>",
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