Achmad denies rift with Habibie on ICMI statement<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The acting chairman of the influential
\nAssociation of Indonesian Moslem Intellectuals (ICMI), Achmad
\nTirtosudiro, has denied there is any split in the organization's
\nleadership and insists that differences have been settled.<\/p>\n
"It's not true that there's friction between me and Pak
\nHabibie," he said, referring to Vice President B.J. Habibie who,
\ntechnically, is still the chairman of ICMI.<\/p>\n
Speaking to a gathering of some 5,000 Moslems at the Al Azhar
\nGrand Mosque here Saturday, Achmad spoke about how he and ICMI
\nsecretary-general Adi Sasono recently gave their and the
\norganization's endorsement for reform and for a possible
\nextraordinary session of the People's Consultative Assembly.<\/p>\n
Habibie later charged that Ahmad and Adi were expressing their
\npersonal views, not those of ICMI, and that a special session of
\nthe Assembly would undermine democracy.<\/p>\n
Achmad said on Saturday that he recently had the opportunity
\nto meet with Habibie and clarify matters. "I reaffirmed then that
\nthe (mine and Adi's) statement was the result of a meeting of
\nICMI branch executives," he said.<\/p>\n
"I said: 'Had you been at the meeting, Bapak, you would have
\nbeen amazed at how enthusiastic they were (ICMI executives for
\nreform)'," Achmad said. "I told (Habibie) that now that he is the
\nvice president, he should just concentrate on his duties, which
\nare many."<\/p>\n
"ICMI is my business," he said he told Habibie.<\/p>\n
Achmad said Habibie seemed to have understood the matter and
\nhad even reported the development to President Soeharto.<\/p>\n
Achmad claimed that Soeharto said "that's good" and that the
\nPresident had known him a long time. "I know him. I know his
\ndevotion to Islam. He wouldn't do anything bad," Achmad repeated
\nSoeharto's remarks about him as conveyed through Habibie.<\/p>\n
Habibie will still chair the ICMI until 2000, when the
\norganization will convene and elect a new leader.<\/p>\n
Initiated by a group of students of Brawijaya University in
\nMalang, East Java, in 1990, ICMI has gone from strength to
\nstrength. Its chief patron is President Soeharto, while former
\nvice president Try Sutrisno as well as many other prominent
\npeople are its advisors.<\/p>\n
At some point of its existence, ICMI was considered to have so
\nmuch clout that it was able to influence the recruitment of
\ncabinet ministers. Its leaders, however, insist that the
\norganization shuns politics. Adi, for instance, refused to
\nrecommend ICMI members to be included in the cabinet now that
\nPresident Soeharto is about to reshuffle it. (swe)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/achmad-denies-rift-with-habibie-on-icmi-statement-1447893297",
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