Ban PKI, not communist ideology: Abdurrahman<\/p>\n
KLATEN, Central Java: President Abdurrahman Wahid rebuked
\ncriticism of his support for the revocation of MPRS Decree No.
\n25\/1965, saying Communist political parties should be banned not
\nthe ideology.<\/p>\n
"I need to put this in the correct perspective. Our
\nconstitution does not prohibit communism. The MPRS decree was
\nbased on three rebellion attempts by the PKI (Indonesian
\nCommunist Party)," he said in response to a question during a
\ndialog held after Friday prayers here.<\/p>\n
"If necessary, the MPR (People's Consultative Assembly) should
\nrevoke the decree and then issue another decree (which bans the
\nPKI)," he said during the 20-minute talk.<\/p>\n
Abdurrahman's support for a repeal of the decree has evoked
\nire from several leading politicians, particularly those aligned
\nwith the Axis Force coalition.<\/p>\n
There have been suggestions from politicians such as Assembly
\nSpeaker Amien Rais and leaders of the Crescent Star Party that a
\nSpecial Session of the Assembly be held to review Abdurrahman's
\npresidency due to the matter.<\/p>\n
But Abdurrahman has remained unfazed in his conviction that no
\nspecific ideology or belief should be banned by the state.<\/p>\n
"The state can't regulate people's beliefs. People are free to
\nprofess any belief," he said, adding that he would further
\ndiscuss his motivation for supporting the revocation of the
\ndecree during National Awakening Day on May 20.<\/p>\n
Abdurrahman also noted the New Order administration used the
\nperceived threat of communism to rob many Indonesians of their
\npolitical rights.<\/p>\n
"If it true that our society can't accept the philosophy of
\ncommunism, then educate our society to give them a better
\nunderstanding of it," he added.<\/p>\n
Following his brief stop in Klaten, the President paid his
\nrespects at the royal burial site of Imogiri, where the kings of
\nthe Mataram Kingdom are buried. He then visited the burial plot
\nof famed poet Ronggo Warsito, located some 12 kilometers south of
\nhere. (44)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/ban-pki-not-communist-ideology-abdurrahman-1447893297",
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