Bandung students greet Megawati with rallies<\/p>\n
BANDUNG (JP): Two groups of Bandung students greeted Vice
\nPresident Megawati Soekarnoputri on Friday with a demonstration,
\ncriticizing the government for failing to uphold law enforcement.<\/p>\n
The students, grouped in the Bandung Young Indonesian Front
\n(FIM-B) and Bandung Students' Movement Association (KPMB),
\ncriticized the government for failing to enforce the law
\nproperly. They demanded that Soeharto be brought to court soon.<\/p>\n
Economic recovery had also failed, the students said.<\/p>\n
Megawati visited here to attend graduation day at the State
\nAdministration Institute.<\/p>\n
In her address she stressed that government officials must be
\nresponsive and intelligent in articulating the people's
\nincreasing demands.<\/p>\n
\"People have become more critical and more demanding for
\ndemocratic government which respects human rights.<\/p>\n
\"Their main demand is clean governance, wider (regional)
\nautonomy, proper exploitation of natural resources and an
\nequitable financial balance between the central government and
\nprovincial and regency administrations,\" she told the 624
\ngraduates.<\/p>\n
The state-owned institute, formerly located in Jakarta, is
\ndedicated to producing government officials. In the past its
\ngraduates held district head level posts in the regions and had
\ngreat loyalty to the ruling group, Golkar.<\/p>\n
\"People are no longer the object of the government. A
\nleadership style which lets reduces the people being merely the
\nobjects of the ruler will make no progress,\" she said.<\/p>\n
Seven of the 624 graduates are East Timorese, who have decided
\nto become Indonesian citizens.<\/p>\n
The president of the institute, Marwoto Soewito said that six
\nof the East Timorese would be posted to West, Central and East
\nJava respectively, while the other one will be appointed to
\nKupang, East Nusa Tenggara.<\/p>\n
Technology<\/p>\n
A day earlier in Bandung, President Abdurrahman Wahid
\ninstructed the Office of the State Minister of Research and
\nTechnology to determine the course of the development of science
\nand technology in the country.<\/p>\n
\"The future development of science and technology in Indonesia
\nhas no certain framework,\" the President said in an address at an
\nevent commemorating National Technology Awakening Day.<\/p>\n
\"Will we just develop applied technology for our daily needs,
\nor will we develop technology in general, or a combination of
\napplied and general technology? A combination may be preferable,\"
\nhe said.<\/p>\n
\"Japan has made many achievements in developing applied
\ntechnology, yet it is the number one country in optic and
\nelectronic technology,\" he cited.<\/p>\n
Whatever Indonesia would prefer, the development of technology
\nmust be based on moral values. \"Morality means productivity, an
\nincrease in the quality of human life, the maintenance of
\ndemocracy, the supremacy of law, freedom of speech and greater
\ntolerance.<\/p>\n
\"Let's look back at history. After World War II, Japan,
\nGermany, France and other countries developed their economies and
\ntechnology, based on moral values. The result was that they made
\nvery significant achievements,\" he said.<\/p>\n
The development of science and technology must be devoted to
\nthe benefit of mankind and the nation. \"The government will not
\nfinance any research that is not related to this priority.\"<\/p>\n
The President's entourage included First Lady Sinta Nuriyah
\nand nine Cabinet ministers, including State Minister of Research
\nand Technology A.S. Hikam and Minister of Home Affairs Surjadi
\nSoedirdja.<\/p>\n
The nine ministers signed an agreement on the promotion of
\ntechnology in Indonesia.<\/p>\n
The Indonesian National Technology Awakening Day dates back to
\nthe first flight of the N-250 Gatotkoco in Bandung on Aug. 10,
\nfive years ago.<\/p>\n
The aircraft, produced by the state aircraft firm IPTN, used
\nfly-by-wire technology, which was, at the time, an advance in
\naviation technology.<\/p>\n
The peak of the commemoration of Technology Awakening Day was
\nwhen the President honored two people considered the most
\nmeritorious in the development of technology with the
\nKalyanakretya 2000 award.<\/p>\n
The recipients were Juanda Suraatmadja, an expert in concrete
\ntechnology at the Bandung Institute of Technology and Husaini
\nMahdin Anwar, a nutritionist at the Bogor Institute of
\nAgriculture. (25\/sur)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/bandung-students-greet-megawati-with-rallies-1447893297",
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