Dialog tries to bridge gap on reform<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Senior government officials and students held a
\nmuch-anticipated dialog yesterday to try and bridge the gap
\nbetween them on the shape and pace of the political reforms which
\nboth sides claim to advocate.<\/p>\n
While the atmosphere was generally amiable, with both sides
\npatiently listening to and responding to each other's points,
\nthere were glaring differences as each side seemed entrenched in
\nits original stance.<\/p>\n
However all in attendance agreed that reform was needed to
\nlift the country out of its deepening economic crisis.<\/p>\n
The main points of dissension lay in the pace at which these
\nreforms should take place, with some students demanding a time
\nlimit to bring the nation out of its economic doldrums.<\/p>\n
Students also saw their demands for a cabinet reshuffle
\nrejected.<\/p>\n
Some 300 people participated in the seven-hour dialog which
\ninvolved 15 cabinet ministers and several university rectors.<\/p>\n
However, only about 50 students attended the Armed Forces
\n(ABRI)-initiated meeting at the Jakarta Fair Grounds in Central
\nJakarta.<\/p>\n
The dialog was further blotted by the absence of
\nrepresentatives of the country's leading universities -- the
\nUniversity of Indonesia, the Bandung Institute of Technology and
\nthe Yogyakarta-based Gadjah Mada University.<\/p>\n
It was designed to be an answer to the incessant student
\nrallies held in various campuses across the country in the past
\ntwo months.<\/p>\n
Constitutional law expert Yusril Ihza Mahendra, rector of the
\nState Institute for Public Administration Ryaas Rasyid, military
\nanalyst Salim Said, economist Anggito Abimanyu and bureaucrat
\nGunawan Sumodiningrat were the moderators.<\/p>\n
Coordinating Minister for People's Welfare and Poverty
\nEradication Haryono Suyono, Minister of Home Affairs R. Hartono
\nand Minister of Information Alwi Dahlan were among the ministers
\npresent.<\/p>\n
Also present were Army chief of Staff Gen. Subagyo
\nHadisiswoyo, Navy chief Admiral Arief Kushariadi, Air Force chief
\nMarshall Sutria Tubagus, Police chief Gen. Dibyo Widodo, retired
\ngenerals Sayidiman Suryohadiprojo and Z.A. Maulani and economists
\nRizal Ramli, Sri Mulyani and Didik J. Rachbini.<\/p>\n
Gradual<\/p>\n
Minister of Defense and Security\/Armed Forces Commander Gen.
\nWiranto told the students that there should be no doubt about the
\ngovernment's commitment to political reform.<\/p>\n
\"The government has no arguments against the students' calls
\nfor political reform. Reform is obligatory for us (the nation) as
\nwe cannot maintain the status quo forever,\" he said.<\/p>\n
\"Yet, such reform cannot occur all of a sudden. It should be
\ngradual,\" he added.<\/p>\n
Coordinating Minister for Economy, Finance and Industry
\nGinandjar Kartasasmita said economic reforms should be the
\ngovernment's priority but these too could not occur overnight.<\/p>\n
\"It's impossible to have economic reforms within a day. They
\nneed a process.\"<\/p>\n
He cited Mexico's experience in overcoming its crisis in the
\n1980s: \"It took them three years to end the crisis.\"<\/p>\n
The government's senior economics minister also said he was
\nwilling to hold another meeting to discuss the economic reforms
\nat greater length.<\/p>\n
\"It's very difficult to be given only five minutes. I'd be
\nwilling to explain in greater detail the economic side in a
\nseparate dialog later,\" he said.<\/p>\n
But the students maintained that the government should not be
\nunchecked in its handling of the crisis and that if the present
\ncabinet was unable to resolve it the ministers should resign.<\/p>\n
\"I agree with the chairman of the Muhammadiyah Moslem
\norganization, Amien Rais, who proposed a six-month grace period
\nfor the cabinet ministers to settle the crisis,\" said Muhammad
\nLutfi of the Malang-based Brawijaya University in East Java.<\/p>\n
\"Cabinet ministers should relinquish their seats if they fail
\nto bring an end to the crisis by that time,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Eka Dharma of Udayana University in Bali supported Lutfi's
\nstatement: \"Cabinet ministers should be willing to resign if they
\nare unable to solve the state's economic upheaval.\"<\/p>\n
Wiranto, however, flatly rejected any proposals for a cabinet
\nreshuffle. \"We (cabinet ministers) are only President Soeharto's
\naides ... It will rest on him to decide\".<\/p>\n
The Armed Forces commander also politely rejected one
\nstudent's call for President Soeharto to retire given the
\nnation's current dire economic state.<\/p>\n
\"They should understand that there are certain procedures to
\nelect and to dismiss a president,\" Gen. Wiranto said.<\/p>\n
Retired general Sayidiman Suryohadiprojo underlined the need
\nfor ministers to prove their commitment to reforms by displaying
\nconcrete measures.<\/p>\n
\"What the nation needs is for the government to translate such
\ncommitments into practical actions,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Practical<\/p>\n
A hint of dissatisfaction was evident among the students when
\nMinister of Education and Culture Wiranto Arismunandar reasserted
\nhis ban on students engaging in \"practical politics\".<\/p>\n
\"Campuses are not the place for political activities,\" the
\nminister said. \"Students should concentrate on their studies, not
\npolitics.\"<\/p>\n
He proceeded to venture into an argument of how students would
\nbe deficient in facing global challenges if they failed to return
\nto their classrooms and focus on their studies.<\/p>\n
\"Currently, we have foreign artists and lawyers working here.
\nIn the future more foreigners with a wide variety of skills will
\ncome,\" he said.<\/p>\n
But some other ministers yesterday claimed they were pleased
\nto have met the students and listened to their concerns.<\/p>\n
Minister of Social Affairs Siti Hardijanti Rukmana said she
\nwelcomed the aspirations expressed by the dialog participants.<\/p>\n
\"I'm not offended by the participants' strong words,\" she told
\nreporters after the meeting.<\/p>\n
\"It's usual for me to see the students' outspokenness,\" she
\nsaid, \"It shows to me that they love and care for their country
\nvery much.\"<\/p>\n
Hardijanti, who is President Soeharto's eldest daughter, said
\nit was high time for the nation to uphold political openness and
\ndemocratization.<\/p>\n
\"We have to honestly accept that,\" she remarked.<\/p>\n
Hardijanti also said that ministers would be more than happy
\nto be invited to the campus and discuss the issues with the
\nstudents.<\/p>\n
\"Don't consider us enemies. You students are our own brothers
\nand sisters,\" she said in a sympathetic tone.<\/p>\n
She pleaded for students to remain patient and not pass
\njudgment on the work of the cabinet.<\/p>\n
\"We were only sworn in a month ago, so please give us time to
\nimplement the reforms.\"<\/p>\n
She affirmed that reforms were necessary but said that
\neconomic reforms should precede political changes.<\/p>\n
\"If the political ones take precedence it will only hamper our
\nown economy,\" she argued.<\/p>\n
State Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports Agung Laksono said
\nhe was not bothered by the small number of university students
\nwho attended.<\/p>\n
\"The most important thing is that the dialog can absorb the
\naspirations of all elements of society,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Commenting on the students who rejected the dialog, Agung said
\nthey should not have ignored such a rare but sympathetic and
\ndemocratic event.<\/p>\n
\"It's their right to reject our invitation. Yet, they should
\nhave attended.\" (imn)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/dialog-tries-to-bridge-gap-on-reform-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}