Govt inconsistent on 'steril' campus policy<\/p>\n
By Ariefuddin Saeni and Hasanuddin Hamid<\/p>\n
UJUNGPANDANG, South Sulawesi (JP): Months before the election
\ncampaign started, the government was firm that university
\ncampuses would be barred from political activities.<\/p>\n
Minister of Education and Culture Wardiman Djojonegoro's
\nstatement that campuses should not be turned into an arena of
\n\"practical politics\" immediately gained support from a number of
\nuniversity rectors.<\/p>\n
One rector here said: \"Campuses should be 'sterile' from
\npractical politics. I don't want my campus, which should be a
\nplace for scientific development, to be preoccupied with
\nactivities which don't support academic life.\"<\/p>\n
The rector said he was against the idea of any of the election
\ncontenders mounting a \"dialog campaign\" of political speeches and
\ndebates on his campus.<\/p>\n
\"No campaign activities should be conducted on campus because
\nthey could divide academics. They should be held off campus to
\navoid controversy,\" the rector said.<\/p>\n
But the issue, which is highly debatable, divided people over
\nthe advantages and disadvantages of allowing or barring students
\nfrom becoming involved in politics. Some argued that students
\nneed to be involved because they need \"political education\".<\/p>\n
One of the latest statements came from the minister himself.
\nSpeaking in Surabaya last Monday he said, \"campuses are allowed
\nto invite the three election contenders for dialogs, as long as
\nthe discussions are scientific\".<\/p>\n
\"But they'd have to prove that the dialogs are scientific. How
\ndo I know?\" Wardiman was quoted by Antara as saying. He was
\nspeaking on the plan of Muhammadiyah University in Malang to
\ninvite representatives of the three groups to guest lecture on
\ncampus.<\/p>\n
Deputy rector Muhadjir Effendi said the plan to invite guest
\nlecturers from the three groups was necessary to stop the
\nstudents' growing apathy over the election.<\/p>\n
Political observer Abdul Asis Thaba from the University of
\nRiau said last week in Pekanbaru that people who believed that
\ncampuses should be free from political activities were \"naive\".<\/p>\n
\"Inviting representatives is not practical politics. It's a
\npolitical education. Besides, students are not that easily
\ndivided over (political groups' speeches),\" he was quoted by
\nAntara as saying.<\/p>\n
While people continued to debate the issue on whether campuses
\nshould be free from politics, thousands of high school students
\nwere getting a first hand experience on politics.<\/p>\n
Local Golkar officials visited several high schools, urging
\nthe students to vote for the dominant group. The practice,
\nhowever, was not limited to the area, as there had been reports
\nabout the same \"visits\" in various other parts of the country.<\/p>\n
Pledge<\/p>\n
An association of 36 student bodies here pledged before local
\nofficials on April 13 that they stood united against any
\nundermining of national cohesion.<\/p>\n
In front of the chief of the Wirabuana regional military
\ncommand, Maj. Gen. Agum Gumelar, provincial police chief Brig.
\nGen. Ali Hanafiah H.Z. and Ujungpandang's mayor Malik B. Masry,
\nthe students received yellow Golkar jackets.<\/p>\n
Golkar's recruitment of potential cadres continued on April 16
\nwhen the South Sulawesi chapter of the Indonesian Red Cross
\nhosted a ceremony for 4,000 members of the Youths for Red Cross
\npledging their support for Golkar in the general election.<\/p>\n
The recruitments are common practice in senior high schools in
\nUjungpandang, Gowa and Maros regencies. Senior high school
\nprincipal of SMU 159 Sungguminasa in Gowa regency, Bakra,
\ndefended the practice, saying Golkar was recruiting potential
\ncadres, not campaigning.<\/p>\n
Bakra denied that support for Golkar was meant to legitimize
\ntheir position in the province but said the dominant group needed
\nthe students' support in the general election.<\/p>\n
Bakra said the students' guided preference for Golkar would
\nhelp them look ahead to their future and better equip them for
\nchallenges facing Indonesia.<\/p>\n
Samal, the principal of senior high school SMU 2 Ujungpandang,
\nsaid that students at his school had the right to choose any of
\nthe political groups, Golkar, the Indonesian Democratic Party
\n(PDI) or the United Development Party (PPP).<\/p>\n
He said he was not against political activities. \"As long as
\nthey don't do it during school hours and don't wear a school
\nuniform,\" he said.<\/p>\n
But Samal's argument would not sell for Golkar's rivals, PPP
\nand PDI. PPP chairman Ismail Hasan Metareum criticized Golkar for
\nmobilizing civil servants and students to attend its campaigns.<\/p>\n
PPP's deputy secretary-general Mohammad Buang said that in
\nRiau, schools and government offices were deserted during Golkar
\ncampaigns.<\/p>\n
Buang said people who had business with the manpower and
\nreligious affairs ministries' local offices were not looked after
\nbecause most employees were at campaign events.<\/p>\n
Buang said elementary and high schools in Riau were closed
\nearlier this week because teachers and students were asked to
\nattend Golkar rallies. \"It's a shame,\" he said.<\/p>",
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