Habibie makes last effort<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): President B.J. Habibie staunchly defended his
\nachievements and magnanimously asked for forgiveness for all his
\nshortcomings in a last-ditch attempt on Sunday to convince the
\nPeople's Consultative Assembly (MPR) to accept his accountability
\nreport.<\/p>\n
\"To the factions which have rejected my accountability report
\nand which think I have accomplished nothing... I shall put this
\nto God Almighty,\" Habibie told the Assembly in a speech
\nresponding to the MPR's views of his accountability report, which
\nwas delivered on Thursday.<\/p>\n
Different from his accountability speech, which he began with
\nthe story of his success in coping the country's economic crisis,
\nhis Sunday address started with his defense of his policy on East
\nTimor.<\/p>\n
The President appealed to the Assembly to scrap 1978 Decree
\nNo. VI which ratified the integration of East Timor as the
\ncountry's 27th province and ratified the self-determination vote
\nresult.<\/p>\n
\"As a great nation determined to advance democracy and human
\nrights, we have to accept and respect the result of the ballot,\"
\nthe President said, referring to the Aug. 30 vote for
\nindependence by the East Timorese.<\/p>\n
Fending off harsh criticism of his poor record in resolving
\nhuman rights violations during his 17-month tenure, the President
\ncited a limited number of security forces and the country's
\ncomplex problems as the main barriers to process the numerous
\ncases.<\/p>\n
\"We should remember that the simultaneous outbursts of
\nviolence in various areas must also be judged from the context of
\ndemocratic euphoria within the society,\" Habibie argued.<\/p>\n
He denied that the government was half-hearted in resolving
\nmajor human rights violations.<\/p>\n
On the kidnapping of dozens of government critics before the
\nfall of then president Soeharto in May last year, he pointed out
\nthat the Jakarta Military Tribunal had convicted 11 Army Special
\nForces members, including a major, for disobeying their
\nsuperior's order.<\/p>\n
On the Trisakti May 12 shooting incident last year, which
\nkilled four students, the President said the military or police
\nwere still hunting for the shooters.<\/p>\n
\"Ballistic tests are still underway and the case still cannot
\nbe taken to court,\" the President said.<\/p>\n
The shooting triggered nationwide riots which claimed about
\n1,200 lives and forced president Soeharto to hand over his power
\nto then vice president Habibie on May 21.<\/p>\n
In proving his government's seriousness to end the tragedies
\nin Ambon, Maluku and Aceh, which have claimed thousands of lives,
\nHabibie merely cited military reports.<\/p>\n
He said the military tribunal in Banda Aceh had convicted five
\nsoldiers for violating human rights and more defendants would be
\ntried next month.<\/p>\n
\"Insya Allah (God willing), next month more cases will be
\nbrought to court,\" Habibie said.<\/p>\n
The President defended the acting attorney general's decision
\nto stop corruption investigations on Soeharto, saying: \"The case
\nis not definitely halted. If there is new evidence, it can be
\nreopened.\"<\/p>\n
Speaking to journalists after the President's speech, Golkar
\nchairman Akbar Tandjung still hoped that the 11 factions in the
\nAssembly would accept Habibie's accountability speech.<\/p>\n
\"The President has given his response to factions' different
\nviews on his accountability speech. We still hope the factions
\nthat have decided to reject his accountability will change their
\nmind after hearing Habibie's response today,\" he said.<\/p>\n
But, presidential candidate Megawati Soekarnoputri of the
\nIndonesian Democratic Party of Struggle reaffirmed on Sunday her
\nparty's rejection of Habibie's speech.<\/p>\n
\"I personally believe that our faction will still reject
\nHabibie's accountability speech,\" she said.<\/p>\n
Habibie defended once again his economic programs, including
\nthe much-criticized handling of a high profile Bank Bali scandal
\nwhich allegedly involved certain members of his Cabinet and inner
\ncircle.<\/p>\n
Habibie reiterated reasons why his government had declined to
\ndisclose the result of the PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC)
\ninvestigation of the Bank Bali scandal.<\/p>\n
He pointed out that since the PwC audit report contains
\ninformation on various personal bank accounts, disclosing the
\nreport would violate the country's banking secrecy code.<\/p>\n
\"A violation of the banking secrecy code risks a severe
\npenalty. That's why the BPK (Supreme Audit Agency) is currently
\nasking for a legal opinion from the Supreme Court for the
\npossibility to disclose the full PwC report,\" he said.<\/p>\n
The Bank Bali scandal centers around the transfer of US$80
\nmillion from the bank to a private firm owned by businessmen
\nlinked to Habibie's inner circle.<\/p>\n
Disclosing the PwC report would reveal the influential people
\ninvolved in the scandal, which would seriously undermine
\nHabibie's effort to run for president.<\/p>\n
Economists said that the Bank Bali scandal cost the country
\ndearly, including a delay of the banking restructuring program
\nand the suspension of crucial foreign loans primarily from the
\nInternational Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank.<\/p>\n
Experts also said that the scandal has destroyed confidence in
\nthe economy and thwarted overall economic reforms.<\/p>\n
But Habibie dismissed such concerns, saying that the loan
\ndelay was not an indication that the IMF and the World Bank had
\nlost confidence on the government and economic reform programs.<\/p>\n
\"The fact that the IMF sent its technical team here proves
\nthat it is still committed toward the success of our economic
\nrecovery programs,\" he said.<\/p>\n
The IMF has said its technical team to Jakarta met primarily
\nwith independent economists and party leaders to review the
\ncountry's various economic programs.<\/p>\n
He said that the stable rupiah helped in curbing inflation
\nwhich, in turn, allowed a drop in interest rates.<\/p>\n
But experts said that the rather positive indicators did not
\nnecessarily mean that the economy was already on track toward
\nrecovery.<\/p>\n
Habibie admitted that the estimated cost of the country's bank
\nrestructuring program was Rp 569.2 trillion.<\/p>\n
Habibie had said in his accountability speech that the overall
\ncost estimate was Rp 350 trillion, which drew sharp criticism
\nfrom analysts.<\/p>\n
Economists criticized Habibie's accountability report for
\ncontaining inaccurate figures on such important matters as
\nbanking.<\/p>\n
Habibie reportedly angrily berated his advisers and economic
\nteam for the humiliating mistake.<\/p>\n
Defending his record in dealing with corruption, collusion and
\nnepotism in state enterprises and agencies, Habibie said that his
\ngovernment had started taking firm action at the state oil and
\ngas firm Pertamina, state electricity firm PLN, and state
\nlogistic agency Bulog.<\/p>\n
He pointed out that PwC and Arthur Andersen had completed
\naudits on the state enterprises. (rei\/rms\/jsk\/byg\/05\/prb)<\/p>",
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