Habibie should prove his mettle, Rudini says<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Political observer Rudini believes State
\nMinister of Research and Technology B.J. Habibie, the official
\nsole vice presidential candidate, needs to prove that he has the
\nrequired leadership qualities to hold the nation's second top
\nposition.<\/p>\n
\"He needs to prove it in order to be called a statesman in a
\ntrustworthy administration,\" Rudini said in a discussion marking
\nthe launching of two books, Negarawan Masa Depan (Future State
\nLeaders) and Pemerintah yang Amanah (Trustworthy Government) here
\nyesterday.<\/p>\n
He said that incumbent President Soeharto, who is expected to
\nbe reelected for his seventh term in the coming General Session
\nof the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR), had proven himself
\nand beyond even if he did not start out as an intellectual.<\/p>\n
\"Pak Harto is not a scholar... but he is recognized and
\nrespected because he saved the nation and the country,\" Rudini
\nsaid. \"What's important now is that we need someone who can lead
\nmore than we need scholars.\"<\/p>\n
\"It's not that I don't support Habibie, but he needs to prove
\nhis ability,\" he said. \"It's important to have a vice president
\nwho masters technology but what's more important is that people
\naccept the person and that he can lead the nation.\"<\/p>\n
Habibie is also chairman of the Association of Indonesian
\nMoslem Intellectuals and known for being at the forefront of the
\ndevelopment of high-technology industries here.<\/p>\n
Separately yesterday, political observer Arbi Sanit discussed
\nhow the coming General Session would be held amid growing calls
\nfor reform. He expressed concern that the power holders' vested
\ninterests had hampered the reform needed to end the ailing
\neconomic and political crisis here.<\/p>\n
He accused the power holders of seeking to maintain the status
\nquo not only for their own sake, but also that of their families.<\/p>\n
The discussion was organized by Tempo Interaktif website
\nmagazine to commemorate its second anniversary.<\/p>\n
\"Their vested interests are the root of all problems,\" said
\nArbi, who is a staff lecturer at the University of Indonesia's
\nSchool of Social and Political Sciences.<\/p>\n
Arbi added the government seemed to be unwilling to carry out
\neconomic and political reforms despite unprecedented public
\npressure in the past months.<\/p>\n
\"The government is being conservative, they (the officials)
\nappear to be very sure that whatever they are doing is right,\"
\nArbi said. \"They have even tried to blame other people for the
\ncrisis facing us now. They refuse to introspect.\"<\/p>\n
The country is gripped by the worst economic crisis in the
\nhistory of the New Order government due to the rupiah's drastic
\nplunge against the U.S dollar, prompting soaring prices of basic
\ncommodities and massive unemployment.<\/p>\n
The skyrocketing prices has sparked riots in more than 25
\ntowns and cities across the archipelago.<\/p>\n
Military officers have vowed to take stern measures against
\nrioters and have tightened security to anticipate any
\ndisturbances to the MPR's General Session which is due to begin
\ntomorrow.<\/p>\n
Separately, the Association of Islamic Students (HMI) urged
\nthe Assembly to demand Soeharto hold himself accountable for the
\ncurrent crisis.<\/p>\n
\"The government should not only convey the success story, but
\nshould also picture the flaws,\" the association said in a four-
\npage statement made available here yesterday.<\/p>\n
The statement, signed by chairman Anas Urbaningrum and
\nsecretary-general Zulkifli, also called on Soeharto to encourage
\noutspokenness in the Assembly.<\/p>\n
The assembly leaders have repeatedly issued warnings to their
\nmembers against expressing dissent by interrupting the body's
\nGeneral Session.<\/p>\n
In Surabaya, 2.6 million members of the rural-based Nahdlatul
\nUlama Moslem organization stated yesterday their support for the
\nnomination of Soeharto and Habibie. (nur\/aan\/byg)<\/p>",
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