Intellectual organizations need regulations<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Members of the House of Representatives
\nyesterday urged the government to regulate the activities of
\nintellectual associations amidst signs that their presence is
\naffecting the political climate in the country.<\/p>\n
The House's Commission II on domestic politics said during a
\nplenary hearing that the establishment of these associations and
\ntheir activities are sowing public confusion, especially now that
\nthey appear to be treading into the political arena.<\/p>\n
The chief concern is that membership in these intellectual
\nassociations is based on religious or sectarian lines, said Amru
\nAl Mu'Tasyim, who was speaking on behalf of his colleagues in
\nCommission II.<\/p>\n
The appeal came amidst signs that there is a rift within
\nmembers of President Soeharto's cabinet, particularly between
\nB.J. Habibie, who chairs the increasingly influential Association
\nof Islamic Intellectuals (ICMI), and Siswono Yudohusodo, who has
\nbeen widely predicted to head the new Association of Nationalist
\nIntellectuals (ICKI).<\/p>\n
Habibie, the state minister of research and technology, and
\nSiswono, the minister of transmigration, have been locked in a
\nwar of words over the past week after Siswono publicly accused
\nHabibie's ICMI of indulging in politics.<\/p>\n
Individuals<\/p>\n
Siswono acknowledged that ICMI members may have been acting in
\ntheir individual capacities when making political statements, but
\ntoo often they have still carried the ICMI tag, making their
\nintentions difficult to distinguish.<\/p>\n
He also deplored that PIKI, the Association of Christian
\nIntellectuals, was revived after having been dormant for years,
\nand that this was followed by the establishment of ISKA
\n(Catholic), ICMI (Islam) and FCHI (Hindu).<\/p>\n
Habibie, responding to Siswono's charges, denied that
\nindividual ICMI members represent the association when they are
\nin political circles.<\/p>\n
He pointed out that ICMI welcomes intellectuals of any
\npolitical affiliation and that some of the association's
\nexecutives hold high posts in political parties including Golkar
\nand the United Development Party.<\/p>\n
Commission II of the House yesterday proposed that the
\ngovernment move to unite these intellectual organizations under
\none umbrella and defuse potential conflicts among them.<\/p>\n
By bringing them into one group, all the intellectual
\npotential that they offer could be combined and directed toward
\ndeveloping the country without conflicts over the interests of
\nindividual groups, it said in its report.
\nViolation<\/p>\n
Spokesman Amru also said the establishment of these
\nassociations may have violated the law on mass organizations.
\n\"They should reorganize these associations so they comply with
\nthe law.\"<\/p>\n
Most of the criticisms have been leveled against ICMI, by far
\nthe biggest and politically the most influential of all the
\nintellectual associations.<\/p>\n
ICMI, which has established chapters in the regions,
\ngovernment agencies and even Indonesian embassies abroad, is
\nreported to have been influential in the formation of Golkar's
\nexecutive board last October. Many people associated with ICMI
\nnow also sit on Soeharto's cabinet.<\/p>\n
The power of ICMI has been such that its chairman, Habibie,
\nhas been tipped to be one of the strongest contenders to replace
\nPresident Soeharto when he steps down in 1998.<\/p>\n
The establishment of ICKI, led by former cabinet minister
\nAlamsyah Perwiranegara, has been seen as a manifestation of
\ndissatisfaction with ICMI's growing power.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Coordinating Minister of Political and Security
\nAffairs Soesilo Soedarman appealed to the intellectual community
\nin Indonesia to stay politically neutral and not to be affected
\nby attempts to sway them to serve certain political interests.<\/p>\n
Speaking in Yogyakarta on Sunday, Soesilo said the
\nintellectual community should remain united and avoid being
\n\"compartamentalized.\"<\/p>\n
\"Whatever they do, they should place the country's unity above
\npersonal or group interests,\" he said as quoted by Antara. (par)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/intellectual-organizations-need-regulations-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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