Muslim students object to privatization program<\/p>\n
Jakarta Post, West Sumatra<\/p>\n
Scores of students from the West Sumatra branch of the
\nIndonesian Muslim Students Action Front (KAMMI) rallied here on
\nFriday to protest the privatization of state enterprises and the
\npresence of some economics ministers.<\/p>\n
Antara reported that the students began to gather midmorning
\nin front of the Jam Gadang Monumen (Bukittinggi's "Big Ben"),
\nwaving banners, protesting the privatization of state enterprises
\n-- particularly the Indonesian satellite corporation, Indosat,
\nand the local cement factory, PT Semen Padang.<\/p>\n
The rally was organized only 100 meters away from the Bung
\nHatta palace, where a dialog, titled "Dialog between the
\ngovernment, bankers and businesspeople in western Indonesia" was
\nscheduled to be held on Friday evening.<\/p>\n
The dialog will be attended by Bank Indonesia (BI) Governor
\nSjahril Sabirin, nine Cabinet ministers under Coordinating
\nMinister for the Economy Dorodjatun Kuntjoro-Jakti, governors,
\ndistrict chiefs and mayors from western Indonesia.<\/p>\n
"The divestment of government shares in state companies shows
\nthe government's failure in its move toward national economic
\nrecovery. Indeed, the privatization will further worsen the
\ncountry's economic condition," student demonstrator Ahmad said in
\nhis speech.<\/p>\n
He blamed the failure and the worsening economic condition on
\nthe economic team of President Megawati Soekarnoputri's
\ngovernment under the leadership of Dorodjatun.<\/p>\n
The students then issued a statement rejecting not only the
\nprivatization program but also the presence of the economic
\nministers at the two-day dialog. "We reject the presence of
\nMegawati's economic team here because it is responsible for the
\ncountry's continuing economic crisis," Ahmad said.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/muslim-students-object-to-privatization-program-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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