1997 and 1998 'critical' for RI: Soesilo

SEMARANG (JP): Coordinating Minister for Political Affairs and Security Soesilo Soedarman predicts that 1997 and 1998, during which Indonesia will hold general elections and name a new head of state, will be "critical".

During a seminar on democracy and the concept of an integral state at Diponegoro University here yesterday, the minister said that those years will be marked by collisions between different political interests.

"The interests of various parties will meet ... (in) the years of 1997 and 1998, during which the five-year cycle of national leadership will come full circle once again," he said. "We can imagine just how critical that time will be, if we cannot manage the collisions of various interests."

In order to curb the potential chaos emerging from such collisions, the people across the nation must establish a common perception and interpretation of the existing political system, he said.

"We should strengthen the perception so that even if collision occurs, it will be containable within the Pancasila democracy political system," he said.

Soesilo warned the people of the nation to guard against the anti-Indonesia campaigns launched by various groups. "This dislike toward Indonesia is displayed through various efforts to undermine Pancasila, the 1945 Constitution and our integral state system," he said.

He criticized those who are using "academic argumentation" and "liberal values and norms" as a yardstick with which to evaluate the Pancasila political system.

"The main target of such campaigns is students, 40 percent of whom were born after 1966," he said.

He pointed out that the political development in Indonesia has yet to reach its final stage. "Many things have yet to be done because, among other things, the existing sets of laws are still within the context of an early stage of a long process within the nation's existence," he said.

"It's our responsibility to ensure that those laws and principles are implemented well in our life as a nation," he said. "This is why we still have to improve the quality of our democracy and to establish the strength to uphold that democracy."

The concept of an integral state was introduced by Prof. Supomo, one of Indonesia's founding fathers, who believed it was consistent with "the Eastern way of thinking" and what he called "the family principle, unity and cohesion". Throughout the years there have been plenty of discussions on whether the integral state concept is democratic.

Yesterday's seminar also featured Lt. Gen. Harsudiono Hartas, a member of the Supreme Advisory Board (DPA), who spoke on the roles of the Armed Forces (ABRI) in society.

He said ABRI should be able to comprehensively accommodate the spirit and aspirations of the public in general and to encourage even greater participation in general elections.

Only by meeting those expectations can the "social and political roles of ABRI remain relevant", he said.

ABRI recognizes the principle of "dual function" which sees members as having the responsibility to contribute not only to security affairs, but also to social and political affairs.

Harsudiono said ABRI needs to adjust its social and political roles, as well as improving its ability to anticipate changes and to accommodate the people's interests.

He also said that Indonesia needs leaders who have vision, moral responsibility and ethics, and who are able to help make the nation a winner amid global competition.

The seminar also featured a presentation by Muladi, an expert on law, who is a member of the National Commission for Human Rights. (har/swe)