1997 and 1998 'critical' for RI: Soesilo

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)