A quiz for Habibie

Before he was appointed State Minister of Food and Horticulture five months ago, A.M. Saefuddin was known as a humorous professor of agriculture who laid claim to proficiency in a number of languages.

However finding anything to laugh about amidst the national outcry caused by insulting remarks which he directed toward the nation's Hindu community may be difficult for the jovial professor.

Although Saefuddin's boast to multilingualism may be true, it appears that he has yet to master polite speech in his own tongue. It is not for the first time that the minister has provoked public anger with his inconsiderate statements.

Saefuddin, who represents the minority United Development Party (PPP) in the Cabinet, caused outrage by stating that he would make a better presidential candidate than Megawati Soekarnoputri, the leader of the Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI) Perjuangan. Contending that Megawati was a Hindu, he questioned whether predominantly Moslem Indonesia would accept a non-Moslem president. It is common knowledge that Megawati is a Moslem.

The minister has not only incurred the wrath of the nation's Hindus, most of whom live in Bali, numerous political leaders and Moslem scholars in other parts of the country have also lashed out at the minister for his wayward tongue.

Many have reminded him of the words of Prophet Muhammad, who said that those who brand their fellow Moslems infidels are themselves what they decry their fellow believers to be.

Aware of the danger inherent in the situation, the level- headed have called for the incident to be forgotten, pointing out that the minister has publicly apologized for his remarks, and from Bali the news has been good. The people there seem to have drawn upon the wise old Hindu saying Tan hana wong swarta nulus, meaning nobody is perfect. Balinese religious and community leaders have called for peace following suggestions that certain parties might exploit the outcry to raise the issue of separatism.

So calm reigns once again. But is it logical for us to treat the uproar as a storm in a tea cup? Judging by past disparaging remarks made by the minister in question, the answer is a definite no. In July he sparked anger after being quoted by a newspaper as saying that he could tolerate looters as long as they only plundered to satisfy their hunger.

Although Saefuddin later said his remarks were taken out of context, the barrage of criticism which subsequently rained down upon his ears included sharp words from Ismail Hasan Metareum, his own party boss.

The minister is said to have ambitions to hold the PPP chair and eventually replace President Habibie, but that is his own problem. Of greater concern is the fact that he has shown himself to be completely and utterly unaware of the sensitivity and explosive potential of religion in this country of many faiths. So, his recent apology was insufficient.

Furthermore, his remarks have posed an important question for President B.J. Habibie, who must now ask himself if he can afford to continue with a loose cannon such as Saefuddin in his Cabinet line up, given the minister's ability to blunder.

We have heard reports that the President will soon reshuffle his Cabinet. So why not give Saefuddin the honor of being the first one shown the door?