A quiz for Habibie

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?