ABRI ready to hunt for communists

ABRI ready to hunt for communists

JAKARTA (JP): The Armed Forces (ABRI), if asked, is ready to conduct screening operations to weed out leftist elements from all political parties.

ABRI Commander Gen. Feisal Tanjung said here over the weekend that such an investigation is always possible if it is based on good intentions and dedicated to greater national interests.

Feisal, who met newsmen after delivering a speech at the meeting of the Association of Indonesian Moslem Intellectuals, was asked to react to a recent statement made by Megawati Soekarnoputri, chairwoman of the Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI). In the statement, Megawati said that all political entities in Indonesia should be subjected to military examination in order to screen for the presence of pro-communist elements.

Suspicion of harboring communist elements should not be limited to the PDI alone and "Golkar and PPP should also undergo military screening," Megawati said.

The West Java military command announced before the year's end their suspicions of a local PDI leader's involvement -- directly or indirectly -- in the attempted communist coup of 1965.

Djadjang Kurniadi, a PDI activist, was recently identified as a member of the pro-communist camp within the Indonesian Nationalist Party (PNI). PNI, in addition to two Christian groupings and other minor nationalist parties, merged into the PDI in 1973.

Feisal said that Megawati should bring up her idea in the House of Representatives. "ABRI will only act upon a government request," he said.

Meanwhile Golkar chairman Harmoko said in Salatiga on Saturday that his government-backed party does not need military screening as it is free from communist elements.

Harmoko told reporters after a meeting with local Golkar activists in Salatiga that the recruiting system within his party is fine and that Golkar always consults the local military and the provincial directorate of political affairs before accepting a member.

Asked if any leftist elements remained in his party, Harmoko replied: "We are convinced there are none." (tis)