ABRI to maintain national stability during elections

JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia needs a capable national leader who is acceptable, and a "constitutional" state administration to help it meet the challenges of the 21st century, Armed Forces Commander Gen. Feisal Tanjung said.

Addressing a congress of the Musyawarah Kekeluargaan Gotong Royong, an organization affiliated with Golkar, here yesterday, Feisal said the general elections next year were "strategic" in nature because the results would determine the framework of national development for the coming century.

Indonesia will soon meet a new millennium marked by the liberalization of economic and politics, he said.

"Given this challenge, the Armed Forces (ABRI) believe the country needs broad guidelines of state policies which are more down-to-earth, and an acceptable and capable national leader," he was quoted by Antara as saying.

The three-day congress, held in West Java's capital of Bandung, was opened by Vice President Try Sutrisno. Chairperson Mien Sugandhi said that 400 activists from across the country are attending the gathering which aims at preparing the organization to help Golkar win the general elections.

Minister of Home Affairs Moch. Yogie S.M. and West Java Governor R. Nuriana also addressed the congress.

In another part of his speech yesterday, Feisal said that MKGR and ABRI were "brothers". The two bodies, he said, were bodies for "patriots and fighters"

"Efforts to sever the ties between the two brothers would be a negation of national history," he said.

Feisal called on MKGR to collaborate with ABRI. "For instance, the two can work together in improving people's political education in order to increase their political participation," he said.

Feisal also said that there are two tasks for ABRI in the general elections, namely maintaining national stability and supporting efforts to strengthen democracy and the political system derived from state-ideology Pancasila.

In order to fulfill this first task, "ABRI and all of the socio-political forces will create the conditions for successful general elections," he said. He did not explain what he meant by this.

ABRI will also monitor and handle various social and political problems which may emerge during the various stages of the general elections, he said. (swe)