Amien calls for end to political wrangles

JAKARTA (JP): Moslem leader Amien Rais has spoken out against allowing sharp political wranglings to drag on and has called on the nation to take concrete steps to repair its economy, which was now on the brink of bankruptcy.

Amien also appealed for a stop to debates on the legitimacy of President B.J. Habibie's appointment and for a chance for the new government to function normally to take steps to restore the economy. In an address at a gathering yesterday of 10,000 students from many Indonesian cities held at the Bogor Institute of Agriculture in Bogor, West Java, Amien reiterated his conviction that the administration was transitional in nature and that a general election should be held soon to replace it.

Amien's wish for a general election was echoed by Lt. Gen. Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, the Armed Forces (ABRI) chief of Sociopolitical Affairs, who said in Purworejo, Central Java, that the military was of the stance that the sooner the elections could be held, the better.

He was quoted by Antara as saying that the poll, however, should be prepared well, so it could proceed with as few glitches as possible.

"ABRI is conducting a study and is of the opinion it would be better if the poll was held sooner. But it should, really, be well prepared so no new problems emerge," said Susilo after paying his respects at the grave of Lt. Gen. Sarwo Edhi Wibowo, the late commander of the Army's special force RPKAD (now Kopassus).

Susilo also reminded the public that before the poll could take place, the existing laws that govern a general election should first be amended as they recognize only three contestants. They are Golkar, the United Development Party and the Indonesian Democratic Party.

"Elections should be held as soon as possible but bear in mind whether six months would be enough time to change the laws, especially if there are new parties emerging," he said.

Amien, who was accompanied to the gathering by economist Faisal Basri and Minister of Food, Drugs and Agriculture A.M. Saefuddin, said: "The administration, even though it is a transitional one, still needs both domestic and international support in order to be able to carry out programs to cope with the crisis."

"It would not be fair to attribute all the economic problems to the post-Soeharto administration as many of the difficulties are a legacy of the previous government," he said, reported Antara.

"What would be fair, in order to set the economic wheels moving again in the shortest possible time, is giving an opportunity and support for economic-restoration programs," he said.

This stance does not mean the campaign for better order in the political, legal and constitutional system should stop, he added.

"State policies, including in the economy, are, after all, the final results of an interaction of various interest groups, political forces, the business circle as well as the bureaucracy, which all operate in a certain legal-constitutional order," he said.

Forgiveness

In another part of his address, Amien called on Indonesians to "forgive" former president Soeharto, to give the latter peace of mind now that he has stepped down. On one condition: Soeharto should donate to the nation any of his wealth which might have been amassed illegally.

"Even though there were so many negative sides to his administration, it's undeniable that he has done the country a great service during his 32-year rule," Amien said in answer to a student's question.

Amien had made the same call earlier this month while asserting that Soeharto's children, however, did not merit the same compassion and that they should face punishment should the court find them guilty of any crimes, including corruption, collusion and nepotism.

Amien called on the former president to voluntarily donate his wealth -- and live on 5 percent of the total -- so the country no longer had to "beg" for assistance from donor agencies, such as the International Monetary Fund. A foreign media once estimated Soeharto's and his family's fortune worths US$40 billion.

"If he could do that, then Insya Allah (God willing), maybe the Indonesian people could find it in their hearts to pardon him," said Amien, who, on Saturday, called for a ban on the former president and his family from traveling abroad.

Separately, a lesser-known politician, Zakiruddin Djamin of the National Unity Savior Institute, suggested yesterday that Habibie should personally approach Soeharto and urge him to donate his wealth to help the country rebuild its economy.

"Habibie should remind Soeharto of the promise he once made that he was willing to sacrifice his life, let alone his belongings, for the nation," Djamin said, reported Antara. (swe)