Amien calls for greater honesty

Amien calls for greater honesty

JAKARTA (JP): Moslem scholar Amien Rais said yesterday only
honesty could save Indonesia from the social turbulence facing
it, especially in relation to the upcoming general election.

Antara quoted the chairman of the 28-million-strong
Muhammadiyah Moslem organization after giving a lecture in
Canberra as saying that honesty was the key attribute now needed
by government officials, intellectuals, religious leaders and
politicians to solve the various social upheavals in Indonesia.

Amien said that with honesty the authorities would be able to
help calm the public in the wake of the tensions caused by the
recent spate of unrest.

He said the episodes of mass turmoil raised serious concerns.

"As an observer, I can feel how chaotic the analyses on the
latest developments in Indonesia have been. But I want to point
out that the essence of life is honesty.

"If we are committed to solving a problem honestly, God
willing, the public will accept it and understand what's going
on. They will also be reminded to help solve the problem
together," he said.

Amien said the results of a recent poll by the Indonesian
National Youth Committee in Malang, East Java, were
disheartening. The survey indicated that about 85 percent of
youths in the region would abstain from voting in the coming
election.

"This is a problem that needs addressing and should be
approached with honesty."

Amien was in Canberra giving a lecture on Politics and Islam
to the Study Group on Indonesia at the Australian National
University. The lecture was attended by noted members of the
study group Chris Manning, Harold Crouch, Hadi Soesastro and a
number of diplomats and students.

Amien came into the spotlight in Indonesia recently over his
resignation as chairman of the Association of Indonesian Moslem
Intellectuals' experts council.

"I resigned because I had not been active and because (I want)
harmony (to develop) between the government and the association,"
he said.

Muhammadiyah has reportedly named Director General for Taxes
Fuad Bawazier and scholar Malik Fadjar as possible replacements
for Amien.

"Pak Harto himself will name the (new) chairman of the Council
of Experts," Amien said.

President Soeharto, in his personal capacity, is the chief
patron of the association.

Amien, who several years ago insisted that Indonesia should
seek to establish a presidential succession, said that he
believed Soeharto would be reelected for another term in March
1998.

As for Soeharto's successor, he said:"Let nature take care of
that." (swe)