Amien Rais backs moves to end monopolies
Amien Rais backs moves to end monopolies
YOGYAKARTA (JP): Muhammadiyah, one of the most influential
Moslem organizations, yesterday said it supports current moves to
break up the various economic monopolies in Indonesia.
Muhammadiyah chairman Amien Rais said in a seminar that his
organization feels dutybound to establish social justice in the
country as required by Islamic teachings.
Amien said that the economy is now characterized by
"monopolies, monopsonies and oligopolies" whereby the most
important branches of the economy in Indonesia are controlled by
a handful of people.
"If young people everywhere now are striving to bring about
anti-monopoly legislation, they have the support of Islam," he
said in a seminar reviewing religious relations and social
justice organized by the Yogyakarta Muhammadiyah University.
Proposals for an anti-trust legislation have been discussed at
various seminars and at the House of Representatives, but no bill
has been presented so far.
The fact that the 10 largest conglomerates in Indonesia
control assets amounting to a third of the country's gross
domestic product reflects that the economy is "unhealthy" and
must be corrected, said Amien, who is also a staff lecturer at
the Gadjah Mada University in Yogyakarta.
"The Moslem community must adhere strongly to Islamic
teachings, including social teachings," he said. "The Islamic
social teachings are in need of new formulations."
Muhammadiyah, he added, along with other forces in the
country, will strive to eliminate all forms of social injustice.
The two-day seminar which opened yesterday also heard the
views of Yusril Ihza of the University of Indonesia, Mochtar
Pabottingi, Mohammad Sobari and Moeslim Abdurrahman of the
Indonesian Institute of Sciences, and Noeng Mujahir of the Ahmad
Dahlan University.
Amien acknowledged that undoing the business monopolies would
require hard work and patience.
"Conglomeration is a phenomenon that started 20 years ago. It
is now firmly rooted and is as solid as steel. Dealing with this
phenomenon will require relentless efforts."
He said the political and economic elites are unlikely to give
in to the demands readily and will do all they can to maintain
the status quo.
Yusril Ihza in his presentation said Islamic teachings are
essentially egalitarian and support the concept of people's
sovereignty over the state.
Islam, Yusril said, rejects feudalism, as well as the
feudalistic traits that have been exhibited by some of those
currently in power.
He said that what is really required in the fight to establish
people's sovereignty in Indonesia is leadership.
Moslem mass organizations could lead the way and set the ball
rolling, he said.
He said that the most effective way to establish people's
sovereignty is by reforming legislation and regulations through
the People's Consultative Assembly, the highest state organ.
"It is clear that we need political reforms," he said.
(har/emb)