Amien Rais seeks support for political reforms

JAKARTA (JP): Shrewd politician Amien Rais invited pro- democracy activists Megawati Soekarnoputri and Abdurrahman Wahid yesterday to join hands in a coalition calling for political reform in the country.

He said calls for reform would be more effective if Megawati, the ousted leader of the Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI), and Abdurrahman, the chairman of the 30 million-strong Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) Moslem organization, united in a rally for reform.

"The driving and jolting energy for political reform would be stronger if Megawati and Gus Dur (Abdurrahman's popular name) join me on a common platform for reform," he told reporters after addressing a religious sermon at the private Bank Duta building in Kebon Sirih subdistrict, Central Jakarta.

"Megawati and Gus Dur are like a sister and a brother to me," he said. "We all have the same goals with our movement, that is for the betterment of the country."

But Amien acknowledged that political reforms could only be successful if the government was willing to open itself to people's inputs.

Secretary-general of the Association of Indonesian Moslem Intellectuals (ICMI), Adi Sasono, suggested Saturday that the nation hold a national dialog, discussing solutions for the monetary crisis.

Adi said the dialog should involve all elements in society including Amien, Megawati and Abdurrahman.

Amien, chairman of the 28 million-strong Muhammadiyah Moslem organization, said yesterday that Megawati, Abdurrahman and himself could represent three large political entities in the country.

"Megawati might represent the nationalists, Gus Dur the traditional Moslems and I, the modern Moslems," he said in support of Adi Sasono's idea for a national dialog.

"We need to talk to discuss necessary actions to end the crisis," he said.

More calls for the formation of an independent council also came from a youth group calling themselves the National Committee for Democracy (KNPD).

At a media briefing yesterday, they called for the formation of a council called Dewan Penyelamat Kedaulatan Rakyat (Council of the Salvation of People's Sovereignty) which would function as an umbrella for all democratic movements in the country.

The council would include national figures such as Abdurrahman, Amien, Megawati, former Jakarta governor Ali Sadikin, political observer Arbi Sanit, sociologist Arief Budiman, National Commission on Human Rights member Marzuki Darusman, and economist Kwik Kian Gie.

President

Amien also asked people yesterday to reconsider plans to renominate President Soeharto in March's presidential election.

"Reelecting President Soeharto means that we maintain the status quo," he said. "Meanwhile, the status quo fails to curb the monetary crisis."

He said the local and international community lacked confidence in the nation.

"People do not trust the government's effort to settle the crisis anymore," he said. "The United States is not serious in helping cure the Indonesian economy as Indonesia is not as important to its global political strategy anymore. The U.S. seems to be turning its face to South Korea now."

Amien called on the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) to take the initiative in settling the crisis.

"The MPR should establish a presidium of caretakers to temporarily take over the presidential duties while waiting for a new president to be elected next March," he said.

He said the presidium of caretakers was needed because currently there is no eligible Indonesian, who is capable and acceptable to all.

"The presidium should consist of figures from the legislative body, the executive and the people," he said.

"Speaker of the House of Representatives (DPR) Harmoko, deputy House Speaker of the Armed Forces faction Syarwan Hamid and two cabinet ministers could be included in the presidium," he said.

Amien also suggested the nation establish a special team to settle the crisis.

"The appointment of former Minister of Finance Radius Prawiro and former Coordinating Minister for Economy and Finance Widjojo Nitisastro alone cannot save the country's economy," he said. (10/imn)