Amien Rais seeks support for political reforms

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)