Assembly to proceed smoothly: Moetojib

JAKARTA (JP): Chief of the State Intelligence Coordinating Body Lt. Gen. Moetojib has predicted that the People's Consultative Assembly session next March will proceed smoothly, despite some irresponsible groups' attempts to disrupt it even now.

Speaking to reporters before attending an end of year plenary cabinet meeting at the State Secretariat Wednesday, Moetojib expressed confidence the government would be in full control over the political and security situation.

He also warned people against the influence of certain "problematic groups" seeking to disrupt the Assembly to further their own political ambitions.

"We must be cautious against those who want to fish in murky waters," he said, echoing President Soeharto's strong warning earlier last week against those seeking profit by exploiting the current economic turmoil.

"They want to manipulate and blow up the government's shortcomings, as if the situation were very severe already," Moetojib said. He did not elaborate on or identify the groups he was blasting.

In March 1998 the Assembly will elect a new president and vice president and endorse the state policy guidelines.

Analysts have noted that the current economic and political situation will remain fragile until the Assembly meeting next year.

"Ministers may hesitate to make fundamental policies now because their terms will end in March," said a senior political analyst who preferred anonymity.

In December last year, Moetojib predicted that the 1997 political, economic and social affairs situations would remain under control.

Last year, he predicted that obstacles might also come from foreign pressures on Indonesia's policy on East Timor and on the country's human rights record.

Moetojib, a former governor of the National Resilience Institute, said yesterday that so far, the irresponsible groups were still unable to provoke people into rebelling against the government.

"They have started to 'work'. However, they have not collected arms. We will take action against them if they break the law," Moetojib remarked.

When journalists pressed him to identify the groups, Moetojib said: "There are a lot of problematic groups who continue (exaggerating the national situation). There are also extremist groups who do not want Pancasila as our state ideology, but want to establish a state based on a (certain) religion."

He acknowledged that the ongoing economic chaos might have adversely affected the country's social and political condition. Therefore, all government officials must work hard to bolster the public's trust in the government, he said.

"All governments in the world have shortcomings. We must be united in supporting our government, because when we are united, we will be able to resolve any problem," he said. (prb)