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Regretfully, I was among the seven percent who voted for Amien Rais during the general election last June. I was made to believe that Amien Rais was a true nationalist whose main objective was to correct the wrongs of the New Order, that he was fighting for Indonesians and for justice.

However, soon after the elections, I started to realize that what I had seen was just a mirage and Amien Rais's true colors have now become apparent; he is just a politician who will say and do anything to get more power. He has even joined in calls for a holy war against his own countrymen.

I am a Muslim and I am ashamed that someone who considers himself a Muslim leader should be practicing a policy of hate, and encouraging other Muslims to kill. If there is a holy war to be fought, it should be against the moral decadence, namely corruption, which has destroyed our country. This is the real jihad we should be fighting for, to conquer the forces of evil in ourselves and in our society.

I think Amien Rais should resign from his position as chairman of the People's Consultative Assembly as he does not represent the voice of the people: we people want peace. He should go back to reading the Holy Koran and try to understand its true message.

OLVIA REKSODIPOETRO

Jakarta