Beware of economic sabotage: Siswono

Beware of economic sabotage: Siswono

JAKARTA (JP): Minister of Transmigration Siswono Yudohusodo
warned Saturday that certain parties are pushing for political
change amid the current economic turbulence.

He cited rumors about the resignation of Minister of Finance
Mar'ie Muhammad and the death of the country's richest tycoon
Soedono Salim as evidence of this.

"We could call this economic sabotage," said Siswono at a
regional congress of the Indonesian Association of Architects. He
did not name any names.

He said that those spreading the rumors must have had
strategic motives, either economic or political, through looking
to profit from the decline of the rupiah against the US dollar.

"Or maybe they were our competitors seeking to undermine the
world community's trust in our economy," he said.

There were also, he charged, people who sought to create
political unrest here by first causing economic turbulence.

"We must realize that inside and outside our country, there
are parties that are not pleased to see Indonesia becoming a
strong, progressive and prosperous country."

The rumors spread after the government closed 16 banks on Nov.
1 as part of a reform package in exchange for a US$23 billion
bailout from the International Monetary Fund to help rejuvenate
the Indonesian economy.

Siswono suggested that "the country's patriotic forces
unite ... the economic forces, the businessmen, have to have
patriotism."

Siswono, a successful businessman who relinquished his
positions in dozens of companies when he became a minister in
1988, suggested that the government "reflect on shortcomings that
have weakened the public's trust in it."

The nation should also develop a "fair political culture."

Indonesia needs, he said, "political fairness to avoid the
emergence of political hatred (on the part of parties feeling
trampled by unfairness)." He warned that without fairness, the
cheated parties could become destructive forces.

"Those forces have the potential to conduct economic and
political sabotage," he said.

"Fairness in politics is very important to instill a feeling
of keikhlasan (grace) and being good sports on the part of the
defeated or sidelined political forces, so they bear no grudge,"
he said.

He said that cooperation between the government, business and
the public to strengthen the Indonesian economy would help
overcome the sabotage.

"I hope that we can all unite Indonesia Incorporated," said
Siswono. He also suggested that Probosutedjo, the owner of one of
the liquidated banks, withdraw his lawsuit against the
government.

Bambang Trihatmodjo, part owner of another liquidated bank,
had withdrawn his lawsuit citing greater national interests, a
move praised Saturday by Siswono. (09)