Clean govt, anti-corruption drive paramount: Amien

Moslem scholars Amien Rais and Abdurrahman Wahid, respectively chairman of Muhammadiyah and Nahdlatul Ulama Moslem organizations, are known to be outspoken social and political commentators. Both have significant political bearing given their millions of supporters and followers. The two are also noted to often stand in opposition over many issues. However, when it comes to the question of what constitutes Indonesia's most important future challenges, both share similar concerns.

Question: On several occasions you have put forward what you call "the national agenda" or Indonesia's most pressing challenges. Can you elaborate?

Answer: I believe the most important challenge is for Indonesia to protect its natural resources. Over the past 30 years, we have been robbed. We are being pushed into bankruptcy.

Take for example the gigantic exploitation of our mining resources by PT Freeport in Irian Jaya. The environment of the province is in the process of being destroyed. Between 1973 and 1997, the company has excavated 1,650 tons of gold, giving them an estimated revenue of Rp 400 trillion.

The sad thing is we don't even have access to the company's bookkeeping.

So, the most important thing for us to do is to protect our forests, our land and our oil resources, so they're not robbed further.

Q: What's the next challenge?

A: The second agenda is for Indonesia to develop competitive human resources. Compared to some neighboring countries, we are lagging behind.

Malaysia, with a population of 20 million people, has 500,000 engineers, 200,000 of which are internationally certified. Indonesia, with a population of 200 million, has only 85,000 engineers and only 1 percent of them are already certified.

Q: What comes next?

A: The third agenda is the establishment of a clean government. This is where we have to fight corruption that has become a chronic problem. So, the next administration, to be established after the general session of the People's Consultative Assembly next March, should really make an effort to build a clean government.

The fourth agenda is to narrow down the yawning gap between the rich and the poor.

Q: Where does the question of persisting tension between social groups come into your agenda?

A: It's the fifth agenda of the nation. We need to preserve our principle of "unity in diversity". Many countries have disintegrated because of racial and sectarian conflict.

This is the agenda for the post-Soeharto era. At the time, we will need a "clean and good coalition", an alliance of social and political forces that are "clean".

This is not something that can be done by the Armed Forces, or by Golkar, single-handedly. This is a responsibility that should be borne together. The components of the bearer of this responsibility, however, should be clean. Otherwise, we'd still see a corrupt scene, the game would be the same, only the players change.

This cannot be allowed. The players should change. With progressive people in the Armed Forces, in Golkar, in non- governmental organizations, in political parties. Those who place the interests of this nation above all else.

Why do I think that the players should change? Because I am skeptical that the current players will be able to carry out the agenda for the nation in the future.

Q: But not all is bad with the current players...

A: As a scientist, I tried to picture what it is that our nation has to carry out in the future. Our national agenda. Of course there has been much progress achieved (by the current administration) that deserves praise.

It's clear that over the past 30 years there has been much progress, for instance, in the way we have upheld the spirit of unity in diversity. As a nation state, we are solid. We have learned that this is the strength of our nation. This government deserves a mark of eight on the scale of 10 for its achievement in this regard.

There's also political stability... economic growth... self sufficiency in food. In general, the picture is good. Our international image is improving too. Health and life expectancy is improving. And to some extent, science and technology is developing fairly rapidly.

But remember there are also the minuses. The corruption, the practice of collusion, the yawning gap between the rich and the poor and there is poor rule of law here. This is where the national agenda comes into play. (swe)