Clean govt, anti-corruption drive paramount: Amien

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)