Dialog tries to bridge gap on reform

JAKARTA (JP): Senior government officials and students held a much-anticipated dialog yesterday to try and bridge the gap between them on the shape and pace of the political reforms which both sides claim to advocate.

While the atmosphere was generally amiable, with both sides patiently listening to and responding to each other's points, there were glaring differences as each side seemed entrenched in its original stance.

However all in attendance agreed that reform was needed to lift the country out of its deepening economic crisis.

The main points of dissension lay in the pace at which these reforms should take place, with some students demanding a time limit to bring the nation out of its economic doldrums.

Students also saw their demands for a cabinet reshuffle rejected.

Some 300 people participated in the seven-hour dialog which involved 15 cabinet ministers and several university rectors.

However, only about 50 students attended the Armed Forces (ABRI)-initiated meeting at the Jakarta Fair Grounds in Central Jakarta.

The dialog was further blotted by the absence of representatives of the country's leading universities -- the University of Indonesia, the Bandung Institute of Technology and the Yogyakarta-based Gadjah Mada University.

It was designed to be an answer to the incessant student rallies held in various campuses across the country in the past two months.

Constitutional law expert Yusril Ihza Mahendra, rector of the State Institute for Public Administration Ryaas Rasyid, military analyst Salim Said, economist Anggito Abimanyu and bureaucrat Gunawan Sumodiningrat were the moderators.

Coordinating Minister for People's Welfare and Poverty Eradication Haryono Suyono, Minister of Home Affairs R. Hartono and Minister of Information Alwi Dahlan were among the ministers present.

Also present were Army chief of Staff Gen. Subagyo Hadisiswoyo, Navy chief Admiral Arief Kushariadi, Air Force chief Marshall Sutria Tubagus, Police chief Gen. Dibyo Widodo, retired generals Sayidiman Suryohadiprojo and Z.A. Maulani and economists Rizal Ramli, Sri Mulyani and Didik J. Rachbini.

Gradual

Minister of Defense and Security/Armed Forces Commander Gen. Wiranto told the students that there should be no doubt about the government's commitment to political reform.

"The government has no arguments against the students' calls for political reform. Reform is obligatory for us (the nation) as we cannot maintain the status quo forever," he said.

"Yet, such reform cannot occur all of a sudden. It should be gradual," he added.

Coordinating Minister for Economy, Finance and Industry Ginandjar Kartasasmita said economic reforms should be the government's priority but these too could not occur overnight.

"It's impossible to have economic reforms within a day. They need a process."

He cited Mexico's experience in overcoming its crisis in the 1980s: "It took them three years to end the crisis."

The government's senior economics minister also said he was willing to hold another meeting to discuss the economic reforms at greater length.

"It's very difficult to be given only five minutes. I'd be willing to explain in greater detail the economic side in a separate dialog later," he said.

But the students maintained that the government should not be unchecked in its handling of the crisis and that if the present cabinet was unable to resolve it the ministers should resign.

"I agree with the chairman of the Muhammadiyah Moslem organization, Amien Rais, who proposed a six-month grace period for the cabinet ministers to settle the crisis," said Muhammad Lutfi of the Malang-based Brawijaya University in East Java.

"Cabinet ministers should relinquish their seats if they fail to bring an end to the crisis by that time," he said.

Eka Dharma of Udayana University in Bali supported Lutfi's statement: "Cabinet ministers should be willing to resign if they are unable to solve the state's economic upheaval."

Wiranto, however, flatly rejected any proposals for a cabinet reshuffle. "We (cabinet ministers) are only President Soeharto's aides ... It will rest on him to decide".

The Armed Forces commander also politely rejected one student's call for President Soeharto to retire given the nation's current dire economic state.

"They should understand that there are certain procedures to elect and to dismiss a president," Gen. Wiranto said.

Retired general Sayidiman Suryohadiprojo underlined the need for ministers to prove their commitment to reforms by displaying concrete measures.

"What the nation needs is for the government to translate such commitments into practical actions," he said.

Practical

A hint of dissatisfaction was evident among the students when Minister of Education and Culture Wiranto Arismunandar reasserted his ban on students engaging in "practical politics".

"Campuses are not the place for political activities," the minister said. "Students should concentrate on their studies, not politics."

He proceeded to venture into an argument of how students would be deficient in facing global challenges if they failed to return to their classrooms and focus on their studies.

"Currently, we have foreign artists and lawyers working here. In the future more foreigners with a wide variety of skills will come," he said.

But some other ministers yesterday claimed they were pleased to have met the students and listened to their concerns.

Minister of Social Affairs Siti Hardijanti Rukmana said she welcomed the aspirations expressed by the dialog participants.

"I'm not offended by the participants' strong words," she told reporters after the meeting.

"It's usual for me to see the students' outspokenness," she said, "It shows to me that they love and care for their country very much."

Hardijanti, who is President Soeharto's eldest daughter, said it was high time for the nation to uphold political openness and democratization.

"We have to honestly accept that," she remarked.

Hardijanti also said that ministers would be more than happy to be invited to the campus and discuss the issues with the students.

"Don't consider us enemies. You students are our own brothers and sisters," she said in a sympathetic tone.

She pleaded for students to remain patient and not pass judgment on the work of the cabinet.

"We were only sworn in a month ago, so please give us time to implement the reforms."

She affirmed that reforms were necessary but said that economic reforms should precede political changes.

"If the political ones take precedence it will only hamper our own economy," she argued.

State Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports Agung Laksono said he was not bothered by the small number of university students who attended.

"The most important thing is that the dialog can absorb the aspirations of all elements of society," he said.

Commenting on the students who rejected the dialog, Agung said they should not have ignored such a rare but sympathetic and democratic event.

"It's their right to reject our invitation. Yet, they should have attended." (imn)