'Don't get involved in politics', students told

'Don't get involved in politics', students told

JAKARTA (JP): Coordinating Minister for Political Affairs and
Security Soesilo Soedarman warned students Saturday against
getting involved in politics.

Students must learn about politics but they should not in any
way do practical politics, Soesilo said when addressing 250
student senates gathered from across the country in a seminar in
Semarang.

In his paper entitled Strategy on How to Maturate the Younger
Generation's Political Attitudes, Soesilo warned that various
interest groups were trying to use students for their political
gains.

He said that instead of involving themselves in politics,
students should focus on academic activities "like they are
supposed to."

"That's one way to mature your political attitudes without
involving yourselves in politics," he said as quoted by Antara
news agency.

He charged that recent student demonstrations were "emotional"
and "presumptuous" and aimed at discrediting the government.

Soesilo said that if people want to have their opinions heard
by the government, they have to present their ideas objectively,
politely, logically and constitutionally.

"The opinions should be presented in such a way that it would
not cause social unrest, agitate the public, incite violence and
trigger polemics," he said.

Rector of the Semarang-based Diponegoro University said that
students and workers who stage demonstrations were often
suspected of wanting either to support the government or to
popularize figures they liked.

"In fact politics should also be seen as an effort aimed at
improving people's welfare. Politics should not necessarily be
related to struggle for power," he said.

Muladi, who is a member of the National Commission on Human
Rights, said that many people do in fact get involved in politics
to contribute their ideas for the good of their nation. (pan)