'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)