Don't pretend you know everything: Soeharto

Don't pretend you know everything: Soeharto

JAKARTA (JP): President Soeharto has called on military and
civilian officials not to pretend that they know everything about
current problems when they really do not.

"Don't act as if you know everything," the President told 90
officers during their visit to his Tapos ranch, near Bogor, 60 km
south of here, on Sunday. The 90 officers are joining courses at
the Armed Forces Staff and Command College.

He urged the officials, who are in the dark about social,
political and economic problems, to ask experts about things they
are not yet familiar with.

Soeharto then related his own learning experiences when he
assumed the presidency in the early 1970s.

He said that back then his knowledge about many problems was
very limited but he took the initiative to hold discussions with
experts.

"I used to take note of the results of every discussion," he
said, reported Antara. Soeharto added that all officials in his
situation should do the same if they want to serve the public in
the best possible way.

Answering a question by an officer, Soeharto also said that
making a decision was no easy job. "Sometimes, the alternatives
were very bad but we had to have the courage to decide."

The officers, made up of colonels and lieutenant colonels from
all Armed Forces units, were advised by the President not to be
selective in tours of duty decided by the government.

"Learn from the wind, which is present every where," he said,
adding that an officer should not select favorable area of duty
only but should be ready to be assigned anywhere because the
people are every where.

"The higher your frequency of meeting the people is, the more
you are informed about their aspirations," he said.

Soeharto also advised the officers to be careful in reading
their subordinates' reports because sometimes they are not made
on the basis of facts but "just to please you, their boss".

Asked about the possible impact of trade liberalizations by
the year 2010, the President said that when the time comes some
people might be lured into preferring foreign products to local
ones, because they are cheaper and better in quality.

"If this happens, our industries will be in trouble because
their products will not sell well," he said.

According to the President, the best way to prevent this
tendency is to, from now on, imbue Indonesian children with a
sense of pride in buying national products. (tis)

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