Edi regrets ICKI's failure to materialize

JAKARTA (JP): Minister of Defense and Security Gen. (retired) Edi Sudradjat expressed regret yesterday that the plan to set up a new intellectuals organization with a more nationalistic outlook fell through.

Edi had been one of the first cabinet officials to endorse the plan to set up the Indonesian National Intellectuals Association (ICKI) which its proponents said would counter similar organizations that are based on religion.

"Of course I regret that ICKI failed to come into being because the idea behind the plan is a good one," Edi told reporters yesterday before a cabinet meeting at the Bina Graha presidential office.

Former coordinating minister for people's welfare Alamsyah Ratuperwiranegara, one of the plan's original designers, announced on Tuesday that he had decided not to go ahead with ICKI because of the controversy created by the plan since it was publicly announced in late April.

In a written statement, which he co-signed with Sambas Wirakusumah, a professor and initiator of the plan who is also Edi's elder brother, Alamsjah said the decision was taken "with a view toward maintaining national stability and unity." The statement added that "we are not responsible" should another organization similar to ICKI be formed in the future.

His announcement came in the wake of a report by the Tempo newsweekly of a rift between Alamsjah and Maj. Gen. (ret.) Moehono, the rector of Krinsnadwipayana University, who was also involved in the preparations to set up ICKI.

Tempo reported that the alliance between Moehono and Alamsjah broke apart as each tried to outdo the other by establishing the new organization.

Moehono appeared to have the upper hand and a number of scholars who gave their support met last week and voted on a new name, the Association of Intellectuals for the Development of Pancasila, which goes by the Indonesian acronym PCPP.

There were many interpretations about the motive behind establishing the new organization, but the suggestion that it was to counter the growing strength of ICMI seemed the most plausible amid increasing accusations that ICMI was now treading into the political arena.

This raised the spectre of a return to sectarian politicking which could threaten the very foundation of the unitary republic, analysts said.

Siswono

The controversy was further fanned when Minister of Transmigration Siswono Yudohusodo, mentioned as a potential candidate to lead ICKI, publicly attacked ICMI, which is headed by fellow cabinet member, State Minister of Research and Technology B.J. Habibie.

Both Habibie and Siswono however tried to dispel all rumors that there was a rift between them yesterday by embracing one another before reporters and cameramen.

"He is my brother...," Habibie said laughingly, "He is an engineer and so am I. He is a haj and so am I."

Siswono responded, "He is a nationalist and so am I. He is religious and so am I."

Habibie said there was no row between them.

He added that he had nothing to do with Alamsjah's decision not to go ahead with ICKI.

Siswono told reporters that ICKI would not have been accepted at least in name because it would have implied that the other intellectual organizations are not nationalists.

Habibie stressed repeatedly that he was not indulging in practical politics and pointed out that any ICMI members who played politics were doing it in their individual capacities and were not representing ICMI.

He pointed out that ICMI's members come from all three political organizations; Golkar, the United Development Party and the Indonesian Democratic Party. Golkar's chairman Harmoko is closely associated with ICMI while one of PPP's most vocal legislator, Sri Bintang Pamungkas, sits on the ICMI's board.

It was Siswono who suggested last week that ICMI members were politicking with the ICMI tag. (arf)