Educated elite group asked to guide the nation

Educated elite group asked to guide the nation

JAKARTA (JP): President Soeharto urged Indonesia's educated
elite yesterday to guide the nation on its development course.

"As a developing nation, we need the strong support of the
educated elite. They must not only explain the past, but also
clear the path which we have to take and design, mobilize and
supervise development," Soeharto said in Yogyakarta, one of
Indonesia's centers of excellence.

The President returned to his home town to inaugurate a new
auditorium at the state Gadjah Mada University. It was timed to
coincide with the institution's 45th anniversary.

Although he never attended university, the President
recognized the great contribution the nation's educated elite had
made, especially in the struggle for independence.

"In the very first phase of the national movement, the spirit
and understanding of nationalism were sowed and developed by the
educated. Many of the nation's founders were graduates of higher
education institutions and worked diligently and professionally to
carry out the mandate the public gave to them."

"The alumni of high education institutions are still expected
to remain pioneers in spearheading the global opportunities which
are open to our goods and services."

The greatest challenge facing Indonesia is developing its
immense human resources, especially since most Indonesians still
live traditional rural lives, he said.

This traditional existence has some inherent problems. It lacks
entrepreneurship, capital, management, market information and
developed human resources. Yet, most Indonesians cling to it for
their livelihood.

"We need to upgrade their integrity, respect and welfare. We
have to work as fast as possible in pushing forward the traditional
sector and make it an integral part of the modern sector," Soeharto
said.

Higher education institutions, he said, must monitor
development while formulating policies and strategies to help
Indonesia face the quickly developing world. The schools must also
groom the nation's future leaders.

Soeharto warned that international economic relations are now
marked by opening markets and greater competition between countries.

"Whether we like it or not, want it or not, ready or not, the
era of free trade is bound to come. That means that we must be
prepared for the challenges and the opportunities. We have 15 years
to establish our presence in the markets of industrialized countries
and 25 years before we have to open all our markets."

Soeharto, who was accredited for pushing the free trade
schedule within the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation forum, once
again appealed to the nation to stand behind him in the move towards
free trade.

"I urge the people in this country to look at the challenges
and opportunities (of free trade) in a positive light, that is, as
an opportunity for us to realize our national goal: the
establishment of an advanced, just, prosperous and harmonious
society based on Pancasila."

"I ask the members of the academic world to prepare to answer
these challenges," he said. (emb)