Emil exercises democracy with VP bid
JAKARTA (JP): Landslide support for B.J. Habibie failed to push former environment minister Emil Salim out of the race for the vice presidency yesterday.
Emil, who has strong support from fellow academics, pro- democracy activists and the public alike, will continue his bid for the post in an "exercise of democracy".
His prime intention, he said, is not to clinch the chair, but to set an example of how the principles of democracy should be exercised and respected.
Unlike the heavyweight candidates, who rely on backing from the factions in the People's Consultative Assembly, Emil is tapping into support from outside the establishment through campaigning for clean governance and economic reform.
Emil called a news conference only hours after Harmoko, leader of the dominant Golkar functional group, stepped aside in the vice presidential race, making way for his rival Habibie.
"My candidacy is basically a moral movement," Emil told journalists yesterday.
At about the same time, the tiny Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI) also -- predictably -- fielded Habibie as its sole candidate, following the Moslem oriented United Development Party (PPP) which threw its weight behind the technology tsar, Monday.
Emil, renowned for his integrity, has backing from figures in myriad religious, social and professional backgrounds calling themselves Gema Madani, or Echo of Civil Society.
Over the past week, the group has collected 128 signatories of support for Emil, among which are those of economist Sumitro Djojohadikusumo, Moslem intellectual Nurcholish Madjid, Rahmi Hatta and Nelly Adam Malik, the wives of former vice presidents Mohammad Hatta and Adam Malik, consumer activist Zoemrotin K.S., women rights activist Saparinah Sadli, former envoy to the U.S. Arifin M. Siregar, economist Sadli, former OPEC secretary general Subroto, rights activist Asmara Nababan and Golkar legislator Albert Hasibuan.
At the top of his agenda are economic reforms aimed at improving Indonesia's competitiveness in the global market by eradicating corruption and monopolistic practices.
On political reforms, Emil declined to give details, saying only that if economic reforms were consistently implemented, political improvements would follow.
He is well aware that his chances of being elected vice president are slim because each faction in the 1,000-strong People's Consultative Assembly had already named their chosen candidates.
"My point is to show how the ABC of democracy should be implemented. People should retain the freedom to express their ideas and participate in the decision-making process," he said.
"I know the Assembly has its standard procedure in electing the new president and vice president, but people should be free to contribute ideas."
Emil said the current economic calamity occurred because the (economic) fundamentals, which he helped to lay 30 years ago, had not been adjusted to the changing times.
He warned that the government's plan to set up the Currency Board System (CBS) and to peg the rupiah to the U.S. dollar would not bring about the desired results unless it was supported with economic reforms.
The system, he argued, would need huge foreign exchange reserves and a steady inflow of foreign investments to succeed, neither of which are available under the current situation.
"The current crisis cannot be handled with a 'business as usual' approach," he added.
Emil said he would have no objection to stage what he called "wrestling of ideas" with any figures wanting to test his agenda. (pan)