Ex-general places trust in civilians

JAKARTA (JP): The Armed Forces (ABRI) most senior figure, Gen. (ret) Abdul Haris Nasution, dismissed speculation yesterday that civilians lacked the necessary skills and abilities associated with becoming presidency.

Speaking to reporters at his residence in Menteng area, Central Jakarta, Nasution said it would not bother him if a civilian became president.

"I wouldn't be worried if a civilian led the country," he said.

Nasution, former chief of the Provisional People's Consultative Assembly between 1966 and 1972, said everybody, whether civilian or military, had the right to become the state leader.

Nasution was responding to a recent statement by deputy governor of the military think tank the National Resilience Institute, Juwono Sudarsono, that ABRI members were better qualified for the presidency and that they should lead the country for at least another five years.

Nasution regretted Juwono's statement, which he said was irrelevant to the present situation.

"There shouldn't be any civilian-ABRI dichotomy," he said.

He said Indonesia's first vice president Mohammad Hatta stressed the importance of reducing ABRI members' sociopolitical authority nearly 50 years ago.

Nasution also said that he had repeatedly discussed the issue with senior military members and the House of Representatives, but received little response.

Nasution, 78, is one of the most respected military figures in the country. Throughout his illustrious career he has held many senior positions in ABRI.

He also survived the 1966 abortive communist coup in which he was a prime assassination target.

Dichotomy

ABRI spokesman Brig. Gen. Wahab Mokodongan also shared Nasution's opinion.

"The ABRI-civilian dichotomy is an outdated issue," he told reporters at his office yesterday.

Speaking about the opportunity for civilians to reach the country's top position, Wahab suggested that such a request be delivered to the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR).

The 1,000-member MPR will convene in March to elect a president and vice president and will draw up the State Policy Guidelines.

Meanwhile, political observers Riswandha Imawan and Soehardjo described Juwono's statement as groundless.

Riswandha said Juwono underestimated the capability of civilians as if it was far below that of the military.

"Everybody knows there is no regulation stipulating that state leaders must come from either the Armed Forces or civilians," Riswandha, a lecturer at Yogyakarta-based Gadjah Mada University's School of Social and Political Science, said yesterday.

He said Juwono's statement was made as if the country was still in a state of emergency which needed the control of military leaders.

"Everybody knows that the country's sociopolitical situation is stable," he said. "He can't say that only ABRI members can perform state duties."

But Riswandha also said that Juwono's statement also indicated the New Order government's failure to produce qualified leaders.

Separately in Semarang, Central Java, Soehardjo pointed out that there were many civilian figures who met the requirements of becoming president.

"Juwono must have forgotten that the country's independence was initiated by two civilian figures -- Sukarno and Hatta," he said, referring to the country's first president and vice president.

Soehardjo, a constitutional law professor at Diponegoro University, described Juwono's statement as a setback and slanderous.

"Civilians and ABRI members should cooperate to make the national development program a success," he said. (imn/har)

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