Former VP stresses problem of disparity

JAKARTA (JP): Former vice president Sudharmono called on the government yesterday to intensify efforts to address the widening socioeconomic disparity in Indonesia.

Sudharmono warned that social injustices and the widening gulf between the rich and the poor could be a fertile ground for remnants of the now outlawed Indonesian Communist Party to regain strength.

"The government should work hard to narrow the gap between the rich and the poor," Sudharmono said.

Sudharmono said he agreed with Gen. (ret.) A.H. Nasution's opinion that social justice is still far out of reach even though Indonesia has been enjoying high economic growth.

"I think we all should introspect and think of what we should do to overcome the socioeconomic disparity," said Sudharmono, now commissioner of PT Dua Satu Tiga Puluh.

Dua Satu Tiga Puluh is a profit-oriented company chaired by President Soeharto and established this year to raise funds for the development of local aircraft by the state-owned IPTN aircraft manufacturer.

Nasution, a former defense minister under the late president Sukarno and an ex-chief of the Provisional People's Consultative Assembly, said last weekend that social justice remains illusive because corruption and collusion within the bureaucracy are widespread.

Sudharmono suggested that the government stick to its "trilogy of development" principle, which includes political stability, economic growth and equal distribution of development and its results.

Now that political stability has been achieved, the government should focus on economic stability and equal distribution of development, he added.

"As economic growth is sufficiently high and the fruits of development are already there, now the resources should be equally distributed across the country," he said.

Sudharmono also suggested that the government step up its efforts to eradicate poverty through equal partnerships between large and small companies, and between the rich and the poor. (pan)