Government won't change political system: Soeharto
Government won't change political system: Soeharto
JAKARTA (JP): President Soeharto yesterday reiterated that the
government will not change the political system, as some people
have demanded, to "suit their personal interests".
Opening the sixth congress of Pemuda Pancasila, a politically
well-connected youth organization, Soeharto said here yesterday
that the current political system has proven effective to support
the achievement of the nation's ideals for a prosperous
Indonesia.
"We will not change a system which has proven effective, let
alone if the wishes are only to serve the interests of a few
people," he told a massive gathering of activists clad in the
organization's uniform of orange, red and black. Every so often,
the thousands of youths gathered in the Senayan Sports Stadium
applauded Soeharto's speech.
Soeharto ended his speech by raising his fist and shouting
"Pancasila!", to which the youths responded with the same
enthusiastic yell.
Soeharto was accompanied by State Minister of Youth Affairs
and Sports Hayono Isman, Jakarta Governor Surjadi Soedirdja and a
number of other cabinet ministers, including Minister of
Information Harmoko, who is also chairman of the ruling Golkar.
Support
In his speech, Pemuda Pancasila chairman Yapto S. Suryosumarno
said the organization has decided "to channel its members'
political aspirations through Golkar".
Pemuda Pancasila, whose name is derived from the Pancasila
state ideology, is but one among a number of organizations which
have openly pledged support for Golkar. Other youth groups, such
as Gakari, have also pledged loyalty to Golkar in the 1997
general elections.
Pemuda Pancasila's five-day congress will take place at the
Pondok Gede Haj dormitory in East Jakarta.
Soeharto asked the youths last night to help prepare Indonesia
for fiercer global competition in economics, finance, trade,
management, science and technology.
Indonesian youths should best prepare themselves for healthy
rivalry in almost all areas of life with youths in other
countries, Soeharto said.
"If our youths fail to win the competition, there won't be a
more effective weapon or street rally which will be able to save
the nation," Soeharto said.
The major challenge that youths nowadays have to face is no
longer the independence wars which the youths of the 1945
generation had to endure, Soeharto said.
Indonesia will begin to step into the liberal trade era in
2002 when the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)
becomes a free trade area for its seven members.
Indonesia is a member of the 18-member Asia-Pacific Economic
Cooperation forum which will fully liberalize their trade in the
year 2020. (pan)