Growing pain, not sickness: Siswono

Growing pain, not sickness: Siswono

JAKARTA (JP): Minister of Transmigration Siswono Yudohusodo
believes Indonesian society is suffering from "growing pains" and
is not sick as he was purported as saying last week, a fellow
cabinet minister said yesterday.

Minister/State Secretary Moerdiono told reporters Siswono had
explained his controversial remarks, reported in several Jakarta
newspapers, to President Soeharto.

Siswono was quoted as saying Indonesian society is "sick" and
that "government officials are sick".

While the remarks gained Siswono admiration from politicians
and praise from some newspaper editorials, he has since distanced
himself from them, insisting he had been misinterpreted.

Siswono told the President he had been misquoted, Meordiono
said.

In the interview, he talked about Indonesia's transformation
from a traditional agrarian state to a modern industrial society.

In such a change it was normal for a society to suffer
"development or growing pains", Moerdiono said, adding: "That was
the exact terminology Siswono used."

The journalists who interviewed him wrongly concluded
Indonesian society, and therefore government officials, were now
sick, Moerdiono said. President Soeharto had accepted the
explanation, he added.

Moerdiono reminded journalists of the need for accuracy,
especially when reporting statements by government officials.
"It's simple really; just write down what was said, without
adding in your own opinion," he said.

Criticism of the cabinet by its own members is frowned upon by
President Soeharto.

In November 1995, State Minister of Environment Sarwono
Kusumaatmadja was told by the President to control his behavior,
after suggesting that problems facing fellow cabinet members were
in many cases "their own creation".

Sarwono, who like Siswono is a career politician, duly
complied. (emb)