Gus Dur says U.S. can help put economy right

Gus Dur says U.S. can help put economy right

By Kornelius Purba

WASHINGTON, D.C. (JP): President Abdurrahman Wahid has
appealed to the United States to help his government's efforts in
rebuilding the ravaged economy and establishing a clean
government.

On the eve of his meeting with U.S. President Bill Clinton,
Abdurrahman said he would ask Washington to pay more attention to
Indonesia's efforts to lift itself out of the economic crisis.

"Economically we can lift ourselves up only with the help of
others. This is what I will stress in my meeting with President
Clinton tomorrow," the President, popularly known as Gus Dur,
said on Thursday at a dinner gathering with 250 American
investors, politicians and scholars at the Watergate Hotel.

The meeting at the White House was scheduled to start at 11.30
a.m. on Friday (23:30 p.m. Jakarta time). He also has scheduled
meetings with Stanley Fischer, deputy managing director of the
International Monetary Fund, and World Bank President James
Wolfensohn on Friday.

Addressing the dinner barely three hours after arriving on the
long flight from Jakarta, Abdurrahman asked for American help in
creating a clean, honest, effective and open government in
Indonesia.

As proof of his pledge for clean governance, he said he would
summon three members of his Cabinet on his return to Jakarta
because of new allegations they were engaged in corruption.

He did not disclose their names.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Alwi Shihab, the only Cabinet
member in the entourage, was lost for words. "I hope it's not
me," he joked when Indonesian reporters asked him the identities
of the officials.

Abdurrahman said the Indonesian government and people had much
to learn from Americans concerning work ethics, honesty and law
enforcement.

"You're so powerful, it's not easy for us to teach the
American people and, of course, we are far from it, but help us
to be honest and give us your support," he said in off-the-cuff
remarks.

The U.S.-Indonesia Business Committee dinner meeting with the
Indonesian President was organized in cooperation with the U.S.-
Indonesia Society and American Indonesian Chamber of Commerce.

Addressing the concerns of Islam, the Muslim scholar said his
government would use Islam as an identity but not in state
affairs.

"Because of this, I'm called a secularist. I never say yes
because secularism is a dirty word in Indonesia, but like
federalism, you can do it, you can implement it, without saying
it," said Abdurrahman, who chaired the 30-million strong
Nahdlatul Ulama Muslim organization before he became president.

The President promised business opportunities and legal
certainty for American investors.

He said, however, that he would not tolerate businesses that
were detrimental to people's interests, noting the state
electricity company PLN was renegotiating contracts with private
power suppliers, some of them with American interests, because
the original contracts were unfair.

Abdurrahman also said he would reduce the military's power and
establish civilian supremacy over the armed forces as part of the
move to build a democratic state.

He said it would take time to dismantle the military's power.

"We have to show them the road to democracy and it is not easy
for them to accept that ... because they are used to intrigues
and repressive ways."

He blamed the pro-Indonesia East Timorese militias, which were
supported by elements of the Indonesian Military, for the slow
repatriation of some East Timor refugees from East Nusa Tenggara.

"I have said this many times to my military people, but you
know, between saying and doing, there is a vast difference," he
said, bursting into laughter.

He complained he was constantly surrounded by military
officials since becoming president on Oct. 20.

"One of the things I inherited from my predecessor is that
everywhere I go, I have military people with me."

Abdurrahman said he would pardon former president Soeharto if
a court convicted him of alleged crimes and corruption committed
during his 32-year rule.

"The law says he violated everything, but on the other hand he
is so rich that he can pay everything," he said, quickly adding
"Soeharto is even richer than the state (Indonesia).

"I will pardon him because he is our former president. But
this will not apply to his family members and cronies."

Abdurrahman and his entourage arrived at Andrews Air Force
Base in Maryland on a special Garuda Indonesia B747-400 on
Thursday, not aboard a regularly scheduled commercial flight as
previously reported.

Shihab said a plan to use commercial flights was shelved at
the last minute because the government could not confirm the
flight connections. Use of a commercial flight would have saved
the government Rp 1 billion.

From Washington, the President is to proceed to Salt Lake
City, Utah, for treatment of his impaired vision. He is expected
in Tokyo on Monday for talks with Japanese Prime Minister Keizo
Obuchi. He returns to Jakarta on Tuesday.

His entourage includes First Lady Sinta Nuriyah, his daughter
Zannuba Arifah "Yenny" Chafsoh Rahman and his younger brother
Umar Wahid, who is also his personal physician.