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.