Habibie calls for fasting to save rice

JAKARTA (JP): President B.J. Habibie has appealed to all Indonesians to join him in the ritual of fasting for two days each week in order to save rice, the mainstay of the nation's diet.

In a speech broadcast nationwide on Sunday to commemorate the birth of Prophet Muhammad, he asked Moslems and non-Moslems alike to fast every Monday and Thursday, a ritual already practiced by many devout Moslems, including the President himself.

While stressing the benefit of fasting in terms of health and efficiency, he showed, using rough calculations, that if enough people fast two days each week, Indonesia would not have to import rice.

"If a person eats 200 grams of rice at a time, then fasting (on Monday and Thursday) for 52 weeks, or one year, represents a saving of 20kg.

"If one million Indonesians fast on Mondays and Thursdays we would save 20,000 tons of rice; if 50 million people fast, we would save one million tons; and if 100 million people fast then we would save two million tons annually.

"If 150 million people fast on Mondays and Thursdays we would save three million tons, the same amount that we would otherwise have to import (this year)," Habibie said to huge applause from the guests attending the ceremony at the State Palace.

Sultan Hamengkubuwono X from Yogyakarta presented the sermon in the religious ceremony.

Last year's prolonged drought and the economic crisis have slashed Indonesia's rice output, forcing the country to once again rely heavily on imports.

Habibie described fasting on Mondays and Thursdays as part of a process of acculturation.

While this ritual had nothing to do with religion, he said the practice would nevertheless strengthen one's faith.

"When we fast, we continue to work as usual, but we will not be disrupted (by food). Scientifically, it is known that when fasting, our blood, especially the blood circulating through our brain, will be fresher and more likely to give us the inspiration we are looking for.

"History has shown that many great people, like composers, painters and scientists, did not care much for food because they wanted to concentrate on their work. They made great discoveries because the blood in their brain flowed smoothly," said the former minister of research and technology.

The 62 year old President was known to fast every Monday and Thursday when he was a member of the cabinet. Palace sources said he continues with the ritual to this day.

To Moslems, fasting means avoiding food and drink from dusk to dawn. The practice is mandatory for all healthy adult Moslems during Ramadhan, a month in the Islamic calendar.

Habibie said he had made the appeal for people to fast on behalf of many public figures, including two cabinet ministers.

"This is not part of what I was supposed to read. I was asked... to use tonight's occasion to underscore that the practice of fasting on Mondays and Thursdays can start with our own families," he said.

"I beg forgiveness that I have taken the courage to convey this message," he added.

In his prepared speech, Habibie underscored the need for Moslems to emulate Prophet Muhammad,

The Prophet, he said, always resorted to musyawarah (deliberation) based on equality, faith, honesty and wisdom, to resolve problems he found in society.

"In musyawarah, every party is given an equal opportunity to express their thoughts and feelings in the open, and to be heard by other parties who are equally open hearted.

"Musyawarah as exemplified by Prophet Muhammad does not mean that the strong impose their will on the weak. Musyawarah is used to find a point that satisfies all parties in a give-and-take process.

"In society that is always moving, people's demands become ever more diverse and their aspiration grow. They become more critical through education and easier access to information.

"In a situation like this, there is no alternative for us but to push for greater openness in society and in state affairs.

"Islam teaches us to be open and democratic," Habibie said. (emb)