Habibie, Harmoko lack sense of crisis: Emil

JAKARTA (JP): Leading opposition figure Emil Salim said yesterday the intention of President B.J. Habibie and House Speaker Harmoko to call a general election for next year showed they were insensitive to realities of the country's crisis.

"They have failed to show a sense of crisis," Emil said in a discussion held at the Atma Jaya University. The time set by Habibie's government for the poll, despite public clamoring for an earlier date, merely prolonged the uncertainty which had gripped the country since the resignation of president Soeharto, he added.

"Habibie has said his government is transitional in nature, that means it must be brief. It must not exist too long since the market is wondering when the government which is not transitional will come," Emil told about 150 participants of the discussion.

"But, unfortunately, my friends (Habibie and Harmoko) don't understand that it's a crisis."

Emil called for a general election to be held in December this year, and for a general session of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) to elect a president and vice president in February next year.

Habibie's government, whose legitimacy is still doubted by many, has kept the market teetering, Emil said, reflected by the rupiah's exchange rate against the U.S. dollar which still lingered above 10,000.

"The market has yet to see any sign of certainty from the government," according to Emil. He believed the rupiah's weak exchange rate was now due to a political, not economic, crisis.

Emil's view was shared by former transmigration minister Siswono Yudohusodo, who spoke at a separate discussion on reforms and business at the Prasetya Mulya Management Institute here yesterday.

Siswono said Habibie's government should realize how critical the situation was, and take action accordingly, including by holding the general election.

Siswono said too much time had been wasted since the economic crisis began to hit the country in June last year.

"(Now) it's not the question of whether or not you agree with Habibie, or whether or not you like Habibie," he said.

Siswono described how difficult it was for Habibie's government to get the full support of the people, but the national predicament could not be overcome without this backing.

"When people no longer trust their government, they would be vulnerable to rumors that could easily lead them to rush banks and purchase foreign exchange in large quantities," he said.

Just like Thailand and South Korea, he said, Indonesia now needed a new government with legitimacy, "one that people can trust to cope with the crisis".

Emil suggested that Habibie work to win people's trust by establishing an independent election team comprising representatives from political parties that would contest the elections, as well as from non-governmental organizations (NGOs).

Emil said he, together with other opposition figures such as Moslem leaders Amien Rais and Abdurrahman Wahid, had given Habibie six months to prepare the elections.

"Don't use people's suffering as an excuse for politicking. I, Amien Rais and Gus Dur have agreed to give Habibie six months, not until the end of 1999," Emil told journalists after the Atma Jaya discussion.

Emil reiterated that changing the current political laws on political parties, elections and the structure and position of the People's Consultative Assembly and the House of Representatives could be completed by the end of this month.

He said Habibie could use his extra presidential power allowed by No. 5/1998 MPR decree to change the laws if necessary. (aan)