Habibie: Legal means best to solve discord

JAKARTA (JP): President B.J. Habibie urged the nation on Monday to resolve differences nonviolently and according to the law, warning several political time bombs may surface in the near future.

"Sure, there is the East Timor issue, the Bank Bali issue. But, hey, don't be surprised if Bank Bali is not the first. There may be more issues arising," Habibie said in off-the-cuff remarks to visiting guests from the Indonesian Muslim Students Movement (PMII).

"Maybe not this month, maybe not this year, maybe next year. They will continue to arise.

"But please don't despair, let's thoroughly resolve it using legal channels," he told his guests from the Indonesian Muslim Students Movement (PMII).

The crisis in East Timor and the Bank Bali scandal have intensified the spotlight on Habibie who is running as a presidential candidate.

The latest salvo of issues to hit the Habibie government was the passing of the state security bill last week and the handling of the ensuing protests which, according to police, claimed eight lives.

Habibie repeatedly stressed the need for peaceful and legal means to be used to usher in change.

"I really don't understand what they're protesting," he said of the mass student demonstrations against the bill.

Critics of the bill have claimed that it would give unchecked power to the president and the military.

Habibie warned that much of the criticism was misplaced and that scrapping the new bill would mean that its 1959 predecessor would remain in effect.

"Compared to the new one, the old one is adverse to democracy."

Earlier during a separate meeting with the Anshor Youth Group, Habibie asserted that despite strong calls for his resignation he would not step down until his term officially ends.

He asserted that he won't step down until his tenure is completed," Anshor Youth chief Syaifullah said.

"He is ready to be held accountable. He said the first and second president stepped down under a cloud of problems. If he does that too then it wouldn't be fair to the people," Syaifullah added. (prb)