Habibie offers `accelerated evolution'

JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia needs reform brought about through an evolution, not a revolution, President B.J. Habibie said yesterday.

"We have to realize that everything must be allowed to evolve. But the process can be accelerated. An accelerated evolution is the natural way to ensure the quality of the outcome," Habibie said during a luncheon held for editors of newspapers and broadcast media at the State Palace.

He explained that this was the way that he intended to pursue reform, including preparations for a general election next year.

"I beg for your help, leaders of `information society', to explain our sincere intentions to the public. We can only accelerate the process. We only 24 hours in a day, not more and not less," he told the media executives.

He likened the reform process to constructing a multi-story building.

"You can't rush up and build the 10th floor straight away. That's impossible.

"What you can do is build the first, second and third floors at a normal speed, then afterward you can accelerate your drive until the top story has been reached.

"Evolution does not only apply to construction. In every aspect of our lives and thoughts, nothing happens suddenly. It (sudden change) only happens in the 1001 Nights tales," he said during the four hour luncheon.

Evolution minimized the risks associated with a revolution, he said, adding: "In the end, the nation has to bear the brunt."

Habibie described the students' uprising of 1966, which helped Soeharto to ascend to the presidency, as a revolution. On the other hand, he called this year's student movement, which led to Soeharto's downfall and helped his own rise to the presidency, an evolution.

The editors were the latest group of people to be spoken to by Habibie in the two weeks since he was appointed president. He had earlier met with religious leaders, senior business figures and prominent members of the reform movement.

The legitimacy of Habibie's presidency is still widely debated and he came under strong criticism when he announced this week that he had no plans to call a general election until next year.

Speaking without a prepared text, Habibie begged his guests to be understanding, and said that it would be better if the entire nation spoke the same language when talking about reform.

"We can speed it up. We can run, and then stop to contemplate. That is the gradual approach."

"I ask you to maintain the momentum for reform, but be realistic. We all have our limitations.

"We need to focus our attention on the future. That does not mean that we should forget past practices of corruption, collusion and nepotism," he said, pointing out that there were legal channels to resolve these problems.

Habibie said his government "has been rushing" to implement the various reform agendas, including the preparation of new political laws which would open the door for a fair general election to be held as early as May next year.

"We intend to complete the laws on elections and political parties by August. That gives us two months, gentlemen.

"They (the government team) are working hard to draft the laws ... Once the drafts are completed, I will give them to you, you can publish them, and let the public study them thoroughly.

"But I will only give you one month, because we want to have the laws enacted by December," he said.

Once enacted, the People's Consultative Assembly could meet in December to set a date for general elections, he said. "They (assembly members) will need only one day to decide."

He argued that the country would then need a few months to prepare for the elections. "If everything goes well, Insya Allah (God willing), we can hold the elections in May next year," he said.

A new assembly formed as a result of the elections could then meet in December to elect a new president and vice president.

Habibie predicted a coalition government would emerge from the election which would be contested by more than three parties.

He estimated the election would cost Rp 3 trillion to organize. Last year's election cost Rp 1.4 trillion because it was only contested by three parties, he said.

Regarding his economic program, Habibie said the government would give greater attention to small and medium enterprises because they were more resilient than large conglomerates.

"They gave us a cushion when we fell. It's only natural that they now be given a special place in our economy," he said. (prb/emb)