Habibie reprimands LIPI staff

JAKARTA (JP): State Minister of Research and Technology B.J. Habibie has reprimanded 19 researchers of the National Institute of Sciences who issued a statement last month demanding a new national leader.

Habibie said yesterday the researchers were guilty of using the institute and its facilities for an activity unrelated to their jobs.

"People who carry out routine jobs should not use their offices or their facilities for other business. It's bad conduct," Habibie was quoted as saying by Antara.

"They (the intellectuals) have their own channel for disclosing their research results (that is) in scientific publications, not in joint statements," Habibie said on the sidelines of a House of Representatives hearing.

Head of the institute, Soefjan Tsauri, criticized as a violation of ethics the manner in which the researchers unveiled their concerns about the economic crisis, but said the case was closed.

He said he would not set in place administrative sanctions against the researchers.

"Researchers may sometimes do wrong, but they never tell lies," said Soefjan who attended a separate hearing at the House yesterday.

He said he could not ban the researchers from making statements because they did so in their personal capacities.

The 19 researchers called last month for the election of a new president saying it was necessary if the country intended to heal its ailing economy.

They said they doubted the present government could lead the nation out of the crisis, mainly because of its stubborn refusal to undertake comprehensive reform. (amd)