Habibie 'satisfied' with Saefuddin

JAKARTA (JP): President B.J. Habibie has refused to bow to mounting pressure that he dismiss State Minister of Food and Horticulture A.M. Saefuddin over the latter's offensive remarks about Hinduism, a minister indicated on Monday.

Minister/State Secretary Akbar Tandjung said the President had told him that he did not have any plans to reshuffle the cabinet despite Balinese demands that he replace Saefuddin.

"As far as I know, the President is satisfied with the performance of all his ministers," Akbar said after meeting Habibie at Merdeka Palace.

Supreme Advisory Council chairman A.A. Baramuli said on Sunday that he would propose the replacement of Saefuddin to the President for his offensive remarks about Hinduism.

Before attending a weekly cabinet meeting two weeks ago, the vocal Saefuddin said he had a better chance of becoming the country's next president than the chairwoman of the splintered Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI) Megawati Soekarnoputri because she was a Hindu.

He said predominantly Moslem Indonesia was not be ready to be led by a Hindu. Megawati is in fact a Moslem, but Saefuddin pointed out that she had been pictured several times praying in Hindu temples in Bali.

Megawati has kept her silence thus far, but Saefuddin's statement sparked much anger in Bali. Bali Governor Dewa Made Beratha met with the President last week to deliver the people's demand that Saefuddin be punished.

The President told the governor to convey his apology and regrets to the Balinese, and assured him he had warned Saefuddin not to repeat such a mistake.

"We cannot prohibit people from making such a demand, but (they) should be proportional," Akbar noted.

I Nyoman Japa, the coordinator of a series of protests on the tourism island last week, had threatened to organize a massive strike in the province on Wednesday, Oct. 28, to coincide with the Youth Day.

Also on Monday, about 175 traditional leaders from various regencies marched to the Bali legislative council to again drive home their message that Saefuddin be sacked.

In their statement, read out by I Nyoman Subrata, they said: "The President must remove Saefuddin from his ministerial post and take him to court."

Antara quoted council speaker I Ketut Sundria as promising to convey their message to the central government.

During Soeharto's 32 years in power, many people believed the country's president had to be a Moslem, Javanese and an Army general. Habibie is a Moslem, a native of South Sulawesi and a civilian. (prb)