Habibie says he now puts people's welfare first
JAKARTA (JP): President B.J. Habibie has confessed that as state minister of research and technology he was obsessed with the development of technology in Indonesia but now as president he is more concerned about ensuring people's basic welfare.
Habibie admitted that he might even have been overly selfish in his obsession to advance high-tech in the country, and neglected other sectors which might have needed more attention than his costly projects, such as the country's state-owned aircraft manufacturer PT IPTN.
"Now I'm responsible for the whole Indonesian nation, my priority is the procurement of daily commodities, medicines, education, to help students whose parents have just lost their jobs and how to help poor teachers and make sure they have something to cook in their kitchens," Habibie said during a 75- minute meeting with 60 students and 15 professors from the Bandung-based Pajajaran University at the Bina Graha presidential office yesterday.
"As minister of research and technology for 20 years, when Pak Habibie talked he would only touch on aircraft or ship issues. Now I no longer know much about aircraft, it is a matter of the past," Habibie said.
During the meeting, university rector Maman Rukmana presented the university's concept on reform which he boasted as "much better than the current State Guidelines".
The meeting itself proceeded in a relaxed atmosphere.
Unimaginable during former president Soeharto's era, many students yesterday came wearing only T-shirts, blue jeans and their university jackets.
Only two students wearing sandals were barred entry.
Complicated
Despite the leeway given to them when meeting the head of state, one student, Fini, complained: "The protocol is too complicated, even though the president himself is very open minded".
Economists and even international agencies often criticized Habibie as a big spender and technology czar whose megaprojects usurped state funds.
In 1994 the government came under fire when then president Soeharto allowed the transfer of more than Rp 400 billion collected for the reforestation fund to be transferred to bankroll IPTN.
The students and their lecturers were not shy yesterday in openly criticizing Habibie during the meeting.
Johan Masjhur, a lecturer at the school of medicine, criticized the government's poor sense of crisis, saying that Habibie's team lacked a comprehensive strategy to cure the country's collapsing economy.
"Some people even say that the government is only half- heartedly carrying out its reform programs," Johan told Habibie.
Realizing that he was talking with a doctor, he compared the country's economy to a dying patient which could not be cured instantly, even by the best doctors.
"Such things (magical cures) only happen in the 1001 nights fairytales," Habibie said, bursting into laughter.
He then urged university lecturers and academics to provide a conducive climate for students to develop and hone their creativity.
To the students he advised: "Do not neglect your main duty to be doctors, legal experts or economists. Please pity your parents". (prb)