Habibie will forgive insults against him

Habibie will forgive insults against him

JAKARTA (JP): President B.J. Habibie said on Saturday he would
appreciate any criticism and expression of opposition against
him, and forgive any insulting remarks about his policies.

He even praised people who spent the better part of their time
thinking of ways to attack his government.

The President pointed out that antigovernment demonstrators
had also played an important role in accelerating the country's
economic recovery because their actions had forced the government
to work harder.

"The recovery is the result of hard work from the entire
nation, including those who have worked hard to demonstrate or
spent time organizing demonstrations," the President said in a
ceremony marking the People's Economic Awakening Day at the State
Palace.

"If they stayed up late at night just to think about me or my
policies, I begin to think that I am important," Habibie said,
bursting into laughter.

The President, however, reminded his critics not to resort to
slander because it was "forbidden by all religions".

Making comparisons, Habibie compared his fate to that of great
scientists in the past who were branded insane during their
lifetime because of extraordinary findings, but were declared
heroes of science hundreds of years later.

"May be I will be appreciated 200 years in the future," he
said.

In the four months of his presidency since May 21, Habibie has
been the target of many demonstrations, some violent.

The President also pledged not to repeat the mistakes of the
previous government which focussed too much attention on major
enterprises while neglecting small and medium businesses.

Without elaborating, he said he felt ashamed because the debts
of the big enterprises were huge. According to official data,
total private sector debt, the majority of which comes from big
business excluding the banking sector, currently amounts to US$64
billion.

"The monetary crisis, which has been here for more than one
year, proves that conglomerates are unable to survive," he said.

As a part of its populist economic policy, the government will
redistribute national economic resources and productive assets to
increase equality, the President noted.

"The redistribution of productive assets is aimed at creating
a structure of society where 90 percent of people would be middle
class, five percent upper class and the remaining five percent
poor."

The ceremony was attended by 300 representatives of
cooperatives and small entrepreneurs. A number of Cabinet
ministers, including Coordinating Minister for Economy, Finance
and Industry Ginandjar Kartasasmita and Minister of Cooperatives
Adi Sasono were also present. (prb)