Hartono lashes out at former ministers

Hartono lashes out at former ministers

JAKARTA (JP): Minister of Home Affairs R. Hartono poured scorn
on former cabinet members yesterday for criticizing President
Soeharto, saying they would have resigned during their
ministerial tenures if they had guts.

"They can talk now. Why didn't they convey the same message
when they were still ministers. If they didn't agree with the
policies then, why didn't they leave their office?" Hartono said.

Hartono was asked to comment on the criticism of President
Soeharto and his policies by several former ministers, some of
whom served two or three terms.

His response, in the wake of President Soeharto's plan to
reshuffle his cabinet, came before the leaders of the House of
Representatives announced their intention to ask the head of
state to step down.

On his own future in view of the planned cabinet reshuffle,
Hartono said: "I will continue with the task entrusted me by the
President who was constitutionally elected."

Asked about the offer of resignation by Minister of Tourism,
Art and Cultural Affairs Abdul Latief, Hartono said: "I refuse to
comment."

Hartono said he had reported to President Soeharto about the
political condition in the country following a spate of violent
riots in Jakarta and several other regional towns.

He said the riots in Jakarta were provoked "by remnants of the
PKI", the outlawed Indonesian Communist Party.

"Just look at the methods... these people were sent from
Central Java and Lampung," he said. (prb/emb)