Highlights of B.J.Habibie's 100 days in office
JAKARTA (JP): Thrust into the spotlight following Soeharto's sudden resignation from the presidency, President B.J. Habibie's short term in office has included the following highlights.
May 21: Installed as the country's third president, replacing Soeharto who resigned under pressure from student protests and amid widespread discontent over the economic crisis.
May 22: Unveils Reform Development Cabinet consisting of four coordinating ministers, 20 ministers and 11 state ministers, including three from the United Development Party (PPP) and the Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI), the rival parties of the Golkar ruling grouping.
May 23: Swears in Cabinet.
May 25: Chairs first cabinet meeting, setting a reform agenda and declaring an early election next year. He also announced the release of two noted political prisoners, Sri Bintang Pamungkas of the Indonesian Democratic Union Party (PUDI) and Muchtar Pakpahan of the Indonesian Prosperous Labor Union (SBSI).
May 26: Tours several shopping centers in Jakarta, including the Harco and Glodok electronics center, devastated during rioting and looting in mid-May.
May 27: Meets with International Monetary Fund (IMF) Asia- Pacific Director Hubert Neiss. Indonesia subsequently signed a new pact with the IMF on June 25.
May 28: Releases two more political prisoners, Nuku Suleiman of the Pijar Foundation and Andi Syahputra of the Alliance of Independent Journalists.
June 1: Names team of economic advisors composed of former finance ministers Widjojo Nitisastro, Ali Wardhana and Frans Seda.
June 4: Meets Papua New Guinean Prime Minister Bill Skate, his first presidential guest.
June 6: Meets editors of local newspapers and broadcast media, offers "accelerated evolution" for the sector.
June 9: Says he has no plans to run for reelection in the next general election in an interview with Reuters Television.
June 11: Urges the Armed Forces (ABRI) to find the truth behind the May 14 riots during a meeting with 151 senior ABRI members.
June 12: Meets with Dili Bishop Carlos Felipe Ximenes Belo, promising a gradual withdrawal of troops from East Timor and broad-ranged autonomy for the province.
June 15: Names Maj. Gen Muhammad Ghalib, head of the ABRI prosecutor's office, who hails from the same hometown as his in South Sulawesi, as new attorney general. Ghalib replaces Soedjono C. Atmonegoro, who was in the midst of intensive efforts to investigate former president Soeharto's wealth.
June 22: Consoles parents of four Trisakti University students shot dead during a demonstration at the university on May 12. Pronounces the four "reform heroes".
June 23: Meets members of the National Commission on Human Rights, saying ABRI needs time to investigate Trisakti shootings, disappearance of political activists and causes of riots.
June 30: Appoints 41 new members of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) to replace members who had retired, resigned or passed away.
July 3: Revokes all presidential decrees and instructions issued by Soeharto which mandate financial contributions to Soeharto-led foundations.
July 6: Calls on the public to fast every Monday and Thursday to cope with shortages in rice and other food staples.
July 9: Opens Golkar's three-day extraordinary congress, which ended with the election of Minister/State Secretary Akbar Tandjung, his close aide, as the party's chairman replacing Harmoko.
July 10: Calls for the licensing of journalists.
July 15: Meets with activists from the Movement for Anti- Violence Against Women and condemns the rape and sexual assault of reportedly scores of women during and after the May riots in Jakarta and other cities.
July 21: Minister/State Secretary Akbar Tandjung announces after meeting with Habibie that the government will give Soeharto Rp 26.5 billion (US$2.4 million) in housing funds. Government subsequently backtracks after public outcry, saying Soeharto has asked for postponement of payment until crisis is over.
July 24: Signs government regulation effectively restricting street demonstrations.
Aug. 1: Receives courtesy call by U.S. Minister of Defense William Cohen, who later praised Habibie for his commitment to democracy.
Aug. 9: Indicates to South Korean newspaper Chosun Ilbo that he will contest the next general election
Aug. 10: Inaugurates a Rp 369.9 billion highway with six bridges connecting Batam island to nearby islands in Riau province.
Aug. 12: Asks Coordinating Minister for Political and Security Affairs Feisal Tanjung to invite intelligence experts from Singapore, Taiwan, Hong Kong, America and China to probe the May riots, especially the reported rapes of Chinese-Indonesian women.
Aug. 14: Confers country's second highest honor, the Bintang Republik Indonesia Adipradana medals on his wife Hasri Ainun Besari, younger brother Junus Effendy Habibie and several close associates. Opposition figure Amien Rais and chairman of the Nahdatul Ulama Moslem organization Abdurrahman Wahid were also on the list of medal recipients, but did not attend the ceremony.
Aug. 15: Delivers inaugural state of the nation address before the House of Representatives, saying that current reform efforts must be geared toward building a civil society. In an unprecedented admission, he apologizes for the human rights abuses committed by the government in the past.
Aug. 17: Leads Indonesia's 53rd Independence Day commemoration and releases 27 more political prisoners, pardons three elderly communist prisoners and restores the good name of four senior activists, including the late Lt. Gen. Hartono Rekso Dharsono. At least 50 political prisoners have been released since Habibie took power, but an estimated 120 antigovernment activists remain in jail.
Aug. 28: In a meeting with chief editors Habibie said: "I'm no photocopy of the previous president... That's nonsense." (lnt/jsk)