ICMI defends Saefuddin over Hindu defamation
JAKARTA (JP): The influential Association of Indonesian Moslem Intellectuals (ICMI) came to the defense of its member State Minister of Food and Horticulture A.M. Saefuddin on Tuesday, saying he had not intended any ill will when he made recent remarks Hindus have considered offensive.
Acting ICMI chairman Achmad Tirtosudiro, accompanied by association executives including Parni Hadi and Jimly Asshiddiqqie, convened a media conference to speak about, among other things, the growing calls from the Balinese and many others that President B.J. Habibie dismiss Saefuddin over the remarks.
"ICMI cannot agree to the dismissal of (Saefuddin)," Tirtosudiro said. "If (Habibie) dismisses Saefuddin, then next time, there could be other (ministers sacked just because of people's demands).
"I know Saefuddin very well and I know he did not mean to insult other beliefs," Tirtosudiro said of the minister who is a member of the ICMI council of experts and an executive of the Moslem-based United Development Party (PPP).
"ICMI therefore joins Saefuddin in his apology to Hindus," he said. "We respect other faiths."
Achmad clarified that Saefuddin, in an interview with reporters at the state secretariat two weeks ago, had only asked what would happen if the next presidential candidate was a person who adhered to two religions.
He was referring to the chairwoman of the splintered Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI), Megawati Soekarnoputri, who has been pictured several times praying in Hindu temples in Bali.
Saefuddin also said predominantly Moslem Indonesia would not tolerate a Hindu president. The remarks offended the predominantly Hindu Balinese who then went on street demonstrations demanding that the minister be dismissed.
Their call received support from various quarters. Former minister of home affairs Rudini urged Habibie on Tuesday to take strong action against Saefuddin.
Habibie has refused to bow to the calls, saying he would not reshuffle his cabinet and that he was satisfied with all of his ministers' performance.
Rudini conceded that it was Habibie's prerogative to either retain or dismiss Saefuddin. "But, in this reform era, the President should be responsive to people's aspirations," he said.
Let. Gen. Agum Gumelar, governor of the National Resilience Institute, the military's think-tank, called for peace and an end to the matter.
He said Saefuddin's apology should be enough, but that dismissal was an alternative.
However, he warned that the case could be manipulated by certain parties seeking to further their own political interests.
Faisal Baasir, a legislator of the United Development Party (PPP) faction, warned on Tuesday of counter protests from Moslem groups who supported Saefuddin.
He said several Moslem groups in Jakarta had started the campaign to counter anti-Saefuddin protests in Bali.
"Several Moslem groups in Lombok have also begun staging counter protests against the Balinese people's excessive reaction (to Saefuddin's remarks)," he said in Mataram, West Nusa Tenggara.
Faisal, chairman of House Commission II for home affairs, was in Mataram with the commission on a five-day field tour.
"The (Balinese) reaction is excessive. The case should have ended with Saefuddin's apology," he said.
On Tuesday, a group of 15 Moslem youths staged a demonstration near the House of Representatives compound. A banner held by a demonstrator read Jangan memaksa kami melakukan jihad (Do not force us to launch a holy war).
Saleh Khalid, another PPP legislator, urged Megawati to respond by stating her religion to the public.
"Megawati should not keep her silence. She has a moral responsibility to clarify her faith. If she adheres to Islam why did she attend a Hindu ritual? If she was not a Hindu, why did she not deny (Saefuddin's remarks)?," he said. (rms/swe)