ICMI grooming Moslem 'cadres'

JAKARTA (JP): The Association of Indonesian Moslem Intellectuals (ICMI) has no immediate plans to establish social service institutions, such as schools and hospitals, its chairman B.J. Habibie says.

Habibie said on Friday night that the ICMI was a forum for Moslem intellectuals to exchange ideas and views and was more concerned with human resources development.

He made the remarks to reporters shortly after he, in his capacity as state minister of research and technology, addressed the congress of the Muhammadiyah in Banda Aceh, capital of Aceh province.

Muhammadiyah is one of Indonesia's largest Moslem organizations. In its 83 years it has established hundreds of schools as well as higher education institutes and hospitals.

Asked whether the ICMI, a relative newcomer, planned to expand its activities in the same way as Muhammadiyah, Habibie said his organization was more concerned with grooming Indonesia's Moslem "cadres" for the challenges of development.

He said that many in Muhammadiyah had joined the ICMI, as had thinkers from other organizations, including the ruling political group Golkar.

"Take Amien Rais from Muhammadiyah and Thohir from Golkar," he said. "They are founding members and have executive positions in the ICMI." (emb)