ICMI jump onto anti-Soeharto bandwagon

ICMI jump onto anti-Soeharto bandwagon

JAKARTA (JP): The Association of Indonesian Moslem
Intellectuals (ICMI) jumped on the bandwagon of criticism
yesterday as it denounced its own patron, former president
Soeharto, for establishing a brittle state system which shunned
public participation.

The results of a three-day ICMI national coordinating meeting
which were announced yesterday slammed the Soeharto
administration, saying it created an apathetic and faltering
society due to restrictive measures and lack of political
communication.

"The policies of the New Order government under Bapak Soeharto
did not involve people's participation," said Achmad Zaki Siradj,
chairman of meeting's organizing committee, while reading out the
results of the meeting.

He added that years of authoritarianism and political
arrogance had instilled a sense of fear, thus stemming the
people's ability to freely express their will.

Also present at the announcement of the results of the meeting
were executive chairman Achmad Tirtosudiro, deputy secretary-
general's Jimly Asshidiqie and Nasir Tamara.

With Habibie, who chaired ICMI since its inception in Malang,
East Java, in 1990, at the helm, the association has gone from
strength to strength.

At one stage, ICMI was considered to have so much clout that
it was able to influence the recruitment of Cabinet ministers.

Up until the past three months it was recognized as a
dedicated grouping loyal to Soeharto, with advisory and executive
boards comprised of top government officials.

With Soeharto as its patron, members were kept on a short
leash. One example is when the head of ICMI's Council of Experts,
Amien Rais, was forced to resign from his post last year due to
his criticism of Soeharto.

Amien over the weekend was reinstated in his ICMI post.

Less than two weeks prior to Soeharto's eventual resignation,
at a time when the reform movement peaked, ICMI showed signs of
breaking ranks when executive chairman Achmad Tirtosudiro and
secretary-general Adi Sasono called for an extraordinary session
of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) and a Cabinet
reshuffle.

However Habibie, who at the time was still vice president,
came to Soeharto's defense, saying the statement was made in a
personal capacity and did not reflect ICMI's position.

Habibie asserted that the association did not discuss or put
political issues on its agenda.

Neglect

In its statement yesterday, it continually laid the blame of
the nation's woes on Soeharto's New Order government, but
neglected to mention the fact that Habibie was a confidant of the
former president and a Cabinet minister since 1978.

In lamenting the "state of mind" produced by the Soeharto era,
ICMI said that even though the New Order government was gone, the
people were so conditioned that they lacked the ability to
improvise to develop a new democratic political paradigm.

In the economic field, ICMI said the New Order had only
created disparity and social jealousy.

The nation's economic resources, which should have been used
for the greater benefit of the people, were merely exploited for
an elite few, the association said.

In the legal field, the New Order also interfered and bent the
law for its own purposes, ICMI said, adding that the social
outrage and looting currently occurring were a manifestation of
the long-felt frustration over injustices.

Speaking to journalists over ICMI's continued ties with
Habibie, executive chairman Achmad claimed that ICMI was not
urging Habibie to continue as president after next year's
elections.

"ICMI considers Habibie (as president) now until 1999," he
said as quoted by Antara.

"ICMI will support Habibie if the people nominate him during
the General Session of the MPR in 1999".