'ICMI must help no-Moslems'

'ICMI must help no-Moslems'

JAKARTA (JP): President Soeharto urged the increasingly powerful and influential Association of Indonesian Moslem Intellectuals (ICMI) yesterday to dedicate their work to Moslems and non-Moslems alike.

In keynote address opening ICMI's second congress, Soeharto stated that Indonesia's Moslem community has contributed to the advancement of the country, and that Islam was also a source of motivation during Indonesia's independence struggle 50 years ago.

"With these realities, I believe that as a forum of intellectuals, ICMI will not fall into the trap of solely putting forth the interests of its own community. It must not neglect the interests of other communities in society," he said.

"As an organization of Indonesian Moslem intellectuals, ICMI must remain a national force in helping to advance the country and nation," he said in the opening ceremony held at the Jakarta Convention Center.

The congress comes amid criticism that ICMI's growing power has revived sectarian politics and given rise to the emergence of other intellectual organizations, with several hoping to challenge ICMI's position. Such fragmentation in less than a year, say some political analysts, could threaten national stability.

More than 1,000 ICMI leaders, including a number of cabinet ministers, have gathered at the congress, which has moved to Hotel Indonesia until it closes on Saturday. Electing a chair for the 1995-2000 term is at the top of the agenda, in addition to drafting a new five-year program.

Incumbent chairman B.J. Habibie, who is also the State Minister of Research and Technology, was the leading candidate as of yesterday and is almost certain to be reelected. The question remaining is whether President Soeharto will allow him to divide his time between his heavy state duties and ICMI affairs.

Soeharto said that the presence of various intellectual organizations in Indonesia so far has been "positive and constructive" to national development.

Soeharto, who is also the chief patron of the five-year-old ICMI, said the problems facing Indonesia are so complex that no single group in society can tackle them.

"That is why we hope that all intellectual organizations will forge close cooperation to solve the problems facing society and the nation," he said. "Each organization has its own identity and strengths that could be put to good use for development."

He was referring in particular to the five religious-based intellectual organizations which last month jointly held a seminar to discuss national culture and its relevance to development. The five are ICMI, ISKI (Roman Catholic), PIKI (Christian), FCHI (Hindu) and KCBI (Buddhist).

Soeharto acknowledged the potential contribution of intellectuals to national development as well as the need for an open society.

"It is national policy to give as much opportunity and room as possible to the people, allowing initiative and creativity to develop among all groups in society," he said.

"But I would also like to remind you that there is no such thing as absolute freedom in any society. In fact, unlimited freedom can be detrimental to society itself."

Soeharto said three factors condition freedom: universal ethical norms that determine what is good and proper; the legal system; and one's responsibility to God and one's own conscience.

After opening the congress, Soeharto also launched a number of ICMI projects, including the Indonesia Media Network, an English- language news program about Indonesia on the Internet.

Other projects include the Book Reading Campaign, the Integrated Self-Sponsored Business Center and the Integrated Parental Guidance Scholarship Program. (emb/imn/swe)

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