'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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