ICMI to discuss civil servants at congress

ICMI to discuss civil servants at congress

JAKARTA (JP): Next month's congress of the Indonesian Moslem Intellectuals Association (ICMI) will discuss various current political issues.

"The ICMI congress will scrutinize the attitudes of government officials and economic policies," Adi Sasono, the director of the Center for Information and Development Studies (CIDES), ICMI's think tank, said yesterday.

Speaking to reporters during a one-day seminar, International Dialog on Human Rights, Adi said the three-day congress, which will begin Dec. 7, is expected to come up with proposals on consistency among officials.

"Government officials should be consistent in what they do and say," he said.

Adi said the ICMI congress also will discuss Indonesia's economic problems.

"We need a fair economic policy. We cannot rely upon the sympathy of conglomerates for solutions to economic problems," he said.

Adi denied allegations that ICMI has been dabbling in politics.

"We have no intention of entering practical politics," he said. "We provide viewpoints for the country's decision makers through seminars and publications."

ICMI's second congress will elect a chairman for the 1995-2000 period. Established in 1991, the association enjoys the support of an impressive lineup of people, from President Soeharto, who chairs its board of patrons, to cabinet ministers.

As early as August, support began to pour in for the re- election of incumbent chairman B.J. Habibie, who is also the state minister of research and technology.

In conjunction with the congress, ICMI plans to hold a book exhibition on Islam and Technology, on Dec. 3.

Coordinator for the four-day exhibition, Upi Tuty Sundari, said 40 local and foreign book publishers will take part.

The exhibition is also expected bring the "book donation" program to a climax this year. The target is 5.7 million copies this year. "Last year the program managed to collect one million books," she said. (anr/imn)