ICMI urges transparent leadership succession

JAKARTA (JP): The Association of Indonesian Moslem Intellectuals (ICMI) ended its two-day annual conference Wednesday evening, calling for transparency in the five-yearly state leadership succession.

The recommendation, read out by young ICMI cadre Aida Pitalaya, said it is now necessary to develop a peaceful and transparent tradition on state presidential and vice presidential elections.

"People's increasing aspirations, in line with the ongoing development program, is a must and an unavoidable political process," read the statement, as quoted by Antara.

Present at the closing ceremony, held in Cipayung subdistrict, West Java, were Chairman B.J. Habibie, State Minister of Public Housing Akbar Tanjung and officials from the ICMI central board and nationwide chapters.

The association, however, declined to issue a political statement on their candidate for the state leadership.

Chairman B.J. Habibie said at the opening of the conference Tuesday that it would leave the process to the existing mechanism, the general meeting of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR).

The 1,000-member MPR will reconvene next March to elect a president and vice president and endorse the 1998/2003 State Policy Guidelines.

The association said the country needs a strong legislative council and judicial body to absorb people's increasing aspirations.

"Indonesia wants reforms," the statement said. "A strong legislative council and judicial body are needed to supervise government policies, so that they will always consider people's aspirations."

The association said the reforms should contain changes on the existing sociopolitical structure and system.

"The reforms should meet all expectations established by the country's founding fathers, for a modern Indonesia," it said. "The process should include the acceleration and the achievement of democratization."

The association said the process should also include law enforcement and transparency on any sociopolitical and economical interactions.

The association also said the nation should consider reforms in the process of future general elections.

"Future general elections should be direct, universal, voluntary, and secret," it said.

"They should also be held honestly and fairly."

The association said through such a process, members of the legislative council would be the ones who truly represented the interest of a free and independent people.

The existing moral dilemmas have caused a variety of moral and behavioral crisis, which are difficult to tackle within a short period of time, the association said.

The people's decreasing discipline, lack of social solidarity and corruptive moral behavior are a regular phenomenon these days, it said.

The association suggested social institutions, including economic, educational, cultural and religious sectors be restructured to directly "guide" the people to a more responsible and noble society. (imn)