Intelligence body yet to catch source of rumors

Intelligence body yet to catch source of rumors

JAKARTA (JP); The State Intelligence Coordinating Body (Bakin)
admitted that it was having difficulty tracking the source of
rumors which it claims were responsible for the recent plunge of
Indonesia's financial markets.

Bakin's deputy chief, Nurhadi Purwosaputro, said his office
was conducting an investigation over the rumors, which he said
were aimed to weaken the Indonesian economy.

"It is difficult to find the source of those rumors," he said
here Saturday. "But one thing for sure is that the rumors were
premeditated."

Nurhadi made the statement in response to the weakening rupiah
against the U.S. dollar.

The rupiah had fallen following rumors of President Soeharto's
ailing health Thursday and Friday. Earlier, foreign reports had
even speculated that Soeharto was on his deathbed.

None of the rumors have proven to be true.

Nurhadi said people should not worry about the ongoing
monetary crisis, maintaining that the crisis had also hit other
countries with stronger economies.

"Perhaps, it's an era of monetary crises," he said.

He urged the nation to be financially introspective and take
the necessary action to rescue the state's economy.

Meanwhile, the chairman of the 30-million-strong Nahdlatul
Ulama (NU) Moslem organization, Abdurrahman Wahid, suggested the
government take immediate action to stem the monetary crisis.

"The government should strive to bring back as many dollars as
possible to the country," Abdurrahman, better known as Gus Dur,
said.

Separately, deputy chairman of the National Commission on
Human Rights, Marzuki Darusman, called on the government to take
serious, and not cosmetic, steps to tackle the crisis.

"It has become a habit here that whenever there is a state
problem it is usually not fundamentally settled," he said. "No
wonder we sometimes encounter similar problems in the
future."

The Armed Forces vowed last week to track down those who
circulated rumors which it said had threatened the country's
economy and political stability.

House Speaker Harmoko also said last week that Indonesians are
prone to rumors.

Political observers have often pointed out that one of the
reasons why people believed rumors was because of the poor
channel available for them to convey their aspiration and
critical assessment of situation. (imn)