Last minute appeal from Denpasar

If the purpose of the appeal from Denpasar, Bali, by the cream of the country's intellectuals and influential elite that the nation return to the reform track was to attract the media's attention and be widely spread among the population, the objective has been more than achieved judging from the intensive press coverage of the event.

But if one expects the government and society, notably the President, to dramatically change course following the Denpasar recommendations and warning of an impending second national economic crisis, they may be disappointed.

President Abdurrahman Wahid himself has already indicated that the "real culprits must be sought among members of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) and the House of Representatives (DPR)" who are planning to get rid of him. What follows is a list of names of people reportedly on the waiting list to be arrested.

How incredible it must sound that the man who championed the cause of democracy following the repressive era under former president Soeharto, should now himself resort to dictatorial methods, at least in intentions. This is clearly a drawback from the reform process which the Denpasar Forum intended to guard through their 11th hour dialog before the MPR convenes in August this year.

Most of the people who spoke in Denpasar and sounded various warnings spoke earlier about the same or identical themes, but in less dramatic fashion. Nurcholish Madjid, one of the leaders behind the forum, has been charged with giving too early a sign that Abdurrahman should be allowed to finish his term despite his many controversial statements. Such decision would be more appropriately taken by the MPR/DPR.

The fact that the forum was convened to discus urgent national issues and suggest solutions could be seen as a break in the link between the country's formal leaders and intellectuals.

The initiative to hold a consultative meeting at the 11th hour on such a grand scale, nevertheless, is commendable if after a period of say three months the course of impending calamity can be changed. Most importantly, if the Soeharto case can be settled and foreign investors' interest restored, economic restructuring can move again.

GANDHI SUKARDI

Jakarta