Learn to say 'no', a new organization says

JAKARTA (JP): An ambitious new organization founded yesterday by a retired Army officer seeks to change one bad habit of Indonesians: their inability to say "no" to the powers that be.

"Those who can say 'no', join us. To say 'no' is not necessarily being confrontational," said Roch Basoeki Mangoenpoerojo, chairman of the Generation of the Founders and Heirs of the 1945 Values (GP2N45), while introducing the organization to the public at Gedung Joang.

"Anyone who has the courage to say 'no' must be honored," said the man more widely known for his regular column at the Kompas daily than as an Army officer.

The new group seeks to uphold and preserve the values of the generation of the freedom fighters, the 1945 Generation. President Soeharto is the only remaining figure of the 1945 generation who is still active in government.

While Basoeki admitted that he could not spell out precisely what those values are, he said that democracy is certainly one of them.

The ability to say 'no' in politics is another value worthy of preservation, he said, noting that in the current political environment, many people find it difficult to say `no'.

This problem calls for a cultural solutions, he explained, which will be a top priority of his new organization.

The government gave its blessing to the new organization. Present at the announcement was Edi Sedyawati, director general of culture at the Ministry of Education and Culture.

Saiful Sulun, a respected retired Army officer from the 1945 Generation, also declared his support for the organization's intent to preserve the 1945 values. He said 1945 values include a sense of togetherness, unity and democracy. "Democratic values are the basis of strengthening people's prosperity."

The organization lists three goals: to ensure a democratic general election next year, to reduce the disparity between the rich and the poor, and to fight for increased salaries of members of the civil service and the military. (05)1