Many leaders act like criminals: Minister

PARIAMAN, North Sumatra: Many national leaders live dishonest lives in the sense that in public they often speak like angels but behind the scenes they act like criminals, Minister of Social Affairs Bachtiar Chamsyah says.

Calling on the public to elect leaders with high personal integrity in the upcoming elections, Bachtiar said the deeds of national leaders were often at variance with what they had promised to the public.

"Therefore, in next year's general election, the Indonesian people must exercise greater caution in giving their votes to those running for political office," he said during a working visit to a number of districts in West Sumatra on Saturday.

Indonesia will hold a national legislative election in April 2004 and two-stage direct presidential election in 2004.

Bachtiar, a minister from the Muslim-based United Development Party (PPP), said many social problems had not been addressed while politicians continued trying to win popularity by criticizing others and putting the blame on anything or anybody else but themselves.

Bachtiar said his ministry would accept any kind of criticism as long as it was conveyed in a proportional manner and designed to produce solutions.

He said that many leaders were hypocritical and needed to engage in introspection.

He stressed that the general election was approaching and expressed the hope that it would not disrupt national stability.

"The most important thing is that we should not be dragged into disputes just because of the general elections. So, let us make sure that it goes well in accordance with the prevailing laws," he said. --Antara