Moslem students told to go beyond politics

Moslem students told to go beyond politics

YOGYAKARTA (JP): State Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports
Hayono Isman asked Indonesian Moslem students yesterday to
stretch their activities beyond the political arena.

Hayono said while opening the 21st congress of the Association
of Islamic Students (HMI) at the Yoyyakarta Palace complex that
the country desperately needed economic and cultural experts to
come up with ways to survive ongoing globalization.

"I surmise there is no youth organization ready to take on
globalization. That's why I want HMI and its counterparts to
improve the quality of their cadres," he said.

Hayono was referring to the currency woes that were hitting
Indonesia and other Southeast Asian countries. President Soeharto
spent a great deal of his state-of-the-nation speech over the
weekend to discuss the fluctuation of the rupiah.

"The congress has to include this (currency) problem in its
agenda, so that HMI can share its ideas of a solution to the
government," Hayono said.

He suggested the country's largest student organization to
offer more solutions for socioeconomic problems rather than just
raise criticism.

Also at hand in the opening ceremony were secretary-general of
the Ministry of Home Affairs Soerjana Soebrata, who represented
Minister Moch. Yogie S.M., chairman of the association of HMI
alumni Beddu Amang, who is also Chairman of the Logistics Board,
Yogyakarta Sultan Hamengku Buwono X and representatives of
various youth organizations.

The congress, scheduled to run until next Tuesday, will elect
a new chairperson for the 1997/2000 period.

HMI was beset with internal conflict even before preparations
for the congress began, including a breakaway, unrecognized
faction calling itself Savior Council of HMI.

Political analyst Fachry Ali, who attended the congress, said
the Moslem student organization would suffer a setback if it
failed to overcome the internal dispute.

He shared Hayono's view, saying that HMI should overcome its
internal problem and think about improving professional and
technical skills of its cadres.

Soerjatna did not read Yogie's speech, but instead gave the
text to HMI executives. He said the speech dealt more with HMI's
internal matters and the association could use it as input during
the congress held at Bimo Hall owned by new Army Deputy Chief of
Staff Lt. Gen. Subagyo H.S.

After the opening ceremony, congress participants attended
another ceremony to dedicate a mosque in the northern part of the
sultanate town. The mosque was funded by HMI alumni.

The first day of the congress wasted six hours of time because
both Hayono and Minister of Education and Culture Wardiman
Djojonegoro failed to deliver their scheduled lectures. (23/amd)