National coalition called for to end crisis

JAKARTA (JP): Abdurrahman Wahid, Megawati Soekarnoputri and Bishop Carlos Felipe Ximenes Belo, in a unique gathering, yesterday called on the government to form a coalition with reform leaders to lead the nation out of the economic crisis.

A joint statement issued at the end of the meeting stressed the need to quickly resolve the crisis and said that the government could not do this alone.

"We call on the leaders of Indonesia, both inside and outside the system, to together formulate an agenda for political, legal and economic reform," said the statement which was read out by economist Hartojo Wingnjowijoto.

The 90 minute meeting of the three influential figures was held at Abdurrahman's residence in Ciganjur, South Jakarta.

Abdurrahman is chairman of the 30 million strong Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) Moslem organization, Megawati is the ousted leader of the Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI), and Belo is Bishop of Dili and a renowned government critic.

The three leaders suggested that all elements of society should be involved in drawing up the reform agenda so that it would represent a form of national consensus.

"A consensus would improve the people's confidence in the country and the nation.

"Other countries would also respect Indonesia's determination to prepare itself for the challenges of the 21st century," they said.

Speaking about the government's efforts to settle the economic crisis, the three leaders said in their statement that the government had failed to free the people from the burden of the economic crisis.

"The people's trust and the international community's confidence in the state's capability to bring the nation out of the crisis is still low," the statement said.

The meeting, which attracted both local and foreign journalists, did not include outspoken government critic Amien Rais.

The reason given for Amien's absence seemed to reveal, rather than hide, the fact that the Muhammadiyah leader was simply not invited.

Abdurrahman claimed that Amien was a very busy man and "very difficult to contact".

Abdurrahman also balked at the suggestion that the gathering signified a formal political coalition between the trio. He maintained that the meeting was only part of a moral movement.

In a separate development, a group of retired Armed Forces (ABRI) generals of the 1945 and Post-1945 generations, members of three Golkar elements -- Kosgoro, SOKSI and MKGR -- and pro- reform activists yesterday announced a plan to establish a National Front aimed at promoting the people's sovereignty and social justice.

A press statement signed by the former commander of the Army Strategic Reserves (Kostrad) Lt. Gen. (ret) Achmad Kemal Idris, a copy of which was made available to Antara, said that the idea to establish the new organization was reached after a meeting attended by 37 retired generals and representatives of the three Golkar wings.

"The National Front is intended to help mitigate the impact of the prolonged economic crisis and ease misery and social unrest, both of which are dangerous to national unity," the statement said.

Signatories to the statement also included former defense minister Edi Sudradjat, former speaker of the House of Representatives/People's Consultative Assembly M. Kharis Suhud, former secretary of development supervision and operations Solichin G.P. and former Jakarta governor Ali Sadikin.

Golkar figures who signed the statement included Kosgoro chairman Bambang W. Soeharto (no relation to the former president of the same name), MKGR chairwoman Mien Sugandhi and Golkar young generation figures Didiet Haryadi and Indra Bambang Utoyo. (imn)