New intellectual group established

JAKARTA (JP): Amid the fierce debate over the growing political influence of intellectual organizations, another intellectual group was founded in Jakarta this week, albeit with little fanfare.

The founders of the Association of Young Graduates and Intellectuals (PSCMI) were quick to state on Thursday that their motives were totally apolitical.

PSCMI Chairman Andi M. Djabir told reporters that the organization's chief mission is the promotion of science and technology and human resources development.

"We are an intellectual organization and our mission is to improve the quality of human resources in the country amid fiercer global competition," he said.

The association was founded by the teaching staff of the Foundation for Indonesian Graduates's Welfare, which runs a masters in business administration course in cooperation with Britain's De Montfort University of Leicester.

Djabir will be assisted by three deputies: J.M. Papasi, I. Sumaryono and Brig. Gen. (retired) Anton Tifaqna; and M. Arsyad Baso as secretary general.

The organization came into being as the nation anticipates the next move of the Association of Intellectuals for Pancasila Development (PCPP), which was established in July and plans to hold a national meeting in Purwokerto next week.

The PCPP, judging from the support it has received, is widely seen as a potential rival to the Association of Indonesian Moslem Intellectuals (ICMI), which has been growing in political influence under the leadership of B.J. Habibie, the State Minister of Research and Technology.

All of Indonesia's other intellectual organizations are also based on religious affiliations, such as the ISKA for Catholics, the PIKI for Christians, the KCBI for Buddhists and the FCHI for Hindus.

The PSCMI, according to chairman Djabir, is open to everyone, even non-university graduates. There is also no age limit, although the group calls itself an organization of youth intellectuals.

Djabir explained that PSCMI has already been registered as a mass organization with the Ministry of Home Affairs and hopes to soon open chapters and branches in the region.

The group has designed training programs to improve the skills of university graduates . (rms)