Newly formed reform team greeted with thumbs down

JAKARTA (JP): A new national team of respected experts assigned to prioritize the recovery of public trust has met with skepticism despite denials that it is a mere trick to favor those in power.

Amien Rais, chairman of the National Mandate Party and Koento Wibisono, the head of alumni of the noted Gadjah Mada University in Yogyakarta, were separately commenting on the team officiated Friday by President B.J. Habibie.

Historian Taufik Abdullah, philosopher Franz Magnis-Suseno, and foreign exchange analyst Theo F. Toemion are among 100 respected figures who have joined the National Reform Team towards a Civil Society.

With a government to end in a matter of months, Amien said, "Habibie's government should place priority on carrying through the decrees of the General Session (of the People's Consultative Assembly) such as investigation of corruption, collusion and nepotism of Soeharto and his cronies, guarantee a free and fair elections and resolve the problem of scarce and expensive basic goods."

He made the comments on the team chaired by Minister of Cooperatives and Small and Medium Enterprises, Adi Sasono, after being installed as professor at the university.

He has said he will request a leave from his position as a civil servant at the university, as required by the new ruling on civil servants, to concentrate on his party.

The statement of the team, whose patron is the President, had said it had no pretensions about providing a final formula given increasingly complex problems facing Indonesia.

The team seeks to modify, among other things, the harmful long term effects of "the centralization of power" and economic inequality. Adi said after the ceremony that the team "was not designed to uphold the status quo."

The set up of another "abstract team," like previous others, would only add to unrealized promises, Amien said.

The presidential decree stated the team was to accommodate thoughts on transformation of economics, politics, law, society and culture, "and anticipation of the impacts of globalization."

It would then recommend policies to the President.

Amien cited the earlier team to ensure national security and order. "Usually those institutions don't have any follow up measures," he said. After it was set up a few months ago the task of the earlier team is yet to be clear.

Meanwhile Kunto said the team's set up, by a presidential decree and reportedly suggested by the president's aides, was "very naive and belittles the reform movement."

He added the team was only set up to ensure the status quo, despite the chairman's denial.

The team's advisory board is chaired by Adi and its 21 members include a brother of the president, businessman J.E. Habibie, Minister of Defense and Security/Armed Forces Commander Gen. Wiranto and another 12 ministers, and military columnist Sayidiman Suryohadiprodjo.

Several members of the Association of Muslim Intellectuals (ICMI), once chaired by Habibie, are in the team's seven groups.

Four executives are all presidential advisors and are chaired by Sofian Effendi.

Economist Didik J. Rachbini and an executive of the National Development Planning Board, Gunawan Soemodiningrat, as well as Theo, are in the economic reform group, coordinated by M. Dawam Rahardjo.

The socio-cultural reform group, coordinated by historian Taufik, includes noted Muslim scholar Nurcholish Madjid.

Legal expert Lobby Loeqman is in the legal reform group, while noted educator Arief Rahman lines up for educational reform.

Political scientist Ichlasul Amal appears in the political reform team coordinated by Armed Forces Chief for Territorial Affairs, Lt. Gen. Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono. Other teams are those focusing on industry and technology and institutional reforms.

In his address on Friday the President said he had welcomed suggestions from various parties to form the team, these coming reportedly from his advisors.

"I think the setting up of this team is highly urgent, because shortly after the elections of June 7 this year, various elements in the country will have to draw up a vision of the new Indonesia." (prb/anr/23)