No to Islamic state

Aged 63, I am a retired official of the Ministry of Finance. I have kept up with the historic journey of the Indonesian nation from the Dutch colonial era until now. I have experienced the ups and downs of the struggle waged by this nation. I witnessed the proclamation of the independence of Indonesia on Aug. 17, 1945 and the establishment of the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia based on Pancasila and the 1945 Constitution.

I am a Muslim, so are all my family members. I would be very happy if Muslims make progress and develop. Muslims make up the majority of the Indonesian nation. It is my great wish to see Islam propagation and Islam-based education, which seeks to improve the moral quality and the intelligence of the nation, develop rapidly. I also long to see Muslims live happily and prosperously and always nurture a hope that they will improve economically.

Recently, however, some quarters claiming to be Muslims have expressed their ambition that when they win the 1999 general election they intend to change the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia into an Islamic state. The Indonesian people, including Muslims themselves, must always be on guard against this intention. Efforts must made to prevent the establishment of an Islamic state in Indonesia.

The 1945 Constitution may be amended and reformed because this constitution was originally intended to apply only during the physical struggle to establish the state based on the 1945 Proclamation. But, once again, do not remove Pancasila as the state's foundation and replace it with Islamic laws. If this happens, the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia will disintegrate and will be doomed to ruin.

The state of the Republic of Indonesia is made up of various ethnic groups professing different religions and beliefs in God. Efforts must be made to keep intact the unity of the Indonesian nation as a great nation. The legacy passed on to us by Sukarno- Hatta and all Indonesian heroes and national freedom fighters must be kept intact. Let me quote an example. As early as prior to the establishment of the 1945 Constitution, Bung Hatta, a Muslim intellectual from West Sumatra, expressed his disagreement to the inclusion of the Jakarta Charter in the preamble of the 1945 Constitution.

I am also convinced that today the majority of Indonesians, including national figures such as Abdurrahman Wahid, Amien Rais, Megawati, Nurcholis Madjid, Marzuki Darusman, Ali Sadikin, Sri Bintang Pamungkas, Sultan Hamengkubuwono X, President B.J, Habibie and even Gen. Wiranto, would disapprove of the idea to establish an Islamic state. Keep Pancasila as the state's foundation; this is the best for the Indonesian people.

SUHARSONO HADIKUSUMO

Jakarta