Observers ask Amien to remain outspoken

Observers ask Amien to remain outspoken

UJUNGPANDANG, South Sulawesi (JP): Political observers have
called on Moslem scholar Amien Rais, who has just relinquished
his leading position in the Association of Indonesian Moslem
Intellectuals (ICMI), to remain outspoken and continue fighting
for better economic and political conditions.

Abdurrahman A. Basalamah and Muhammad Kausar Bailusy, both of
Hasanuddin University, said that the transfer of Amien from the
chairmanship of the association's Council of Experts to a member
of its Board of Advisors should not stop him from speaking out
against injustices.

"He shouldn't become less critical of injustices," Basalamah
said. "The transfer should make him, instead, even more
forthright in his criticism of the government."

Basalamah, one of ICMI's founders, expressed confidence that
Amien's resignation would not necessarily curtail his activities
as a government critic.

A plenary meeting led by organization chairman B.J. Habibie
decided Monday to "accept" Amien's resignation as chairman of the
association's Board of Experts and to make him a member of the
Board of Advisors under noted ulema Ali Yafie.

Habibie said Amien had asked to resign from his post last
year, on the grounds that his heavy Muhammadiyah workload had
made it difficult for him to function effectively in ICMI.

He denied allegations that Amien was forced to resign because
of his critical stance on several government policies, including
the activities of the giant American mining company PT Freeport
Indonesia in Irian Jaya and the planned gold mining operation in
Busang, East Kalimantan.

Amien is currently leader of the 28-million-strong
Muhammadiyah Moslem Organization.

Bailusy said he had seen nothing wrong with Amien's activities
and statements in the past. "He has done everything that an
intellectual or a religious leader has to do, that is to tell the
truth," he said. "The problem is the government is reluctant to
accept criticism."

Bailusy agreed with Basalamah that Amien should not be any
less outspoken now that he was not in such a leading position in
the association.

Although it does not necessarily affect many people, Amien's
resignation from the council of experts does not bode well for
academics and intellectuals within the association or in general
because it indicated a loss of freedom of thought.

He compared Amien to politicians Sri Bintang Pamungkas and
Megawati Soekarnoputri who lost their places on the political
center stage because of their critical outspokenness.

United Development Party Chairman Ismail Hasan Metareum said
here Tuesday that people should not misunderstand Amien's
resignation.

"Amien did not resign because he was disappointed with the
association, but because of his heavy schedule in Muhammadiyah,"
Ismail said.

In Jakarta, Muhammadiyah deputy chairman Lukman Harun said
Amien should not involve the organization, whose activities
mainly cover education and social work, in politics.

"Involving the organization in practical politics is against
its basic guidelines," Lukman said yesterday.

He declined to say whether Amien has overstepped boundaries as
chairman of the organization established 84 years ago, but he
agreed that Amien should be replaced by another Muhammadiyah
leader in ICMI.

"The replacement should come form the Muhammadiyah Central
Board at the very least," he said.

Habibie said that it has been decided that Amien's successor
would come from Muhammadiyah. He named Fuad Bawazier, a member of
the association's board of advisors and Director General for
Taxes, as a likely candidate. (30/imn)