'People's leadership team' to push demands for reform

'People's leadership team' to push demands for reform

JAKARTA (JP): Vocal government critic Amien Rais warned
yesterday that a coalition of leading public figures, or a
"people's leadership team", would be formed by the end of the
month to push demands for reform.

"Just you wait and see sometime around May 20 and afterward,"
he told an enthusiastic crowd of over 1,000 at Jami Attaqwa
Mosque in Bintaro Jaya, South Jakarta, yesterday.

"There will be about 30 or 40 public figures from various
elements of society who will be demanding numerous improvements
in the economic and political life of Indonesia," he said as
quoted by Antara.

Amien did not mention who would be included on the team nor
list the concrete measures it would take.

The chairman of the 28-million-strong Muhammadiyah Moslem
organization is known as a strong critic of the government and
has even named himself as a presidential candidate.

He has said several times that he is ready to lead the nation
if it wished to assume a new leadership.

Amien expressed some doubt yesterday that the current
government could successfully move forward.

He metaphorically said the government was "stagnant" just like
water in a drainage pipe.

"Just water stagnates in a sewer, that's how we are now. Being
stagnant like that, the water only collects disease. That's why
it has to flow," he said to an emphatic crowd which immediately
shouted approval.

Amien promised to approach and "knock on the hearts" of
government leaders so they would truly appreciate the hardships
felt by the people.

Speaking of the wave of student demonstrations which recently
claimed their first victims, Amien pleaded for security forces
not to employ harsh measures against the students.

Amien displayed some compassion for the enlisted men assigned
to deal with demonstrators on a daily basis, saying he understood
that they were only following orders.

"But if you ask them on a personal basis, the soldiers in the
field are also having a difficult time just like the people," he
remarked, adding that students too must not resort to violence in
getting their demands heard.

Separately, some 45 government critics, grouped in the
Kelompok 28 Oktober (October 28 group), also called for the
establishment of a national committee to coordinate all forces in
implementing comprehensive reform.

Mrs. Supeni, representing the critics, told journalists here
yesterday that the committee should comprise all factions in
society and that "the national committee is also expected to
conduct a dialog with the President on the reform agenda".

Mrs. Supeni, also chairwomen of the New Indonesian Nationalist
Party (PNI Baru), said the key for the reform was in Soeharto's
hands.

"It is not relevant now whether the People's Consultative
Assembly (MPR) holds an extraordinary session or not, but if
Soeharto bows to the students' demands there will be no more
problem. And the reform agenda will go on," she said.

The critics, who signed a declaration in the meeting
yesterday, rejected the accountability speech delivered by
Soeharto at the MPR General Session in March and MPR's decision
to reappoint Soeharto to a seventh term of office and to appoint
BJ Habibie as vise president.

"The two decisions were not valid since the MPR members do not
truly represent the people. Only a small number of the MPR
members elected through the general election last year are
valid," said Ali Sadikin, the staunchest government critic of the
Petisi 50 Group.

Among critics signing the declaration were Mrs Supeni, former
Jakarta governor Ali Sadikin, former secretary for development
operations Solichin GP, Sabam Sirait, former industry minister
Mashuri, Abdul Madjid, Chris Key Timu, the latter two of the
Petisi 50 Group.

Sadikin, a retired marine corps lieutenant general, said the
group supported the students' movement for reform, including new
national leadership, because the New Order administration had too
long abused the state ideology Pancasila and the 1945
Constitution.

"In 1967, Soeharto launched a total correction against the Old
Order government under late president Sukarno, and now students
demand total political reform toward violations against the
constitution," he said.

Solichin, also a retired Army lieutenant general, said he
joined the government critics group because the government and
its political system had failed to achieve the national
development's objectives.

"We have carried out the development program for 32 years and
all natural resources have been exploited for it, but many people
are still living below the poverty line and many others are still
poor," he said. (rms/mds)