Prabowo demonstrates rapport with Amien

JAKARTA (JP): Lt. Gen. Prabowo Subianto, the newly appointed chief of the Army's Strategic Reserve Command (Kostrad), demonstrated yesterday his growing rapport with outspoken Moslem leader Amien Rais by stating he did not have any problem with the latter's often scathing attacks on the government.

Prabowo said he had met with Amien several times in the past, but that neither spoke about strategic issues.

"We only shared opinions and ideas as good friends," he told reporters covering the transfer of duty of the Armed Forces Commander from Gen. Feisal Tanjung to Gen. Wiranto.

He said he was not concerned by Amien's often controversial opinions, especially on state matters.

"People are free to have opinions which are different from others," he said. "And it shouldn't be a problem... As long as he makes his remarks in ways which are in line with the Constitution, why should we be bothered?"

"Why should we try to gag outspoken people?" he asked. "Indonesia is a democratic country, one that respects people's rights to speak and express opinions."

"The state ideology Pancasila does not prohibit people from forming their own opinions," said Prabowo, a son-in-law of President Soeharto. He added that people should respect each other despite differences in opinion.

Amien Rais is chairman of the 28-million-strong Muhammadiyah -- a nonpolitical educational organization -- who became political despite himself.

The political lecturer at Gadjah Mada University in Yogyakarta has often demanded presidential succession, and called for a "clean and grand" coalition of people from various layers of society to usher in reform.

Amien, for instance, has repeatedly criticized the applied terms of reference of the copper and gold mining operations by the American-affiliated PT Freeport Indonesia in Irian Jaya and the now-aborted Busang gold mining scheme in East Kalimantan.

"I have known him (Amien Rais) for quite a long time," Prabowo said.

The three-star general, however, stressed that outspokenness should be accompanied by an awareness of the principles of democracy and the Constitution.

He concluded that Amien's criticism had always been in line with the Constitution.

"You can observe his statements lately," he said, "Amien talked about nonviolent but constitutional campaigning, didn't he?" (imn)