Rector asks students to work not rally

Rector asks students to work not rally

JAKARTA (JP): University of Indonesia (UI) rector Asman
Boedisantoso on Saturday called on students to replace their
street protests with social work programs to help hungry people.

Speaking during a graduation ceremony for 4,871 postgraduate
students at the university's Depok campus, Asman said that
students could also help investigate allegations of corruption in
the distribution of rice.

The rector said that if students wanted to remain a moral
force in society they should tailor their actions to suit the
needs of the community. That way, he said, they would remain true
to the meaning of their movement.

There's always a great possibility of "illegal passengers"
taking part in any student action. That leads to the danger of
confrontation with the security forces, he said referring to
Monday's student rally in front of the House of Representatives
(DPR) in which two students were seriously injured.

"I therefore always remind my students to use their logic
(brain) instead of their muscles because they are facing parties
who use extraordinary strategies," Asman was quoted by Antara as
saying.

The latest student protest in the capital took place on
Thursday when around 1,000 demonstrators held a noisy rally near
the Presidential Palace in Central Jakarta.

Unlike Asman, former minister of education and culture Fuad
Hasan, who is a member of the university's senate, said he could
understand why the students were still staging massive street
rallies.

"The government should make the issue of staple food
procurement an emergency matter, not simply treat it as urgent.
That would help to lessen people's worries," he said.

The capital and other big cities have become arenas for
student street rallies, most of which are currently demanding an
immediate reduction in the price of basic commodities. (emf)