Sabam Sirait launches book on RI democracy

Sabam Sirait launches book on RI democracy

JAKARTA (JP): A book compiling the thoughts, experiences and
dreams of outspoken politician Sabam Sirait titled Sabam Sirait:
Untuk Demokrasi Indonesia (Sabam Sirait: For Indonesia's
Democracy), was launched here yesterday.

The forward of the 335-page book, published by Pustaka Yayasan
Forum Adil Sejahtera, a publishing company which he helped found,
was written by Mudji Sutrisno who described Sabam as "an uncommon
and true democrat".

Attended by about 200 friends and colleagues, the book
launching was colored mostly by jokes, speeches and comments
flattering the legislator from the Indonesian Democratic Party
(PDI).

Intellectual Mochtar Pabottingi of the National Institute of
Sciences (LIPI) lauded Sabam as a "politician with character,
integrity and sincerity" in his struggle for the cause of
democracy.

Also present yesterday was former Indonesian ambassador to
Australia Sabam Siagian, Sabam's fellow PDI legislators Soetardjo
Soerjogoeritno and Hariyanto Taslam, senior journalist Aristides
Katoppo, and historian Onghokham.

Sabam Sirait was born on Oct. 13, 1936, in Tanjung Balai,
North Sumatra.

He is former chairman of the Christian Student Movement
Jakarta-chapter and former secretary-general of the now defunct
Indonesian Christian Party.

Well-known for his critical opinions, Sabam has become one of
the most loved commentators to the press.

Some of his most vocal criticisms include his opposition to
monopolies and the need to limit presidential terms.

"His thoughts live up until now. He is a political employee
who never gets bored with his job and never resigns," a lecturer
at the Driyarkara philosophy school in Jakarta, Mudji, said.

Pabottingi said Sabam was a politician that believed the
country should fight for an "integrative democracy" which could
bind the country as one without using force.

Also commenting on Sabam was Sabam Siagian, who recalled that
the legislator once said that his work would finally be complete
after he launched his own book.

But Sabam said that another job was now awaiting the
legislator, pointing to the need to help repair rift-ridden PDI,
in which he was once a deputy chairman.

"If not, the life of democracy in Indonesia will be
difficult," Sabam said. (aan)