Science must incorporate moral values

JAKARTA (JP): Applying science and technology without taking into consideration the principles of the state ideology Pancasila will deprive the country of moral and humanity values, President Soeharto warns.

Speaking after installing the members of the National Research Council on Thursday, Soeharto said that although the application of science and technology is mandated by the State Policy Guidelines, everything has to be carried out in accordance with Pancasila and the 1945 Constitution.

"We have to be aware that without `Belief in One God,' science and technology could deprive us of ethic, moral and spiritual values. Without abiding to `A Just and Civilized Humanity', science and technology would in fact dismantle humane values," he said.

"Without `National Unity,' the development we have achieved would have little value for the entire country. Without `Democracy Based on Consensus,' it would only destroy the country and without `Social Justice,' it would widen the social gap and cause instability," he said listing all five principles of Pancasila.

Soeharto inducted 165 members of the National Research Council who have the responsibility to provide the State Minister of Research and Technology with advice and consultation. The Council used to consist of 78 active members.

Established under a Presidential Decree in November 1984, the Council must also formulate major national programs in various fields of research and technology, carry out continuous observations and evaluations towards the programs' implementation and provide direction and a means of control towards research and technology activities in the country.

Those who were installed yesterday include incumbent Chairman Prof. B.J. Habibie, who is also State Minister of Research and Technology, incumbent Vice Chairman Prof. Samaun Samadikun and Secretary Prof. Sediono M.P. Tjondronegoro.

Habibie in his speech reporting the Council's activities over the last decade explained that the Council is divided into five groups overseeing basic human needs; natural resources and energy; industrialization; defense and security; and social, economic, cultural, philosophical and legal issues.

Private sector

He said that due to the increasing responsibilities of the Council, about 25 percent of the newly installed members come from the private sector.

"Over the last ten years, the Council has performed its duty of helping the state minister of research and technology in controlling the quality of researches carried out in Indonesia which utilize public funds," Habibie said.

The Council, he added, has also met priority targets through their Main National Research and Technology Programs.

Habibie explained that the Council, together with higher education institutions, since 1987 has also been awarding research grants to a carefully selected number of projects.

"In order to obtain a grant, the projects have to go through many stages of selection and in the end only 10 to 12 percent of the research proposals are accepted," he said.

For 1994-1999, the Council's group on basic human needs will consist of 44 experts, the group on natural resources and energy 24 members, the group on industrialization 39 members, the group on defense and security 17 members and the group on social, economic, cultural, philosophical and legal issues 40 experts.(pwn)