Siswono, Amien warn against disintegration

Siswono, Amien warn against disintegration

JAKARTA (JP): Former cabinet minister Siswono Yudohusodo and
Moslem leader Amien Rais have warned of the dangers of national
disintegration -- even suggesting that Indonesia could become a
second Yugoslavia -- if political differences continue to
escalate.

Siswono and Amien separately spoke about the need for people
to firmly hold onto state ideology Pancasila, and to exercise
self-restraint in handling differences.

Speaking in Yogyakarta, Amien said Indonesia was now facing
severe economic and political crises which, unless dealt with
wisely, could plunge the nation into disintegration. "It's not
impossible that what happened to Yugoslavia could also happen to
Indonesia," he said.

"This is why all parties need to check their egotism, and rein
in their lust for power," he said. "We all need to exercise self-
restraint and avoid conflict."

Speaking at a discussion held by an association of Christian
students here yesterday, Siswono said the emergence of new
political parties following the resignation of former president
Soeharto should be handled carefully so as not to cause the
nation to disintegrate.

He attributed the burgeoning of new political parties --
despite existing laws recognizing only three -- to the inability
of the existing Golkar, United Development Party (PPP) and the
Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI) to accommodate people's
aspirations.

"The three political organizations are not able to accommodate
the various aspirations," Siswono was quoted by Antara as saying.

He used as an example of the inability of the existing parties
to anticipate people's aspirations, the instance of the People's
Consultative Assembly agreeing in March to reelect former
president Soeharto, but less than two months later waves of
people expressed their rejection of the 77-year-old president.

Asked how people should go about using the new freedom to
establish their own parties without endangering national unity,
Siswono said: "In this situation, we need to even strengthen our
spirit for national unity."

Other speakers at the discussion were political observer
Muhammad A.S. Hikam and legal expert Dimyati Hartono.

Meanwhile, politician Sri Bintang Pamungkas said in Yogyakarta
on Tuesday that the government did not need to limit the number
of political parties. "Indonesia is a pluralistic county, which
is why a system that recognizes many parties is absolutely needed
to accommodate various aspirations," he said.

"Let the people decide on how many parties they want. If
necessary, let people establish a community party because it,
too, would be protected by chapter 28 of the 1945 Constitution,"
he said.

"In a multiparty system, what's needed is a limit on the
number of parties, but whether any of them qualify for financial
assistance from the government..." he said.

Bintang, who was only recently released from prison after
serving time for slandering former president Soeharto, is also
chairman of the Indonesian Democratic Union Party (PUDI) which
was not recognized under Soeharto's administration.

Separately, the chairman of Central Java chapter of Nahdlatul
Ulama, Noer Iskandar al-Barsany, recommended yesterday that
members of Indonesia's largest Moslem organization establish
their own party.

He said that 30 branches of Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) in the
provinces agreed that the 30-million-strong organization should
have its own party, and that they would urge the central
executive board to take concrete steps regarding the matter.

Nahdlatul Ulama chairman Abdurrahman Wahid reiterated recently
that the organization would not turn into a political party, but
would not forbid members from political activities. They should,
however, wait for a directive from the leadership board.
(23/44/45/swe)