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)