Sjahrir prevented from seminar

Sjahrir prevented from seminar

MEDAN, North Sumatra: Noted economist Sjahrir, who is also
chairman of the New Indonesia Alliance (PIB) Party, was blocked
from addressing a seminar in Medan, North Sumatra over the
weekend following opposition from local political leaders.

Sjahrir said on Saturday that he was scheduled to address a
seminar at the Gunung Sitoli Institute of Education on Friday
when its rector was forced by local political leaders not to
allow him to address the seminar.

He did not mention any of the political leaders that might
have opposed his presence there.

According to Sjahrir, he received notice of the cancellation
just minutes before the seminar was expected to open.

Sjahrir said the student senate had invited him and had
contacted him twice to confirm his readiness to be the keynote
speaker in the seminar.

"Possibly, leaders of political parties do not want me to
speak at the seminar. In fact, my presence has nothing to do with
my political activities," he said.

North Sumatra is the stronghold of President Megawati
Soekarnoputri's Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI
Perjuangan) and Golkar, headed by House of Representatives
Speaker Akbar Tandjung. -- Antara