Soeharto says people's benefit outweighs individual interests
Soeharto says people's benefit outweighs individual interests
JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia is not a country where the strongest
triumphs and tyrannizes the weak, President Soeharto said
yesterday.
In an address opening the national meeting of Kader
Pembangunan Indonesia (Indonesian Cadres of Development),
Soeharto said that Indonesia believes in placing the interests of
many before the interests of a group or individuals.
"Any decisions of any organizations in society should be
considered as to whether they benefit the people," he told a
meeting of 500 people including Minister of Information Harmoko,
House Speaker Wahono and Chairman of the Supreme Advisory Board
Sudomo.
"No group should force its own will on another group," he
said.
The Indonesian Cadres of Development consists of several
organizations affiliated with the ruling Golkar party: Gabungan
Karyawan Pembangunan Indonesia (Association of Indonesian
Employees for Development), Wanita Pembangunan Indonesia
(Indonesian Women for Development), Gabungan Pemuda Pembangunan
Indonesia (Indonesian Youths for Development) and Mahasiswa
Pembangunan Indonesia (Indonesian Students for Development).
Soeharto told the participants of the three day meeting that
"national meetings are very important because they represent the
highest authority of organizations and it's there that
fundamental decisions are made".
He pointed out that Indonesian democracy, derived from the
state ideology Pancasila, highly values musyawarah mufakat, or
deliberation to reach consensus.
"In a process of deliberation, every party is given equal
opportunity to express his or her opinion," Soeharto said.
"Afterwards, agreements can be formulated to the satisfaction of
every party, without anyone triumphant over others or anyone
feeling as though they were losing out."
Soeharto said congresses' participants should be able to
express opinions and points of view "with clarity and in good
spirit".
"We should all remember that we aren't only held accountable
for our decisions in this world. As a nation which strongly
adheres to religious values, we believe we must account for our
decisions before God in the hereafter," he said. (swe)