Student-President dialog 'impossible'

JAKARTA (JP): Coordinating Minister for Political and Security Affairs Gen. (ret) Feisal Tanjung dismissed student requests for a dialog with President Soeharto on the economic crisis and their demands for reform yesterday.

"It's impossible for the students to hold a dialog with the President because there are certain state protocols that have to be observed," Feisal told reporters after chairing the new cabinet's first meeting on political and security affairs.

The increasingly vociferous student demands for political reform were on the agenda of yesterday's meeting.

Feisal said the students should channel their suggestions through their legislative council representatives.

"They could file their petitions with the House of Representatives (DPR), lower legislative councils, or through their rectors," he said. "I am sure that the students' advice will eventually reach the President."

In 1970, President Soeharto used to open the doors of his residence on Jl. Cendana, Central Jakarta, to people seeking clarification of state matters every Saturday.

On July 18, 1970, a delegation of four University of Indonesia students -- Mar'ie Muhammad (finance minister from 1993 to 1998), Arief Budiman, Yopie Lasut and Didi Sunarwinardi -- visited Soeharto to inform him of their investigation into alleged corruption in the State Financial Control Agency (Pekuneg).

Feisal expressed regret at the current generation of students' manners which he described as "unethical and impolite."

"Students are the country's future leaders. They should convey their thoughts in an appropriate manner," he said, adding the government would respond to any inputs delivered through the proper channels.

"The steps so far taken by the government are similar to the many suggestions that we have received.

"Students should understand that the government will accommodate their views if they are feasible, and implement their suggestions if they are urgent," he said.

Normal

Describing the present wave of student protests as normal, Feisal urged the demonstrators not to take to the streets lest they stir up people's emotions and their good intentions end up causing misery.

"If someone throws a stone, others will follow. If the students want to protest peacefully, there should be no stone throwing," he said.

Meanwhile, 500 University of Indonesia students staged a protest on their campus in Depok, 20 kilometers south of Jakarta yesterday. They condemned nepotistic practices in the recruitment of the new cabinet.

"We have had enough of nepotism," one of the student banners said.

Student leader Agus Gede Mahendra told The Jakarta Post that they would continue the protest until the government responded to their demands. "We'll continue our protest because this is part of a long-term struggle," Agus said.

He said they would not take up the Armed Forces offer of dialog if it was only intended to silence the students.

The two-hour protest ended peacefully under the watchful eyes of dozens of riot police.

In Central Java, similar protests were staged by hundreds of students from Muhammadiyah University in Purwokerto, the Institute of Islamic Studies in Salatiga, Darul Ulum University in Ungaran and the Veteran Teacher's Training Institute in Semarang.

Students of the state-run North Sumatra University held a freedom forum in Medan, North Sumatra.

In Bandarlampung, Albert Hasibuan and Soegiri from the National Commission on Human Rights visited state-run Lampung University, Juwendra, a student, said.

Juwendra said the Commission members talked to students about their clash with security personnel last Thursday. More than 70 students were arrested after the incident.

Attending the cabinet meeting with Feisal yesterday were Minister of Home Affairs R. Hartono, Minister of Foreign Affairs Ali Alatas, Minister of Defense and Security/Armed Forces Commander Gen. Wiranto, Minister of Justice Muladi, Minister of Information M. Alwi Dahlan, Attorney General Soedjono C. Atmonegoro and Chief of the State Intelligence Coordinating Agency (Bakin) Moetojib. (imn/21/45/har/byg)