UGM hosts national seminar on reform

YOGYAKARTA: Gadjah Mada University (UGM) will open a three-day national seminar on reform here on Thursday, which will feature numerous prominent scholars, economists and other experts from different backgrounds of study.

Among the speakers at the event, titled "Putting Reform Back on Course", include Muhammadiyah chairman Ahmad Syafii Maarif, presidential hopeful Nurcholish Madjid, Bank Indonesia deputy governor Anwar Nasution and Minister of Agriculture Bungaran Saragih.

Other speakers will be Mubyarto, Bambang Sudibyo, Revrisond Baswir, Frans Magnis Suseno, Muji Sutrisno, Harkristuti Harkrisnowo, Maria SW Sumardjono, Hasnan Habib, Qusnul Mari'yah, Riswandha Imawan, Toeti Heraty Rooseno and Aristides Katopo.

Gadjah Mada rector Sofian Effendi said that 300 participants, including legislators and bureaucrats, were expected to attend the seminar at the university's Central Building in Bulaksumur.

"Through the seminar we want to help reformulate what is exactly the true goals of reform beyond just the four aims of the reform movement," he said.

Sofian said the reform movement initiated by students was basically meant to realize the ideals of the country's founding fathers, namely democracy, justice, a civil society and law enforcement.

The seminar is also aimed at producing guidelines for future Indonesian leaders regarding what must be done to keep the reform movement on course. --JP