University rector bans seminar

SEMARANG (JP): Diponegoro University rector Muladi banned politicians from holding a seminar on his campus Saturday, fearing they would use the forum for election campaign purposes.

The politicians were Burhan Magenda from the ruling Golkar party, Aberson M. Sihaloho from the Indonesian Democratic Party and Saleh Khalid from the United Development Party.

Muladi, a member of the National Commission on Human Rights, said he was sticking to his commitment to keeping his campus "politics free".

"I was afraid that the three would use the forum to promote their respective parties' political programs in the run-up to the 1997 general election," he told The Jakarta Post.

Muladi, a senior member of the province's Golkar chapter, swore that he banned the speakers out of a personal initiative and not because of pressure from the authorities.

"I mean to be consistent. I will ban any activities at the university if I believe they will be used for political campaigning, even if Golkar is involved," he said.

Muladi trimmed down the seminar from two planned sessions to one, in which Muladi was one of the four speakers lucky to have had the opportunity to speak. (har/pan)