Yogie blasts HMI for rejecting official

Yogie blasts HMI for rejecting official

JAKARTA (JP): Minister of Home Affairs Moch. Yogie S.M. lashed
out yesterday at the Association of Islamic Students (HMI) for
rejecting a speech by a senior ministry official in the recent
opening of their congress.

"It's really deplorable that members of such an influential
organization behaved in such a manner," Yogie was quoted by
spokesman H.S.A. Yusacc as saying yesterday.

Yogie was referring to HMI members who not only refused to
hear the ministry's secretary-general Suryatna Subrata deliver
the minister's speech, but also jeered at him. The students had
wanted Yogie himself at the event on Wednesday.

Yusacc said the incident should not have happened as the
congress organizing committee knew the minister could not attend.

"Pak Yogie told State Minister of Public Housing Akbar
Tanjung, as one of HMI's patrons, and the congress organizers
that he could not address the congress because he already had an
appointment that same day," he said.

About 1,000 participants of the congress yelled and booed
Suryatna as he was about to deliver Yogie's speech. Suryatna then
canceled the speech and gave the text to HMI executives, saying
it dealt with the organization's internal affairs and should be
used as input during the members' deliberation.

Suryatna then addressed the congress off the cuff.

He told the students to come up with solution-oriented
recommendations and submit them to the government as a
contribution to solve the country's social problems.

He also told participants to avoid violence, especially during
their leadership election. "You should not repeat past incidents
when you threw chairs at each other," he said, referring to
earlier congresses when the students became engaged in brawls
over who should lead the organization.

The congress is to conclude next Monday and is scheduled to
adopt programs for the next two years and elect new leaders.

Upon hearing Suryatna, the participants again yelled noisily
with some demanding openly that the official stop speaking.

State Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports Hayono Isman then
opened the congress.

Yusacc said the home affairs ministry would not discuss the
incident, but would leave it to the HMI central board to deal
with its members.

"They should hold introspection," Yusacc said. "It's not
necessary for the ministry to reprimand the organization."

The opening ceremony was held at the Yogyakarta Palace
complex, but the congress is being held at the Bimo Building,
Kotabaru subdistrict. The building belongs to Army Deputy Chief
of Staff Lt. Gen. Subagyo H.S. (imn)