Youth urged to pledge unity

PURWOKERTO, Central Java: Well-known cultural observer and novelist Ahmad Tohari called on students to unite and forge a youth pledge, similar to the historic oath made on Oct. 28, 1928, in response to the country's current political upheavals.

"The students must unite and prevent conflicts between the members of the political elite from further ruining this country," Ahmad said on Monday.

He said that most of those in the political elite had acted beyond their mandates and breached the existing regulations in a bid to obtain power.

"I've even heard that some legislators have prepared a second memorandum of censure so as to set up the President's impeachment.

"I don't think changing the President will fix the nation's problems. If the politicians don't change their attitudes, it will be hard for us to move on regardless of who leads the country," he said. (45/edt)