Pakpahan supports Suharto's daughter for president
By Max Lane
Singapore-based journalist Michael Shari was recently able to interview jailed trade unionist Muchtar Pakpahan in hospital in Jakarta. Shari's interview was later published in the January 19 edition of Business Week.
Pakpahan said that the people's anger against Suharto was so great that "they might try to kill him". Pakpahan also feared that the anger could boil over into "killing each other" and targeting the ethnic Chinese.
Asked what could trigger such violence, Pakpahan said, "A company fires labourers and gives them compensation so they go home. But after that, what happens? There is no work and this is the problem. And if Suharto continues as President, it can trigger the worst social unrest."
Pakpahan's proposals on how to avoid this situation seemed contradictory. He said, "My goal is to keep Suharto from ruling any longer. I would nominate Tutut [Siti Hardiyanti Rukmana, Suharto's eldest daughter]. As long as Suharto is alive, she can use her charisma to influence the military. I do not like her, but that is the solution."
Pakpahan also called for the businesses of Suharto's sons and daughters to be "stopped".
Pakpahan appealed "to all Indonesians who are investing their money abroad to bring back their money to help the situation here". He called for support for the financial technocrats working with the International Monetary Fund, such as finance minister Mar'ie Muhammad. He also expressed fear that the economic problems could lead to social disintegration.
"Jealousy is increasing now, jealousy between ethnic groups, between religious groups, between [Indonesia's 17,000] islands, and between regions. Sixty per cent of the money is in Jakarta; only 40% is in the other 26 provinces."
Pakpahan confirmed that his group, the Indonesian Prosperity Workers Union, is still being harassed. "Whenever we organise a meeting, the military is there and stops us. Every month, my friends are detained, but only for one or two nights. Some of them are beaten. The military confiscated all [our] documents in September."
Asked whether there should be strikes and protests, Pakpahan answered "perhaps".