President calls on all parties to reflect on reform`s lessons

Tasikmalaya, NU Online
President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono called on all parties here on Thursday to reflect on and learn lessons from the past 10 years of reform.

Speaking before leaders of Islamic boarding schools (pesantren) from across East Priangan, West Java, at a fast-breaking gathering at Cipasung boarding school in Tasikmalaya, the head of state said there were at least three lessons that could be taken from the reform movement.<>

"The first is that in time of hardships we must unite. Never seeking own safety or finger pointing, he said as quoted by the state news agency.

He said many communal violences occurred after the reform movement in 1998, claiming many lives. So, "the second lesson is in dealing with problems we must seek peaceful ways and never choose violent ways to settle them," he said.

The president said after reform political life and freedom of expression grew very quickly in the community.

"Freedom of expression is good but its implementation must not be out of control and arbritary, It must be done with morality and responsibility," he said quoting it as the third lesson.

He said all countries in the world have rules and although freedom is guaranteed its implementation must be in line with social, religious and legal norms.

In other part of his speech President Yudhoyono called on all Islamic boarding school leaders to increase the quality of their schools.

"Improve the quality of education in the Islamic boarding schools," he said adding that "the government has already proposed increasing the budget for education up to Rp220 trillion for the next budget," he said.

He said the central and regional governments would divide fairly the education budget for general and religious schools. "I have also met with leaders of the boarding schools from across East Priangan and asked them to manage their schools better," he said. (dar)