GOVT SHOULD NOT BE URGED TO REVOKE MASS ORGANIZATIONS, AMIEN SAYS

Jakarta, June 12 (ANTARA)- Amien Rais, former chairman of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR), has warned the people not to insist the government to revoke a mass organization because it can become a bad precedence that can turn the government into authoritarian institution.

"Power always wishes to suppress the truth. This happened anywhere," he said in responding to the questions from the press urging the government to revoke one of the allegedly Moslem radical mass organizations here on Thursday.

Amien said further, if pressure is frequently put on the government to revoke a mass organization, sooner or later the government may lose control.

Only if a social political power becomes the object of the people's hate, the government may eventually ban it, he said.

Should such bad attitude happen, it would lead to a loss of people's rights, Amien warned.

"Thus, if the people continue to urge the government to revoke the Ahmadiyah Sect or the Islamic Defenders Front (FPI), the government would not make any consideration to revoke any mass organization or even shut down a newspaper," Amien said.

On a joint ministerial decree on Monday banning followers of the Jamaah Ahmadiyah Indonesia (JAI) from carrying out religious activities, Amien called on the people for the time being to accept it as the best solution.

If any of the Ahmadiyah Sect found violating the decree, the violator would face legal action, Amien added.