PRESIDENT DISCUSSES MEDAN INCIDENT WITH MINISTERS, POLICE CHIEF

Jakarta, Feb 6 (ANTARA) - President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono here Friday chaired a limited cabinet meeting to discuss the death on Tuesday of North Sumatra Provincial Legislative Council chairman Abdul Aziz Angkat.

Present at the meeting were among others National Police Chief Gen Bambang Hendarso Danuri and Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs Widodo AS.
Minister/State Secretary Hatta Radjasa told reporters before the meeting, "in the limited meeting today, the president will listen to reports from the National Police chief and Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs about the latest developments regarding the Medan incident."
The meeting would not dwell on the proposed formation of a Tapanuli province which had triggered the violent demonstration that led to Abdul Aziz' death, the minister said.
In his remarks during a visit to PT Sinar Sosro in Cikarang, Bekasi, on Thursday, President Yudhoyono said the violent demonstration which led to the death of Abdul Aziz had pushed Indonesia "back into its dark era."
"When things like this happen, we cry in sadness because it means the country has slid back into its dark era. In the eyes of other countries, it will certainly be a blemish," the president said.
He said the government had since the monetary crisis in 1998 been working hard to restore social and political stability but the North Sumatra incident had undone the government's efforts and again tarnished the country's image in the eyes of the international community.
He recalled that the many riotous events that took place in many parts of Indonesia in the post-1989 crisis period had led many countries at the time to view Indonesia as a country engulfed by anarchy.
The president therefore asked all parties not to disturb the social and political stability which had been achieved through painstaking and hard work.
"We have worked around the clock to restore social and political stability. As a result, we are at present in a conducive situation and we should not allow anything to happen that will change this," the president said, referring to the North Sumatra incident on Tuesday.
The president then expressed regret over the anarchic demonstration outside the North Sumatra Provincial Legislative Council building in Medan.