The Straits Times, 20 July 1998

JAKARTA -- President B. J. Habibie indicated in an interview published yesterday that the departure of ethnic Chinese from the country could open new opportunities for other Indonesians to move into businesses they had dominated.

In the interview with the Washington Post, Dr Habibie spoke at length about Indonesia's Chinese community, which many economic analysts have said is the key to any economic recovery.

Since the May riots, in which ethnic Chinese neighbourhoods and businesses were targeted for systematic looting, thousands of them have left the country.

"If the Chinese community doesn't come back because they don't trust their own country and society, I cannot force, nobody can force them," Dr Habibie said.

"But do you really think that we will then die?" he asked, chuckling.

"Their place will be taken over by others."

He said the Dutch colonial authorities had encouraged immigrants from China to create a commercial middle class that was given "more opportunities" than indigenous Indonesians.

He said that after independence, the Chinese used their experience to become wealthy.

He acknowledged that the May rioting could have been organised and that Chinese were targeted.

But he said those Chinese who were not attacked and survived the mayhem were ones who had "integrated into society" and "helped the other people".

Dr Habibie's words seemed to contradict the widespread view that the return of the Chinese is critical, and his comments seemed likely to fuel suspicions among many Chinese still abroad that they may not be welcome to come back, said the Post.