Human rights workers are pushing for a new era of openness under President Habibie.
Members of several rights organisations said yesterday they did not support the replacement of Mr Suharto with such a close protege, but insisted they would keep him to his pledge of working towards a new society.
'There is a feeling of cautious optimism,' a spokesman for the Indonesian Legal Aid Association said.
'Improving the freedoms of the people would be an easy start for him to prove himself to the community at large. Amnesties and absolutions would be a nice place to start.' Mr Habibie told the nation on Thursday night that he would accept 'criticism' from all sides in order to help meet the 'new aspirations' of the people.
He said he would include a revision of the 1963 subversion law in his reform programme but did not mention anything about releasing political prisoners.
But human rights monitors want to meet senior Justice Ministry officials to push for the release of labour leader Muchtar Pakpahan and another prominent political prisoner, former legislator Sri Bintang Pamungkas.
Muladi, reappointed Justice Minister yesterday, told Antara news agency he agreed that the Government 'should give an amnesty, and give grace and rehabilitation to political prisoners'.