Abdurrahman Wahid was president of Indonesia from 1999 to 2001. With his pluralistic style and attempts to implement frameworks to eliminate corruption, he perhaps came to the helm in Indonesia before the country or even his own administration was ready for his personal brand of reform.

Outmaneuvered by his opponents, and weighed down by political allegations that still remain unproven, he was impeached in 2001.

He is standing again for presidential office in 2004 and gave an exclusive one-on-one interview to United Press International during campaigning in Bandung, Indonesia.

Question: You've decided to stand again for the presidency, why did you choose to run again?

Answer: It's not my choice. It was imposed by the Muslim clerics. They can see that I can offer more leadership in politics than in other capacities.

Question: Do Indonesians understand the implications of their fledgling democracy, particularly when it comes to changing leaders outside of elections?

Answer: Oh yes, observers underestimate what is understood by the people.

Question: In Indonesia corruption is worse than ever, how can people have confidence that business and government will ever operate on a clean basis?

Answer: There are many things to do. First we have to impose certain measures that can reveal such violations. If you want the sovereignty of law to be supreme then we have to tackle those ethical values, especially those of government officials. At the same time we have to be careful, if we ask why people have been corrupt, it is because in the past they have not had enough income. So they may need increased salaries. After winning, I will increase military and civil service wages and those of retirees tenfold. It will not end corruption at once but people will know we can force the bureaucracy to follow the right measures.

Question: Bankers who have misappropriated liquidity support funds have been exonerated by President Megawati, but the general level of poverty is increasing. Is this fair?

Answer: The upper classes have enjoyed an economic rebound but not for the common people.

Question: Part of your economic policy is to reduce interest rates and to allow the rupiah to depreciate. Won't this harm the savings of the elderly while the rich simply park their money abroad in other countries?

Answer: A cornerstone of my policy is to promote business activity here. If people choose to relocate the money they have invested abroad back here, they will be able to participate in that activity. If they leave it stashed abroad, they won't.

Question: How do you think the Indonesian Bank Restructuring Agency (IBRA) has performed?

Answer: IBRA is a very difficult situation. It is heavily influenced by the business and political communities and yet is obliged to supply high returns and settlements from the assets in its custodianship.

Question: The rule of law in Indonesia remains inconsistent, in both police activity and verdicts handed down from courts. How can it be strengthened?

Answer: We firstly have to analyze the causes of this. It's a combination of low income and poor supervision that makes them sell their verdicts.

Question: What do you think about the Criminal Procedures Law that allows convicted criminals, like the parliament speaker or soldiers who committed atrocities in East Timor to conduct their appeals whilst remaining free men?

Answer: I think that this practice will stop in future, and convicted men will have to conduct their appeals from behind bars.

Question: Your economic policy promotes improving the economic welfare of the ordinary citizen, and making land allowances to them from State-owned land. How do you stop powerful village headmen and powerbrokers from usurping the benefits for themselves?

Answer: We will have to specify that lands belong to the people rather than the State. Still, yes, we will have to enact measures that people's lands are not snatched by the privileged classes.

Question: In what way can Islamic principles be incorporated into an Islamic economic policy?

Answer: Islam, as a way of life, is fundamentally not antagonistic to capitalism. Refer to the text-books on Islamic finance which will show that Islam is perfectly capable of acting within a capitalist system. In the Koran, the main message is that people should take care of others. Charity is there, but my religion doesn't necessarily contradict capitalism. Take for example, the idea of progressive taxation. All religions accept this.

Question: It's difficult for foreigners to live in Indonesia because of the level of bureaucracy and supplemental taxes. Is this the right message to give to foreigners who could contribute to this country?

Answer: That's true. We have to take care of the levels of bureaucracy, it's giving out the wrong message.

Question: In the light of the Iraq War, the Bali Bombing and 9/11, how important is it for Indonesia's government to stay in favor with that of the United States?

Answer: The US has made huge efforts to control difficult situations. We oppose certain measures it has taken, but that doesn't mean we think it has lost its sense of responsibility. Thanks to steps taken by certain countries, terrorists are now being dealt with.

Question: Military budgets cover about 30 percent of its needs, so the army has had to resort to hiring itself out as private security guards to American companies to balance the books. Will you increase military budgets, and where will the money come from?

Answer: The military budget has sky-rocketed because of spending needs. Because income is so low, the army has sought other income sources. I will increase military incomes.

Question: Indonesia has been a bad neighbor environmentally. Its lowland trees will be gone in five years and every year smoke from man-made fires pollutes nearby countries. Illegal logging is rampant. Any reforms or solutions planned?

Answer: We have to reshape our economy. In the past priority was given to big companies who indulged in the bulk of harmful activities. We're simply going to tell them we're not going to help you anymore. Secondly we will help smaller companies and industries who are responsive to environmental needs. We have to rehabilitate ourselves with our regional neighbors and assure them that we will participate in the international framework by firstly reshaping ourselves.

Question: You want to increase personal taxes for the rich and reduce corporate taxes. How do you stop the rich from putting their assets into corporate vehicles to avoid tax. Also won't higher personal taxes cause a "brain drain" of the elite of Indonesia?

Answer: Taxes will be increased for the richer people, but opportunities for them to make profits will increase incrementally. There are huge resources here through which businesses can profit, forestry products, natural resources and mining, maritime products. Potential profits outweigh progressive taxation proposals.

Question: You're known as a pluralist, more so than the current president. Has racial integration, deteriorated since your period of office.

Answer: No, but when you talk about the racial situation, you have to be careful. There are so many cultures and races here. I am Javanese, but there are many different cultures even within Java. I continue to condone all cultural pluralism.