Abdurrahman deserves a chance: Expert<\/p>\n
MAKASSAR, South Sulawesi (JP): President Abdurrahman Wahid
\nshould be given a chance to prove his Cabinet lineup can work to
\novercome future challenges, an expert said on Sunday.<\/p>\n
A sociologist of state Hasanuddin University, M. Darwis, said
\npeople should avoid making hasty judgments about the new
\nPresident's decisions.<\/p>\n
Darwis was commenting on nationwide protests against
\nAbdurrahman's decision to scrap the information and social
\nservice ministries from his 35-strong Cabinet.<\/p>\n
\"Being in opposition without giving a chance is certainly not
\nthe democratic way,\" he said.<\/p>\n
\"It's too premature to judge whether he (Abdurrahman) can
\nperform his duties. It's naive, and uneducated as well, to
\nblindly condemn him,\" Darwis said.<\/p>\n
He welcomed people's critical response to the abolishment of
\nthe two ministries, but warned that such a stand should not defy
\nnational interests on which Abdurrahman might base his
\ncontroversial decision.<\/p>\n
Abdurrahman said the ministry of information and ministry of
\nsocial services were abolished to give way for more public
\nparticipation. He said the government should not control
\ninformation and the affairs of society.<\/p>\n
Protests continued on Saturday despite the government's
\npromise to take care of the 53,000 employees from the two defunct
\nministries.<\/p>\n
Hundreds of information ministry workers who claimed to
\nrepresent the ministry's 23 regency offices in South Sulawesi
\nrallied here in a motorcade.<\/p>\n
The state employees departed from the ministry's provincial
\noffice on Jl. Sultan Hasanuddin for the legislature building,
\nriding on motorbikes and in cars.<\/p>\n
\"It was unwise to abolish the ministry because the state needs
\na mediator to dispatch information to people,\" Abdul Latif Lote,
\nthe office head, said.<\/p>\n
On the same day, some 1,500 employees from the social services
\nministry assembled at the provincial legislative council building
\nin the Central Java capital of Semarang.<\/p>\n
Group coordinator Achmad Fauzi said there were 50,000 disabled
\npeople in Central Java, including 30,000 blind people and 4,000
\nbeggars who heavily relied on help from the social services
\nministry.<\/p>\n
\"If the ministry is abandoned, who will take care of them?\"
\nAchmad protested.<\/p>\n
In Makassar (formerly Ujungpandang), Darwis also suggested
\nthat students maintain their role as opposition force to control
\nthe present government.<\/p>\n
\"The present Cabinet is tolerant because it includes figures
\nknown as critics in the past,\" Darwis said.<\/p>\n
He said President Abdurrahman and Vice President Megawati
\nSoekarnoputri, who were both opposition leaders in the past,
\nshould be given six months to prove their ability.<\/p>\n
Darwis said he believed the two leaders would be prepared to
\nface criticism.<\/p>\n
But Darwis criticized Abdurrahman who appeared to lose his
\ntemper when he met with former minister of information Muhammad
\nYunus, who represented hundreds of his protesting staff members.
\n(27\/har\/edt)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/abdurrahman-deserves-a-chance-expert-1447893297",
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