ABRI won't tolerate voting, walkouts<\/p>\n
BANDUNG (JP): The Armed Forces forewarned yesterday those
\nseeking to disrupt March's People's General Assembly (MPR) by
\n\"excessive\" interruptions, walking out of meetings, or taking
\nvotes.<\/p>\n
Armed Forces (ABRI) Commander Gen. Feisal Tanjung said here
\nyesterday that interruptions, walkouts or making decisions by
\nvoting are not in accordance with the spirit of musyawarah
\nmufakat (reaching consensus through deliberation).<\/p>\n
\"For ABRI, the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) meeting
\n(can be used to) gauge the loyalty and integrity of the political
\nelite (and whether) they are putting the interest of the nation
\nabove that of individuals or groups,\" Feisal said in a written
\nstatement at the opening of a course at the ABRI staff and
\ncommand school.<\/p>\n
The statement was signed by Armed Forces Chief of Social and
\nPolitical Affairs Lt. Gen. M. Yunus Yosfiah on behalf of Feisal,
\nbut was delivered by the school's commander Lt. Gen. Arie J.
\nKumaat.<\/p>\n
Also present at yesterday's ceremony was chief of the
\nSiliwangi Regional Military Command Maj. Gen. Djamari Chaniago.<\/p>\n
The Armed Forces has 75 legislators at the House of
\nRepresentatives (MPR) and 38 at the People's Consultative
\nAssembly (MPR). But with its traditional allies, the dominant
\nGolkar and the regional representatives factions, the military
\nfaction was formidable.<\/p>\n
\"In the end, the MPR assembly will show that Indonesia has
\ncommitment in its mission and concept on how the nation will
\nenter the 21st century,\" Feisal said. \"Because of this strategic
\nsignificance, the assembly has to succeed both politically and in
\nregards of security.\"<\/p>\n
The assembly is considered politically successful if all
\nagenda goes as planned. It is also successful if the country
\nremains secure and provides the best climate for the MPR to do
\nits job, he said.<\/p>\n
\"(It's successful) if there are no riots or even small
\ndisturbances in Jakarta, much less around Senayan (the House of
\nRepresentatives\/People's Consultative Assembly building),\" he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Disturbances will cause political and psychological stress on
\nthe Assembly members, he said.<\/p>\n
Arie J. Kumaat said that interruptions, walkouts or votes are
\nnot in line with Indonesian culture which places greater
\nimportance on seeking consensus.<\/p>\n
\"If we could still reach consensus, why do we take
\n(alternative measures)? Much less those (alternative measures)
\nwhich are done excessively,\" he said.<\/p>\n
He defined \"excessive\" as \"making (the alternatives) the main
\nmeasures and rejecting the musyawarah mufakat which is actually
\nwhat identifies Indonesian people.\"<\/p>\n
Although voting is legally acceptable, in Indonesian politics,
\nit is frowned upon and all-out efforts are often made to prevent
\nit. In the making of many important decisions, including the
\nelection of senior officials such as the president and vice
\npresident, people are discouraged from taking votes.<\/p>\n
One of the most notable interruptions during an MPR assembly
\nwas the one conducted by Ibrahim Saleh, a member of the ABRI
\nfaction, in March 1988.<\/p>\n
Shortly after the reelection of President Soeharto, Ibrahim
\ninterrupted the session by taking the podium and voicing his
\nopinion about the vice presidential race. Fellow ABRI legislators
\nordered him to get down, and eventually forcefully ushered him
\nback to his seat before he could finish his remark.<\/p>\n
The incident became a subject of debate long afterward, and
\nIbrahim Saleh was disciplined.<\/p>\n
In another part of his explanation, Feisal said the MPR
\nsession is also a reflection of the nation's political maturity.<\/p>\n
\"It would be difficult for us to say that, as a nation, we are
\npolitically mature, if (the session) is marred with chaos like
\nwhat happened during the congress of social and political
\norganizations,\" he said. (43)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/abri-wont-tolerate-voting-walkouts-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}