Akbar warns Abdurrahman of social unrest<\/p>\n
CISARUA, West Java (JP): House of Representatives Speaker
\nAkbar Tandjung warned President Abdurrahman Wahid on Saturday of
\ncreating social unrest as a result of his controversial
\nstatements and the continuing political and economic instability.<\/p>\n
Speaking after opening a workshop for journalists covering
\nHouse affairs, Akbar said controversy sparked by his statements
\ncould lead to a crisis of confidence in the government.<\/p>\n
He said mass rallies by Muslim groups nationwide to protest
\nAbdurrahman's wish to encourage communist teaching was an example
\nof the public's resistance, and it needs addressing otherwise it
\ncould give more problems to the government.<\/p>\n
\"Gus Dur and his government may face a sort of impeachment
\nfrom the people if social unrest continues to escalate,\" Akbar
\nsaid, referring to Abdurrahman's popular nickname.<\/p>\n
Akbar said the House could press the People's Consultative
\nAssembly (MPR) to call for a Special Session to appraise the
\nPresident's performance and the government's efforts to address
\npolitical and economic plights.<\/p>\n
Akbar said many sides had been disappointed with the President
\nfor making controversial statements that raised confusion among
\nthe public and with his government's failure to achieve any
\nprogress in handling the political and economic crisis.<\/p>\n
Political observer Maswadi Rauf echoed Akbar's warning. He
\nsuggested that President Abdurrahman instead offer a dialog with
\nthe protesting groups.<\/p>\n
\"Gus Dur has been belittling Muslim groups, ignoring the
\npossibility that they could resort to social unrest sparked by
\ntheir anger. The President has to prevent such a movement from
\ntaking place,\" Maswadi of the University of Indonesia said.<\/p>\n
He said a dialog would at least open a chance for the groups
\nto vent their arguments.<\/p>\n
In his personal opinion, Maswadi said he was not surprised by
\nAbdurrahman's wish to have the obsolete MPR decree revoked.<\/p>\n
\"As a humanist and intellectual, Gus Dur had proposed the idea
\nlong before he was elected President. I believe he wasn't seeking
\ncertain benefits from his statement,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Political bargain<\/p>\n
But historian Ahmad Mansyur Suryanegara of the Padjadjaran
\nUniversity in Bandung suspected that President Abdurrahman was
\nexploiting the communist issue to warn the International Monetary
\nFund (IMF), which has delayed an aid disbursement of US$400
\nmillion to Indonesia.<\/p>\n
Speaking at a discussion sponsored by the Bandung Journalists
\nDiscussion Forum at the Homann Hotel, Mansyur said the President
\nwas targeting the IMF and the United States, regardless of the
\nfact that his statement could spark anger among Muslims.<\/p>\n
\"If the IMF does not move, Gus Dur will prove his statement,\"
\nMansyur said.<\/p>\n
Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) leader Said Aqiel Siradj shared Mansyur's
\nopinion. Said said in Yogyakarta on Sunday that the President
\nproposed that MPR lift ban on communism to put pressures on the
\nU.S. and IMF.<\/p>\n
As a historian who has written about the history of NU, the
\nMuslim organization Abdurrahman once led, Mansyur acknowledged
\nthat he could not understand Abdurrahman.<\/p>\n
But he warned that if Abdurrahman had proposed his view on
\ncommunism just to test Muslims' strength, it would backfire on
\nhim.<\/p>\n
\"Those who silently hit out at him will now be able to topple
\nhim easily,\" Mansyur said.<\/p>\n
MPR Speaker Amien Rais agreed, saying the stakes were too high
\nfor Abdurrahman with his perceived support for communist
\nteachings to be revived in Indonesia.<\/p>\n
While assuring that Abdurrahman will complete his five-year
\nterm, Amien said the MPR would reject any demand for the
\nrevocation of the ban against communist teachings.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, House Deputy Speaker Soetardjo Soerjogoeritno said
\nthe government should, instead of revoking the decree, reinstate
\nthe political rights of those who were punished for their direct
\nand indirect links to the banned Indonesian Communist Party
\n(PKI).<\/p>\n
\"For the sake of national reconciliation, release those who
\nare jailed on Buru and Nusa Kambangan islands and rehabilitate
\nformer officials and civil servants who were dismissed for their
\nlinks with the communist party,\" he said.<\/p>\n
He said it was unfair and inhumane to punish innocent people
\nonly because their relatives were members of the party or
\ninvolved in the PKI-supported insurgencies in 1955 and 1965.
\n(edt\/rms\/sur\/25\/44)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/akbar-warns-abdurrahman-of-social-unrest-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}