Amien sets out his agenda for total reform<\/p>\n
BOGOR, West Java (JP): Opposition figure Amien Rais set out
\nyesterday his agenda of political, economic and legal reforms and
\nwarned that efforts to conduct these reforms should not be
\nsidetracked by concerns over scarcity of basic commodities.<\/p>\n
Amien said that while the provision of basic commodities was
\nimportant, the nation must not lose the momentum of reform which
\ncould be exploited by \"old forces\" to regain power.<\/p>\n
He named forces loyal to former president Soeharto as a
\ncontinued threat to the nation.<\/p>\n
\"It is dangerous for us to be preoccupied in discussions about
\nbasic needs,\" he said during a gathering at Juanda University
\nhere yesterday.<\/p>\n
\"If we focus too much on our stomachs then we could begin to
\nlose our perspective of the future. Soeharto and his loyalists
\nwill use the opportunity to rise again and take power,\" he
\nargued.<\/p>\n
Amien said that concerns about providing basic necessities
\nshould be left primarily to the government which has an
\nobligation to ensure the supply of such necessities.<\/p>\n
Speaking of his reform agenda, Amien said there were four
\npolitical, three economic and one legal targets which should be
\nachieved in the push for long-lasting prosperity.<\/p>\n
Heading the political agenda is limiting the number of
\npresidential terms a person can serve.<\/p>\n
\"There should be an MPR (People's Consultative Assembly)
\nDecree limiting the number of terms, otherwise there will be new
\nSukarnos or Soehartos,\" he said referring to Indonesia's first
\ntwo presidents.<\/p>\n
Sukarno ruled the country for 21 years and was even given the
\ntitle of president for life. Soeharto was elected president seven
\ntimes before resigning amid strong public pressure on May 21.<\/p>\n
The second political agenda item should be a clear ruling
\ncovering the recruitment of officials to the executive,
\nlegislature and judiciary.<\/p>\n
All must be elected based on their skill and capacity to
\nperform their tasks, not because they are politically or
\neconomically well connected.<\/p>\n
\"Presently there are nearly 400 MPR members who were appointed
\nmerely through nepotism,\" Amien claimed.<\/p>\n
Third, there must be a decentralization of authority.<\/p>\n
Amien insisted that the provinces should be given greater
\npower to manage their own affairs. Furthermore, provincial
\ngovernments should be allowed greater access to the wealth
\nobtained from their area.<\/p>\n
\"We don't want to see again what is happening now where the
\ngold, silver and copper of Irian Jaya is being mined daily but
\nthe people there still live at a subsistence level,\" he asserted.<\/p>\n
The fourth item on Amien's political agenda is greater
\npolitical freedom for the people.<\/p>\n
\"Let's push for the growth of democracy, such as freedom of
\nthe press and to form political parties,\" Amien said.<\/p>\n
The economic agenda should entail laws and practices which
\nresult in an end to monopolies.<\/p>\n
Economic reform should also ensure that a natural free market
\nis allowed to grow in which everyone would have an equal
\nopportunity to compete.<\/p>\n
According to Amien, an essential element of these reforms
\nshould also include a revitalization and restructuring of the
\nbanking system.<\/p>\n
On the legal side, Amien stressed the need for equal treatment
\nbefore the law for all Indonesians, something which he claimed
\ndoes not currently prevail.<\/p>\n
He said president and drivers of becak, three-wheeled
\npedicabs, should be regarded the same in the eyes of the law.
\n\"Presently, the law is only applied to those who are weak,\" he
\nsaid. (24)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/amien-sets-out-his-agenda-for-total-reform-1447893297",
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