Beware of the old forces<\/p>\n
Sometimes it seems we are perpetually kept in the game of
\nguessing who said what and why they said it.<\/p>\n
When the Armed Forces (ABRI) warned the nation on Friday
\nagainst a possible comeback of \"old political forces\", every
\nthinking Indonesian could easily understand that the thinly
\nveiled reference meant no other than former president Soeharto
\nand his supporters. If every party agrees with this statement, it
\nmeans ABRI leaders are as wise as the people, whose minds it was
\nvoicing.<\/p>\n
The statement, made by ABRI Chief of Sociopolitical Affairs
\nLt. Gen. Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, coincided with the preparation
\nof a meeting of the ruling Golkar party, in which, according to
\nits chairman, Harmoko, a group among its leaders are bending over
\nbackwards to defend the status quo and are ready to face off with
\nthose who want change.<\/p>\n
Here, in this corner of the country's political geopolitics,
\nthe threat of the return of old political forces is genuine. But
\nmany believe that the looming danger is not serious because all
\ndoors have been shut to Soeharto's endeavor to return since he
\nresigned on May 21 following nationwide protests against him.<\/p>\n
However, judging by the span of time he managed to manipulate
\nthe system to build a protective system for his post-tenure life,
\none is not expected to take the matter lightly. After 32 years of
\noppressive rule, Soeharto must have left behind a group of
\nfanatic fellow-travelers, who are ready to sneak into the
\ncorridors of today's politics, or who are there already.<\/p>\n
They could be civilians or servicemen. Soeharto needs them to
\nblock any intention to confiscate the wealth he, his children and
\ncronies may have illegally amassed. In this respect, we can
\nforesee how heated Golkar's congress next month will be. Soeharto
\nis still chief patron of the political entity.<\/p>\n
During the congress, the party will not only elect a new
\nexecutive board free from political opportunists, but also shed
\nitself of any Soeharto elements in an effort to keep Golkar
\nalive. We are of the opinion, however, that Golkar alone will not
\nbe strong enough to stop the return of any former political
\nforces. Even if Soeharto and his loyalists fail here, they can
\nstrive elsewhere, for example by setting up one of those
\n\"formless organizations\" of bygone days.<\/p>\n
This problem, accompanied by the campaign to take over all the
\nassets, is an Herculean undertaking. The People's Consultative
\nAssembly (MPR), which will meet at the end of this year to
\ndiscuss the coming general election, should also devise ways to
\nprevent such a comeback. Its primary task should be to ask
\nSoeharto how much he had enriched himself and his people and then
\nstrip him of all the powers the country's highest constitutional
\nbody gave him and declare that all his, his children and cronies
\nassets belong to the nation.<\/p>\n
If the problem is not solved once and for all, this nation
\nwill continue to monitor Soeharto's every political move instead
\nof implementing reform.<\/p>\n
ABRI can play a role in this national campaign because it is
\none of the pillars of Golkar and an influential faction within
\nthe MPR.<\/p>",
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