Bringing the past to heel<\/p>\n
Presidential elections in Indonesia may be more than two years
\naway, but the campaigning has apparently already begun. Within a
\nmatter of hours on Thursday, President Megawati Soekarnoputri
\ntook reformist political steps that are being interpreted as the
\nmost significant the country has seen since the overthrow of
\nstrongman Soeharto in 1998.<\/p>\n
Megawati's boldest move was to order the detention of
\nparliamentary speaker and the head of the powerful Golkar Party,
\nAkbar Tandjung, over a corruption investigation. Although Akbar
\nhas yet to be charged, the move appears to signal a genuine
\nattempt to bring Soeharto-era officials to heel.<\/p>\n
Akbar was a member of Soeharto's cabinet. He and other
\npolitical cronies of the dictator have been the focus of the
\npublic clamor for justice for the extremes of the era. There has
\nbeen wide praise for Akbar's detention.<\/p>\n
Hours earlier, Soeharto's youngest son, Hutomo \"Tommy\" Mandala
\nPutra, was charged with the murder of a prominent judge. An
\nappeal against detention by former Soeharto minister and another
\nGolkar leader, Ginandjar Kartasasmita, was rebuffed. The
\nGovernment also rejected a plan to offer leniency to businessmen
\nwho misused more than US$1 billion given as rescue packages in
\nthe 1997 financial crisis. Long-sought reforms of Indonesia's
\npolitical, judicial and economic systems have been a long time
\ncoming. Such promises won Megawati the presidency, but little has
\nchanged.<\/p>\n
Observers say corruption is still rife and inaction against
\nthe Soeharto family, accused of stealing up to $20 billion from
\nthe impoverished nation's coffers, has been seen as proof of a
\nlack of resolve.<\/p>\n
The optimism from Thursday's moves were diminished on Friday
\nwhen a South Jakarta District Court judge rejected prosecutors'
\ncalls to reopen the corruption trial against Soeharto, saying he
\nwas too ill to face charges.<\/p>\n
Soeharto's Golkar Party, the second biggest group in
\nparliament, still holds enormous political and business power in
\nIndonesia. Many Soeharto associates still hold high office and
\ntheir influence is wide-reaching.<\/p>\n
Megawati has made moves this week which augur well for
\nIndonesia's future. Although significant, they are only
\nincremental steps in a process which needs much resolve and
\npatience.<\/p>\n
If the President is truly dedicated to her nation's future,
\nshe must do her utmost to change a system which for too long has
\nbeen making the privileged richer and the poor no better off.
\nlast<\/p>\n
-- South China Morning Post, Hong Kong<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/bringing-the-past-to-heel-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }