Controversial visit by Vice President<\/p>\n
Vice President Hamzah Haz visited National Police Headquarters
\nin South Jakarta on Tuesday to see the commander of the Laskar
\nJihad Islamic group, Ja'far Umar Thalib, who is being detained
\nthere.<\/p>\n
Those close to Hamzah said that he made the visit in his
\ncapacity as chairman of the United Development Party (PPP), not
\nas Vice President. But can the two positions be separated?<\/p>\n
However, whatever excuses the Vice President made, the visit
\nshowed the fragility of the Cabinet. The plan to detain Ja'far
\nhad been discussed and decided on at a Cabinet meeting, hadn't
\nit?<\/p>\n
This means that, whatever the risks, all Cabinet members,
\nincluding the Vice President, must safeguard the Cabinet's
\ndecision. A good government needs support from the people. Such a
\ncondition can be created only with a solid Cabinet. But can the
\nCabinet be considered solid in light of Hamzah's recent visit to
\nJa'far?<\/p>\n
We are not against a humanitarian visit, but Hamzah is the
\nVice President, who has certain powers, and Ja'far is currently
\nfacing the legal process, though we don't rule out the
\npossibility that Ja'far will win his freedom in the courts.<\/p>\n
If Hamzah argued that his visit to Ja'far was a humanitarian
\ngesture, why did he not make the same gesture to House of
\nRepresentatives Speaker Akbar Tandjung or the former head of the
\nState Logistics Agency when they were detained in Cipinang Prison
\nnot long ago. Humanity does not discriminate, does it?<\/p>\n
-- Media Indonesia, Jakarta<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/controversial-visit-by-vice-president-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }