Criticize govt, not president, says Soemitro<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Though fully supporting the people's right to
\ncriticize the government, Gen. (ret.) Soemitro yesterday stressed
\nthat such criticism should not be of a personal nature which
\nwould undermine the president's charisma.<\/p>\n
Speaking to journalists, the former head of the powerful
\nInternal Security Agency (Kopkamtib) described the president as a
\nnational asset and as such, said his charisma functioned as a
\nnational unifier.<\/p>\n
\"If you talk about preserving national unity, at present the
\nsymbol is still Pak Harto. That's a fact!\" Soemitro said of
\nPresident Soeharto.<\/p>\n
Therefore, he beseeched that people not jeopardize the
\ncharisma of the presidential seat.<\/p>\n
\"Do not gnaw at his charisma,\" Soemitro said.<\/p>\n
Within the past year, several people have been brought to
\ntrial under allegations of defaming the president.<\/p>\n
Last year 21 university students were sentenced to jail for
\nbesmirching the president's name.<\/p>\n
Academic George Aditjondro and politician Sri Bintang
\nPamungkas are currently undergoing police investigations for
\nlibel against the President. Abdurrahman Wahid, the chairman of
\nthe rural mass-based Islamic organization Nahdlatul Ulama, has
\nalso been on the bad side of Soeharto, apparently for remarks he
\nmade to a visiting foreign journalist about the President.<\/p>\n
Though Soemitro was not alluding to any of the above cases, he
\ndid express condemnation towards an anti-Indonesian demonstration
\nin Dresden, Germany, in April, in which some Indonesians were
\nreported to have taken part.<\/p>\n
\"I do not approve of it,\" he said of the demonstration in
\nDresden during a visit there by President Soeharto in April.<\/p>\n
Bintang, who was in Germany at the time, is under
\ninvestigation for his alleged involvement in the affair. He has
\nsince been removed from the House of Representatives at the
\ninstigation of his party leaders. Bintang was a representative of
\nthe United Development Party.<\/p>\n
Criticism<\/p>\n
Soemitro said he is not suggesting that people refrain from
\ncriticizing policies or government actions which they construe as
\ngoing against their interests.<\/p>\n
\"Criticism is all right, go ahead. But, if possible, avoid
\nmentioning names,\" he said, adding that it should be directed at
\nthe government instead.<\/p>\n
He described the government as \"one political entity\" and thus
\ncriticisms should be directed at the government in general and
\nnot the president.<\/p>\n
Soemitro expressed fear at the consequences of debilitating
\nthe presidential figure and causing national stability.<\/p>\n
\"Don't let there be a vacuum in power and charisma, it will
\ncause national and social disintegration.,\" he said pointing out
\nexamples in the break-away Soviet republics and the war-torn
\nformer Yugoslav republic.<\/p>\n
He argued that the political parties who support the President
\nshould be more sensitive to the concerns of the people.<\/p>\n
Speaking on the future of political parties, Soemitro
\nreiterated the need for political parties to be given more
\nindependence.<\/p>\n
He mused that in the future, regional authorities should not
\ninterfere in the internal affairs of political parties.<\/p>\n
Political parties are national institutions and thus should
\nonly be dealt with on a national scale by central authorities, he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Soemitro argued that intervention of local authorities
\nreflected federalistic tendencies, \"while Indonesia opposes
\nfederalism.\" (mds)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/criticize-govt-not-president-says-soemitro-1447893297",
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