Economic crisis can erode govt's legitimacy: Arbi<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The ongoing economic turmoil could erode the
\ngovernment's legitimacy as it can no longer compensate for the
\ntight political restrictions with economic benefits, a political
\nscholar believes.<\/p>\n
The University of Indonesia's Arbi Sanit said Saturday that
\nthe government would lose its legitimacy as the economy, which
\nhas been long-regarded as the New Order's major success story,
\nbegins to stagnate.<\/p>\n
The government \"cannot compensate with welfare anymore for
\npolitical restrictions applied on the people in the name of
\nstability,\" the prominent political scientist said.<\/p>\n
\"The crisis, which began to evolve in the mid-1997, has only
\nworsened the tense relations between the state and the people,\"
\nArbi told a discussion at the National Institute of Sciences.<\/p>\n
In a nine-page paper made available for release Saturday, Arbi
\nsaid the government's legitimacy had also deteriorated with the
\ncontinued \"illegitimate relationship\" with the private sector
\nthrough widely practiced collusion and corruption.<\/p>\n
The private sector has been widely criticized for its huge
\nexternal debts which many have said is one of the main
\ncontributing factors to the current economic turmoil. Analysts
\nsay it exceeds US$65 billion.<\/p>\n
Arbi maintained that the crisis was in part due to the poor
\nquality of the current cabinet compared to previous ones under
\nPresident Soeharto.<\/p>\n
\"Coordination among members of the sixth development cabinet
\nis very weak. Just look at the ability of some ministers, it is
\nwell below the New Order standard,\" he remarked without
\nmentioning names.<\/p>\n
Arbi then went on to criticize the bureaucracy.<\/p>\n
\"The bureaucracy is sinking in its own mounting problems and
\nit has been so corrupt and irresponsive (to the people),\" Arbi
\ncharged.<\/p>\n
Unrest<\/p>\n
Arbi predicted that this year would be marred by continued
\nsocial unrest as the government failed to solve several of the
\ncountry's basic problems.<\/p>\n
He identified these as the widening of the social and economic
\ndisparity between the rich and the poor, the bureaucracy's
\nignorance and irresponsiveness, and the uncertainty of the legal
\nsystem.<\/p>\n
\"Social unrest will probably occur this year as these basic
\nproblems have not been touched upon by the government,\" Arbi
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Riwanto Tirtosudarmo of the National Institute of Sciences
\nshared Arbi's opinion, saying that the rising unemployment due to
\nthe economic crisis would likely spark social unrest.<\/p>\n
\"As basic necessities cannot be obtained by the people
\nanymore, then it would be normal if people carry out actions
\nwhich may break the law,\" Riwanto said.<\/p>\n
Riwanto lamented that workers were still considered by the
\ngovernment merely a commodity and therefore open to exploitation.<\/p>\n
He also criticized the recent manpower law for failing to
\naccommodate workers' rights.<\/p>\n
\"Laborers in Indonesia have been weakened politically as they
\nare deemed a threat to national stability by the government,\" he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
He expressed concern that as long as the government considered
\nthe labor force a threat, workers' morale would never improve.<\/p>\n
\"I doubt that workers' conditions will ever improve if those
\nlong-standing perceptions prevail,\" Riwanto said. (10)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/economic-crisis-can-erode-govts-legitimacy-arbi-1447893297",
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