'Elitism could lead to trouble'<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): House Speaker Wahono warned decision-makers
\nyesterday against exclusivism and playing favorites, saying such
\npractices may foster a feeling of helplessness among the people
\nand could lead to the emergence of a campaign for an \"alternative
\npolitical system\".<\/p>\n
Speaking in a plenary session marking the end of the current
\nworking session of the House of Representatives, Wahono said the
\nnotion that opposition political parties be allowed in Indonesia,
\nwas an example of an alternative system.<\/p>\n
Moreover, a feeling of helplessness may cause people to
\nbelieve that certain social and political forces are deliberately
\nbeing marginalized, he said.<\/p>\n
Wahono was apparently referring to recent comments on the
\nexisting political system made by a number of observers,
\nincluding leading Moslem scholar Nurcholish Madjid and United
\nDevelopment Party chairman Ismail Hasan Metareum.<\/p>\n
Nurcholish, for instance, said Indonesia needs opposition
\nparties, while Ismail Hasan said the country's minority political
\nparties had been \"marginalized\".<\/p>\n
\"We need to avoid (favoritism) in order to prevent the
\ndevelopment of fatalism and helplessness ... (leading to calls
\nfor) for an alternative political system, such as (one in which
\nthere are) opposition parties,\" Wahono said.<\/p>\n
Wahono defined favoritism as discrimination and placing the
\npolitical and economic interests of one's own group over the
\npeople's welfare. He said such an attitude could lead to the
\nemergence of national security problems.<\/p>\n
\"The House believes that the stagnation in the people's
\nwelfare, as well as discriminatory treatment placing the
\ninterests of certain groups, both politically and economically,
\nabove those of others, will have serious consequences,\" he said.<\/p>\n
He also called for greater tolerance toward differences of
\nopinion. \"Differences should be accommodated within the framework
\nof the Pancasila democracy,\" he said. \"The Armed Forces and the
\nbureaucracy should...encourage...a climate for (such)
\ninteraction.\"<\/p>\n
Wahono decried what he called the \"economization\" of the
\nnation's life, under which the economy has become the main
\nconsideration in various decision-making processes.<\/p>\n
\"Moral principles should be employed to control the dangerous,
\nnegative effects (resulting from economic development),\" he said.
\nThat is where intellectuals and religious leaders have a role to
\nplay, he added.<\/p>\n
Wahono also spoke about recent conflicts between ethnic and
\nreligious groups in several parts of the country, warning that,
\nunless immediately brought under control, such tensions could
\nhave dire consequences for the nation.<\/p>\n
He suggested a number of steps that the government should
\ntake, including \"sincerely ensuring equity\" of the fruits of
\ndevelopment, the strengthening of nationalism and the prevention
\nof fanaticism.<\/p>\n
\"Further, we need to solidify unity among all members of
\nsociety,\" he added.<\/p>\n
Over the course of its latest two-month sitting, the House has
\ndeliberated seven bills, including draft laws on the capital
\nmarket, correctional institutions, customs and excise, small
\nbusinesses and mortgages.<\/p>\n
The House will resume its activities on Nov. 6.<\/p>\n
According to Wahono, the legislators have been giving special
\nattention to initial deliberation of the 1996-1997 state budget.
\nWahono said the House has encouraged the government to prepare a
\nFive-yearly Goals guideline setting out details of the Five-year
\nDevelopment Plan.<\/p>\n
The House has also fulfilled its tasks of controlling the
\ngovernment. \"We have obtained many found out about many things
\nfrom monitoring (the government's performance)...(such as)
\ndeviations from procedure, poor internal supervision and
\nviolation of laws,\" he said.<\/p>\n
\"The House leaders hope the government will pay serious
\nattention to both the hearings (with the House) and the (House's)
\nfindings,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Wahono touched on many other developments in society,
\nincluding the various \"sadistic\" crimes committed over the past
\nweeks. \"It's unimaginable that a country adhering to the state
\nideology Pancasila and whose people are known to be friendly and
\ncivilized could be the scene of such horrendous crimes,\" he said.<\/p>\n
\"The House urges the law enforcers to impose stiff penalties
\non the perpetrators so that such crimes may never occur again,\"
\nhe said. \"The House believes that the sadistic television
\nprograms aired have influenced behavior...enabling such inhumane
\nacts to be performed.\"<\/p>\n
\"It's time for the government to introduce order in television
\nbroadcasting so that (television stations) will be more selective
\nin airing programs,\" he said. (swe)<\/p>",
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