Golkar apology brushed aside<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Observers have dismissed Golkar's recent apology
\nfor its past mistakes as too little too late, while rival
\npoliticians said it was merely a ploy to salvage the group's
\ntattered reputation.<\/p>\n
They were responding to an announcement made on Sunday by
\nGolkar chairman Akbar Tandjung, who apologized for the group's
\n\"uncompleted tasks, wrongdoings and past mistakes.\"<\/p>\n
However, Akbar made no mention of public criticism that Golkar
\nwas responsible for helping to keep the authoritarian New Order
\nregime in power for 32 years.<\/p>\n
Speaking in Yogyakarta, Gajah Mada University rector Ichlasul
\nAmal stressed that concrete action was more important than an
\napology and said that Golkar must now understand that it was no
\nlonger \"the popular master\".<\/p>\n
\"They (Golkar's leaders) have to respond to change,\" he said
\non Wednesday. \"Yet Golkar acts as though it was still in control
\nof everything...as shown in its campaign to ensure that civil
\nservants are allowed to join political parties.<\/p>\n
\"That shows how afraid Golkar is of losing its biggest group
\nof supporters...the apology certainly contained a political
\nmessage meant to improve its image,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Amal conceded that not all of Golkar's members were
\n\"arrogant\". \"Remember that (deputy chairman) Marzuki Darusman
\nwanted Golkar to apologize,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Eep Saefulloh Fatah of the University of Indonesia agreed and
\nsaid that Golkar's apology meant very little to the nation.<\/p>\n
\"We need a new paradigm to rebuild this country and
\nunfortunately Golkar represents the old paradigm...I think it has
\nlost the confidence of voters because the current political
\nsituation no longer favors it,\" he said.<\/p>\n
\"The apology is far too late and will not mend its tattered
\nimage,\" he said. \"Golkar has lost its momentum.\"<\/p>\n
He said the apology showed Golkar's belated realization that
\nits popularity was on the wane. \"It is now changing its strategy
\nand engaging in a war of image with other, newly established
\npolitical parties.\"<\/p>\n
He cited the establishment of the Justice and Unity Party,
\nwhich was recently set up by dissenting Golkar members including
\nthe former vice president Try Sutrisno.<\/p>\n
\"The new party has indicated that it is open to ideas of
\ndemocratization and change...that scares Golkar,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI) politician Mochtar Buchori
\nsaid the apology was a ploy to win back sympathy now that Golkar
\nwas cornered, abandoned by important figures, and wracked by
\ninternal dispute.<\/p>\n
\"It is not a genuine apology, (Akbar) had to do it after
\nrealizing that Golkar was no longer as powerful as in the past,\"
\nhe said.<\/p>\n
\"When he (Akbar) felt that Golkar was still strong, he refused
\nto bow his head to the people,\" Mochtar noted.<\/p>\n
Nirwan Sembiring, the secretary-general of the newly
\nestablished Catholic Democratic Party (PKD) said that Akbar's
\napology was an attempt to attract voters and not born out of
\ngenuine regret for past abuses of power.<\/p>\n
\"Golkar will never change because it is led by the people who
\nare responsible for the New Order's wrongdoings,\" said Sembiring.
\n(45\/prb\/rms\/edt)<\/p>",
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