Golkar's empty bluff<\/p>\n
The forming of a special committee is finally on the agenda of
\nthe Consultative Body (Bamus) of the House of Representatives
\n(DPR). This indicates a progressive step toward unraveling the
\nalleged misuse of non-budgetary funds belonging to the State
\nLogistics Agency (Bulog). But it does not mean that we can relax
\nour vigil.<\/p>\n
A group of Golkar Party members seems busy arranging tactics
\nso that this special committee on the "Bulog II scandal" can
\nnever be formed. Following the ineffective lobbying in closed
\nrooms, various threatening statements were then uttered by them.<\/p>\n
A number of parties changed their stance, probably due to
\nthreats of revealing certain names who had received some of the
\nfunds. At least the United Development Party (PPP) and the
\nCrescent Star Party (PBB) now firmly reject the formation of the
\ncommittee, while on the other hand, the Indonesian Democratic
\nParty of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) and the National Awakening
\nParty (PKB) are challenging the Golkar Party to reveal names, if
\nthey really exist. Until now the Golkar Party's threats have been
\nmerely empty bluffs, as no new names of recipients have emerged.<\/p>\n
What has emerged in fact is another disguised threat. Several
\nGolkar Party figures are said to have stated that they would
\nleave Megawati's coalition government if the forming of the
\ncommittee is not discontinued. This means, though not explicitly
\nmentioned, that Golkar is preparing to build a new coalition to
\ncreate a new government.<\/p>\n
It is only fitting for President Megawati to respond to the
\nthreats with a firm challenge: "Go ahead, make my day!" The
\nresignation of the Golkar Party would most probably strengthen
\nMegawati's image as a reformist who intends to eradicate all
\nforms of corruption, collusion and nepotism (KKN). On the other
\nhand, the Golkar Party would have a tarnished image as a
\ncollection of former fighters intending to hide their KKN sins.<\/p>\n
This is based on the assumption that the Golkar Party dares to
\ncarry out its threats, because it is highly likely that this
\nparty, comprising the New Order regime, would suffer more
\ninternal splits: Between the old faces who intend to use the
\nparty as a political shield in hiding their past sins and the
\nyounger generation who really wish to reform the party that has a
\nbanyan tree symbol.<\/p>\n
As an important reformist figure, President Megawati is
\nobliged to help the emergence of reformist leaders in the Golkar
\nParty. The reason is that the party's platform is not that bad,
\nas its ideology is not much different from that of the PDI
\nPerjuangan. It was precisely the disloyalty of its leaders to the
\nplatform that caused the New Order government to deteriorate.<\/p>\n
Today the opportunity is available to put the Golkar Party on
\nthe right track. President Megawati has to take maximum advantage
\nof this opportunity. The wise ancient Greek elders called it
\n"Carpe diem Megawati."<\/p>\n
-- Koran Tempo, Jakarta<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/golkars-empty-bluff-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }