Govt fails to resolve dire issues: Gus Dur<\/p>\n
Tiarma Siboro, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Former president Abdurrahman \"Gus Dur\" Wahid criticized the
\ngovernment on Friday for its failures to address pressing
\nproblems, and warned that the current government could collapse
\nif Golkar and the Indonesian Military (TNI) withdrew their
\nsupport.<\/p>\n
\"As the government is no longer capable of carrying out its
\ntask effectively, it's time to take over,\" Gus Dur said without
\nelaborating.<\/p>\n
Gus Dur also condemned a legal maneuver carried out by the
\nAttorney General's Office to arrest House Speaker and Golkar
\nChairman Akbar Tandjung, saying that it would only trigger a
\nbattle between the executive and legislative branches.<\/p>\n
Briefing the press at the Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) Headquarters on
\nJl. Kramat Raya, Central Jakarta, Gus Dur argued that \"it is rare
\nfor the head of the executive branch (Megawati) to approve the
\nincarceration of the House of Representatives (DPR) speaker as
\nthe two institutions are equal.\"<\/p>\n
\"Even though the Attorney General's Office decided to detain
\nAkbar because it has sufficient reasons to do so, we could see
\nthat Megawati, knowingly or unknowingly, has supported the move,
\ndespite claims that she didn't intervene in the legal process,\"
\nGus Dur said, while making it clear that the Attorney General is
\na Cabinet member and a subordinate of the President.<\/p>\n
Akbar, a suspect in a Rp 54.6 billion financial scandal
\ninvolving State Logistics Agency (Bulog), was detained on
\nThursday, making him the highest official to be incarcerated in
\nthe country's attempts to wipe out corruption, nepotism and
\ncollusion, which were widely blamed for Indonesia's economic
\ncollapse.<\/p>\n
Megawati, who took over as President in July 2001 with the
\nsupport of a loose coalition that included Golkar, has not issued
\nan official statement on Akbar's detention.<\/p>\n
\"Considering that our national courts can be arranged for the
\nsake of certain interests, Akbar may be free from all legal
\ncharges,\" Gus Dur added.<\/p>\n
According to Gus Dur, Akbar's detention had effectively
\ndestroyed the House speaker's political career.<\/p>\n
He also questioned the glaring absence of Cabinet ministers
\nwith military backgrounds at the commemoration of the Army's
\nStrategic Reserves Command's (Kostrad) anniversary last Thursday.<\/p>\n
\"The absence of these ministers showed that senior military
\npersonnel holding political posts have been ignored by the TNI
\nleadership,\" he said.<\/p>\n
There are currently three former military personnel in
\nMegawati's Gotong Royong Cabinet, Coordinating Minister for
\nPolitical and Security Affairs Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, Minister
\nof Home Affairs Hari Sabarno and Minister of Transportation Agum
\nGumelar.<\/p>\n
Gus Dur also criticized the Cabinet decision to set a three-
\nmonth deadline for banks to repay their debts, saying that the
\npolicy angered conglomerates.<\/p>\n
\"By deciding that the government will not extend the period of
\ndebt repayment for these conglomerates, many of them have
\nexpressed their anger to me... and of course it (the anger) will
\nbe a threat for Megawati's administration,\" Gus Dur said.<\/p>\n
In a developing country like Indonesia, a close relationship
\nbetween the government and the private sector was a must, he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Many believe that several conglomerates previously linked to
\nthe New Order regime have switched their allegiance to Megawati's
\nadministration and have given financial support both to her party
\nand administration for the sake of their mutual benefit.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/govt-fails-to-resolve-dire-issues-gus-dur-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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