Gus Dur still best choice, say political observers<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Foreign and local political observers opined
\nthat President Abdurrahman Wahid was still the best choice for
\nthe country and thus deserved space and a chance to complete his
\nterm.<\/p>\n
Speaking in separate occasions on Monday, Daniel S. Lev of
\nUniversity of Washington, Daniel Sparringa of Surabaya-based
\nAirlangga University, Arbi Sanit of University of Indonesia, J.
\nKristiadi of the Center for Strategic and International Studies
\n(CSIS) and Ichlasul Amal of Yogyakarta-based Gadjah Mada
\nUniversity suggested that political elites stopped attacking each
\nother as people are already tired of the relentless bickering.<\/p>\n
\"President Abdurrahman is still the most available person to
\nlead this country,\" Lev told reporters on the sidelines of a
\nseminar on military held by the Indonesian Institute of Science
\n(LIPI).<\/p>\n
He warned any attempt to change the national leadership would
\nbe at a huge social, economic and political cost.<\/p>\n
Lev said if people in the country were prone to dethroning
\ntheir leader for minor things or accusations, solutions to the
\nmyriad of problems facing the nation would never be found.<\/p>\n
\"I think Gus Dur must be given a chance to optimize the
\nperformance of his administration,\" he remarked.<\/p>\n
He further warned that if civilian politicians were busy
\nwaging political conflicts, the democratization process now
\nunderway was feared to stall and this would allow the military to
\nregain ground.<\/p>\n
Lev advised the civilian politicians to regroup instead, as
\nthe country was still negotiating various problems, including
\npossible U.S. intervention.<\/p>\n
\"If possible, Gus Dur, Amien and the other political elites
\nshould communicate their ideas everyday to avoid unnecessary
\ndispute,\" Lev said referring to the President by his nickname and
\nthe People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) Speaker Amien Rais.<\/p>\n
Noted sociologist and political observer Daniel Sparringa
\nshared Lev's view, saying sharp criticisms toward Gus Dur and his
\nadministration had constantly put the government on the hot seat.<\/p>\n
\"I think Megawati eventually broke her silence in response to
\nthe persistent efforts to topple Gus Dur. She is likely to fight
\nit out to defend Gus Dur,\" Daniel, who also attended the seminar,
\nremarked.<\/p>\n
It would be proper for the current government to focus on
\nconcrete issues such as the handling of manpower instead of
\nconstantly being involved in political maneuvering, he suggested.<\/p>\n
He insisted the idea to push for an Assembly special session
\nto unseat Gus Dur would not receive popular support as the wish
\nHouse of Representatives (DPR)'s legislators and that of their
\nconstituents were different.<\/p>\n
\"Even if some factions in DPR push for the special session,
\npeople won't be willing to support it because it's just too risky
\nand tiring,\" Daniel said.<\/p>\n
Separately, Arbi Sanit urged Gus Dur, Megawati, Amien and
\nHouse Speaker Akbar Tandjung to meet once again to formulate the
\ngoals of the reform movement they claimed to bear.<\/p>\n
\"For the sake of the nation, they should meet. They should
\nshow their statesmanship, instead of acting as mere politicians,\"
\nArbi said in a seminar on Monday to mark the launching of the
\nOpen Society Institute (OPSI), a study center established by
\nyouths from the country's largest Muslim organization Nahdlatul
\nUlama (NU).<\/p>\n
He said demanding the resignation of Gus Dur as repeatedly
\nstated by Amien, would not settle the country's complexities.<\/p>\n
He asserted that the four key figures only represented their
\nown groups.<\/p>\n
Kristiadi renewed his call for the leaders to agree on a
\n\"cooling down period\" in order to ease the current political
\ntension and avoid possible clashes at grass roots level.<\/p>\n
\"They should meet with a clear agenda and come to a consensus
\nof not attacking each other to avoid possible violence that can
\nhamper the country's economic activities,\" he remarked.<\/p>\n
Kristiadi had proposed the \"cooling down period\" prior to the
\nannual session of MPR in August.<\/p>\n
Amal, the rector of Gadjah Mada University, said the demand
\nfor Gus Dur's resignation came from those who are disappointed
\nwith his personal style, not the government's performance in the
\neconomic field.<\/p>\n
\"So Gus Dur should not answer the criticisms or issue
\ncontroversial replies,\" he remarked.<\/p>\n
He said Abdurrahman's resignation would only add problems if
\nAmien also did not follow suit (resign), on grounds that the two
\nare linked to the country's largest Muslim organizations.<\/p>\n
\"The resignation of Abdurrahman and Amien, if it is deemed the
\nbest solution, will avoid clashes between their supporters,\" he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Abdurrahman formerly chaired NU, while Amien led Muhammadiyah.
\n(23\/edt\/jun)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/gus-dur-still-best-choice-say-political-observers-1447893297",
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