I do it for the people: Outspoken legislator<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Legislator Alvin Lie of the Reform faction has
\nemerged as one of the harshest critics of President Abdurrahman
\nWahid, but he says strong criticism only mirrors the depth of his
\nlove for his country and the President.<\/p>\n
It was Alvin along with Zulfan Lindan of the Indonesian
\nDemocratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) and Ade Komaruddin
\nof the Golkar Party who were the initiators of the recent
\ninterpellation motion at the House of Representatives.<\/p>\n
\"I have been critical of the government because I love
\nPresident Abdurrahman Wahid and Vice President Megawati and I
\nwant them to achieve improvements for the people,\" he told The
\nJakarta Post here on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
\"I will remain critical, regardless of the possible
\nconsequences,\" he added.<\/p>\n
Alvin, representing the National Mandate Party (PAN) from the
\nCentral Java capital of Semarang, has frequently criticized the
\ngovernment for its failure to stop the prolonged bloody violence
\nin Aceh, Maluku and North Maluku, to defuse the economic crisis
\nand for creating political instability.<\/p>\n
\"I have nothing to loose if I'm recalled. But, so far, my
\nfaction has given moral support to me to remain critical, despite
\nmy different background,\" he said referring to his Chinese
\nethnicity.<\/p>\n
\"I didn't come here to enrich myself and my family, but to
\nchannel my constituents' hopes,\" he asserted.<\/p>\n
Alvin, whose full name is Alvin Lie Ling Piao, was born in
\nSemarang on April 21, 1961.<\/p>\n
Being a Central Java native, Alvin said he and other
\nlegislators from the province were pushing the central government
\nand provincial administration to pay more attention to the floods
\nthat hit the provincial capital annually.<\/p>\n
The floods, he claimed, were in large part due to excessive
\ndrilling for water and deforestation in mountainous resorts
\naround the city.<\/p>\n
\"We are also working to encourage the government to
\ninternationalize the seaports and airports in the province to
\nmake sure they are ready to go international and to help improve
\nthe welfare of the people,\" he said.<\/p>\n
He said that despite being Catholic, he was proud to be a
\nmember of PAN and the Reform faction, which is known by some as
\nbeing closer in nature to an Islamic party.<\/p>\n
Alvin said his presence in such a party provided a distinct
\ncolor to the party and his faction.<\/p>\n
\"The party has the primary mission of promoting total reform
\nin all sectors and religious tolerance among its members and
\nsupporters,\" he added.<\/p>\n
Asked to comment on the House's performance, Alvin, a graduate
\nin international marketing from Strathclyde University in
\nScotland, said it had a lot to do as it was only in the early
\nstages of waking up from over three decades of sleep.<\/p>\n
\"The House should continually be encouraged to carry out its
\nfunction of empowering the people and upholding their
\nsovereignty.\"<\/p>\n
\"I have been considered critical and outspoken because
\nnumerous other legislators are still enjoying their sleep. They
\nshould also wake up to represent the people and help ease their
\nsuffering,\" he said.<\/p>\n
He said that he along with other young legislators were
\nlaunching an informal moral movement to encourage the House to
\nremain critical of the government.<\/p>\n
\"The informal moral movement started with the recent
\ninterpellation motion ... The next step is the planned
\ninvestigation into Buloggate, Bruneigate and the leakages in the
\nState Logistics Agency's (Bulog) nonbudgetary funds,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Alvin pointed out that his faction and himself were
\ndissatisfied with the President's behavior and his
\nadministration's poor performance in handling major problems.<\/p>\n
\"We are worried about the President's capability in running
\nthe government and to defuse the crisis due to his unstable
\npersonality and physical handicaps,\" he said.<\/p>\n
He admitted that this was the reason his faction at the
\nPeople's Consultative Assembly had proposed a decree to delegate
\npower to Vice President Megawati Soekarnoputri in running the
\ngovernment. (rms)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/i-do-it-for-the-people-outspoken-legislator-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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