Listen to vox populi<\/p>\n
The authorities appear to be taking no chances in the
\ncountdown to the General Session of the People's Consultative
\nAssembly (MPR) which begins on Sunday. They have vowed to clamp
\ndown at the first signs of trouble and, judging from their
\nactions of the past few days, they mean what they say.<\/p>\n
In Jakarta, where the session will be held from March 1-11,
\nstreet protests and all political meetings have been banned. Any
\ngroup or organization wishing to voice political sentiment must
\nfirst obtain police permission. As soon as these measures were
\nannounced, the police were put to the test. On Sunday, a seminar
\nwhich planned to discuss the nomination of Emil Salim for vice
\npresident was banned. Then on Monday, a handful of women
\ndemonstrating peacefully at soaring food prices were detained.<\/p>\n
The ban on all political meetings and seminars from one week
\nbefore to one week after the MPR General Session extends
\nnationwide and in practice appears to have been applied to all
\nkinds of gatherings, even wedding receptions.<\/p>\n
The military has good reason to be vigilant. The sporadic
\nriots, widespread unrest, hoax bomb threats, protests and
\nexpression of discontent which have hit Indonesia in recent weeks
\nall have the potential to undermine national security and
\nstability. Since the MPR General Session is regarded as the
\nclimax in the nation's five year political cycle, the military
\nnaturally feels that it is duty-bound to ensure its success,
\nhence the restrictions.<\/p>\n
The importance of the MPR session cannot be overemphasized.
\nMuch of the next five years of Indonesia's history will be
\ndetermined during the 11 day meeting of our 1,000 MPR members.
\nThe State Policy Guidelines will be drawn up and a president and
\nvice president elected with the people's mandate to implement the
\npolicies contained in that document.<\/p>\n
But since most of the outcomes of the General Session are
\ndecided beforehand, apprehension over possible disruptions to the
\nmeeting may be exaggerated.<\/p>\n
The State Policy Guidelines were drafted and agreed upon by
\nthe five MPR factions during working committee meetings held
\nbetween November and January. All the decrees that the Assembly
\nintends to endorse have also been agreed in advance. President
\nSoeharto is assured of election to a seventh term and B.J.
\nHabibie is likely be the sole candidate for the vice presidency.
\nWith the most important decisions taken before the General
\nSession convenes, all that needs doing is to bang the gavel.<\/p>\n
A smoother meeting could not be asked for. But there is still
\na threat of disruption from outside the MPR building. Senior
\nmilitary officers have issued a stern warning to anybody tempted
\nto take this course of action.<\/p>\n
While we appreciate the authorities' concern, we are deeply
\ndisturbed by the heavy restrictions imposed, such as the ban on
\ngatherings and political meetings, which amount to a suppression
\nof popular opinion at a time when the nation is in need of public
\nreflection, dialog and discussion.<\/p>\n
The General Session may be a gathering of the country's elite,
\nbut the rest of the nation should not be ostracized from the
\nprocess of shaping the future. Although decisions on the most
\ncritical issues have been taken, members of the five MPR factions
\nwould be wise to heed the voice of the people they represent.
\nRecent rioting, unrest, criticism and protests suggest there is a
\nlot of pent-up emotion looking for an outlet. A considerate and
\ncaring ear may go a long way to relieving this pressure.<\/p>\n
It is wrong to think that the MPR will be successful only if
\nthe proceedings run smoothly. A more telling measure of success
\nwill be the way in which the MPR sets out to meet the aspirations
\nof the electorate. At a time like this, popular expression must
\nbe encouraged, not suppressed.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/listen-to-vox-populi-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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