Observers condemn civil servants' plan for Golkar<\/p>\n
SEMARANG, Central Java (JP): Academics and legislators
\ncensured Saturday the Indonesian Civil Servants Corps (Korpri)
\nfor requiring each of its members to garner at least 10 votes for
\nthe ruling political organization, Golkar.<\/p>\n
"It is in violation of human rights, especially if it means
\nforcing Korpri members' relatives to vote for Golkar," said
\npolitical scientist Is Susanto of Diponegoro University.<\/p>\n
Similarly, local legislators from the two other political
\nparties -- the United Development Party (PPP) and the Indonesian
\nDemocratic Party (PDI) disparaged the plan made during the civil
\nservants corps' national workshop in Jakarta last week.<\/p>\n
The three political organizations will contest 425 seats in
\nthe 500-seat House of Representatives next year. The remaining 75
\nseats are reserved for the Armed Forces.<\/p>\n
The corps has a membership of some six million people,
\ncomprising 3.5 million in the bureaucracy and 2.5 in various
\nstate-owned companies.<\/p>\n
"If it was a binding and compulsory decision then I strongly
\nreject it," said Is Susanto, who is head of the post graduate
\nprogram at the University of Diponegoro's law school.<\/p>\n
"If it is just an ordinary appeal then it's all right, there's
\nno problem with that," he remarked.<\/p>\n
The Indonesian civil service does not play a neutral role on
\nthe political scene and has proclaimed itself as a proponent of
\nthe ruling Golkar faction.<\/p>\n
Chodijah, a member of the Central Java provincial legislative
\ncouncil is strongly opposed to the corps' move, describing it as
\na reckless plan.<\/p>\n
She pointed out that the civil servants corps should realize
\nthat it belongs to all the Indonesian people and not just one
\npolitical group.<\/p>\n
"Apart from belonging to and serving the people, they should
\nrealize that their wages are not being paid by Golkar but by the
\ngovernment," said Chodijah.<\/p>\n
"Korpri's plan will have a negative impact both on Korpri
\nmembers and the bureaucracy in general," she said. Chodijah added
\nthat she was not at all surprised at such tactics. She cited the
\n1992 general elections in which each and every civil servant was
\ntold to get five votes for Golkar.<\/p>\n
Another PPP legislator, Djuhad Mahja, denounced the decision
\nsaying it was "completely unfair".<\/p>\n
He quipped that the corps should tell their members to vote
\nfor the other parties once and a while.<\/p>\n
"During the 1992 elections Korpri forced its members to vote
\nfor Golkar. Wouldn't it be nice if they took turns and now told
\ntheir members to pick either PPP or PDI," he said.<\/p>\n
Djuhad then asserted that in essence civil servants should be
\nfree to affiliate with any party without fear of retribution or
\nthreat from the bureaucracy.<\/p>\n
Separately PDI member Widodo Bendoljoyo of Central Java,
\nconceded that as long as Civil Servants Corps' members stick to
\nthe rules of the game in the support of Golkar it would still be
\nacceptable. However once vote getting involves coercion or
\nintimidation then "it will not be tolerated". (har\/mds)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/observers-condemn-civil-servants-plan-for-golkar-1447893297",
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"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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