Political bills offer no guarantee of fair polls<\/p>\n
The government has delivered three political bills to the
\nHouse of Representatives (DPR), which is expected to deliberate
\nthem after the current Special Session of the People's
\nConsultative Assembly (MPR). Political science lecturer Arbi
\nSanit of the University of Indonesia (UI) analyses the prospect
\nof them directing the nation towards democratization.<\/p>\n
Question: Do you think that the political bills will
\naccommodate the people's aspirations, particularly those on the
\nabolition of the Armed Forces' (ABRI) sociopolitical role.<\/p>\n
Arbi Sanit: The fate of the bills will depend very much on the
\nresults of MPR's current session, which is expected to produce a
\ndecree providing guidelines for the bills. The deployment of
\nthree-layer security forces, comprising ABRI personnel, security
\nbranches of civil organizations and pro-President B.J. Habibie
\nyouths, indicates that the government and the military itself do
\nnot want to abolish ABRI's sociopolitical role.<\/p>\n
Because MPR is dominated by the pro-government Golkar ruling
\nparty, ABRI faction and the faction of regional representatives,
\nthe only way to influence MPR members to revise the draft decree
\nis to impose strong pressures outside the MPR building through
\nmassive demonstrations, so that the United Development Party
\n(PPP), a minor party which is trying to uphold the people's
\naspirations, will obtain strong support. But the employment of
\nheavy security measures are exposing demonstrators to high risks.<\/p>\n
However, the recent joint calls of four prominent pro-reform
\nleaders -- Abdurrahman Wahid of Nahdlatul Ulama, Amien Rais of
\nthe National Mandate Party, Megawati Soekarnoputri of the
\nsplintered Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI Perjuangan) and
\nYogyakarta monarch Sri Sultan Hamengkubuwono X -- for the gradual
\nelimination of ABRI's sociopolitical role within six years will
\nbe very effective.<\/p>\n
So, the MPR session is most likely to agree on the draft
\ndecree that will accommodate ABRI representatives in the DPR but
\ntheir number will be subject to tough arguments in DPR sessions.<\/p>\n
Q: One of the political bills says that the DPR members should
\ntotal 550, comprising 495 representatives of political parties
\nand 55 ABRI personnel, and that they, together with 150 regional
\nrepresentatives, will form the MPR. What do you say about it?<\/p>\n
A: Even if the number of ABRI representatives were to be reduced
\nfrom the current 75 to 55, that number is still too big because
\nit will be 10 percent of the total number of DPR members, while
\nthe number of ABRI personnel is only about 500,000 or less than
\n0.25 percent of the country's 202 million population.
\nFurthermore, this number as a proportion of the proposed number
\nof MPR members will increase to 7.85 percent from 7.5 percent at
\npresent.<\/p>\n
I think the reduction of the number to between 10 and 15, as
\nproposed by Amien Rais recently, is good for the time being
\nbefore ABRI's participation in the DPR is abolished within six
\nyears.<\/p>\n
Q: Do you see that the reduction of the number will help improve
\ndemocratization?<\/p>\n
A: No. Their presence in the DPR will diminish the process of
\ndemocracy because they will implement bureaucratic politics in
\nthe council. Furthermore, their political interests will prevent
\nthem from being neutral towards the different interests of
\nsociety members.<\/p>\n
Q: What do you say about the proposed requirements for the
\nestablishment of new political parties?<\/p>\n
A: They are not fair because a requirement that a new party must
\nbe supported by at least one million members and have branches in
\nthe half of the country's provinces and regencies, for example,
\nwill cause difficulties to new parties in making themselves
\nprepared to take part in the coming general election planned for
\nMay 1999.<\/p>\n
A requirement that a political party must have the state
\nideology of Pancasila as its sole ideology base will also hinder
\nfair competition because Pancasila will be used as pretext to
\nprevent any party from disclosing the weaknesses of other
\nparties. Golkar will benefit from such a requirement because its
\npast mistakes of principle cannot be discussed by other parties.<\/p>\n
Q: How about civil servants' participation in general elections?<\/p>\n
A: It is true that the bill on general elections will allow civil
\nservants to elect anyone from any party as a DPR member but
\nGolkar will still be able to use their historical loyalty to it
\nfor its own advantage because they, as a consequence of the
\nabsence of their right to be elected, may not join other parties.<\/p>\n
Q: What is your comment about the guidelines for the
\nestablishment of general election committees?<\/p>\n
A: Even though political parties will be involved in such
\ncommittees, the government will still be able to dominate their
\noperations because representatives from the government, Golkar
\nand ABRI will be there. The participation of ABRI personnel there
\nwill also intimidate other committee members trying to raise any
\ndifferent opinions.<\/p>\n
What is strange is that any local committee will involve only
\nfive political parties, whereas about 100 new parties have now
\nbeen established. Thus, many parties will feel unfairly treated.
\n(riz)<\/p>",
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