Political crisis: Is compromise still possible?<\/p>\n
As meetings go on in the search for crucial decisions,
\npolitical analyst J. Soedjati Djiwandono asks whether the leaders
\nwill indeed come to their senses.<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): To escape from the present political impasse, a
\ncompromise among political leaders remains the only possible way
\nout short of the dreaded violent conflicts between opposing
\ngroups that reflect the bickering among the political elite.<\/p>\n
But time is running out. The plenary session of the House of
\nRepresentatives (DPR) is set for May 30. With no substantial
\ncompromise by that date, it seems certain that a special session
\nof the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) will be on the
\nagenda.<\/p>\n
It is to be noted, however, that it would take several weeks
\nfor an MPR special session to be convened after a House motion
\nrequesting one. So as far as President Abdurrahman Wahid is
\nconcerned, he would still have a chance to avoid impeachment and
\nthereby save his neck and save face.<\/p>\n
Issuing an emergency decree so as to avoid impeachment would
\nbe digging his own grave, leading the nation to the verge of
\ncollapse. He could come to his senses and decide to resign at the
\nlast minute, in which case Vice President Megawati Soekarnoputri,
\nfor better or for worse, would take over.<\/p>\n
In view of the high improbability of such a scenario, however,
\nthe President may instead decide to transfer presidential powers
\nto the Vice President, while he would remain as head of sate, a
\nfigurehead, to be precise. And the MPR would be able to entrench
\nthe transfer in a decree.<\/p>\n
If that should be the case, then the ball would be in Vice
\nPresident Megawati's court. Would she play it right? Would she
\naccept that arrangement, no matter how big a challenge it might
\nbe to her competence? That, apparently, is still a big question
\nmark.<\/p>\n
Two statements, at least, made recently by Megawati may raise
\ndoubts about her willingness to compromise. First, she has
\nmaintained that an early election -- though it seems to be the
\nfairest solution -- would not solve the deadlock.<\/p>\n
Second, reminding her supporters in the Indonesian Democratic
\nParty of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan), she has emphasized what she
\ncalls the \"message of the PDI Perjuangan congress in Bali\", that
\nis, that the party congress nominated her to be president. She
\nsaid that personally she did not entertain an ambition to be
\npresident, but she was determined to adhere to that message.<\/p>\n
Whether she was honest about it or whether her remark was a
\nreflection of some degree of hypocrisy, only she herself knows.
\nNo one has the right to judge. What is wrong in anyone having an
\nambition to be president in a democracy, anyway? If she did not
\nhave any desire to be president, she could have turned down the
\nnomination.<\/p>\n
One cannot but conclude that for Megawati, to be president
\nseems to be a question of now or never. The resignation or
\nimpeachment of President Abdurrahman would probably her only sure
\nchance to be president. An early election would be no guarantee.<\/p>\n
One important reason that PDI Perjuangan won the largest
\nnumber of votes in the 1999 election may have been the fact that
\nMegawati was a rallying point for opposition against the New
\nOrder regime; that she was a symbol of victimization by the New
\nOrder's oppression and persecution.<\/p>\n
Most probably, PDI Perjuangan can no longer count on that kind
\nof image for victory in the next election. It would be an
\nillusion if it did.<\/p>\n
A compromise is the only solution for the present political
\ndeadlock, and that seems a certainty. And a compromise can only
\nbe reached by a give-and-take approach by all concerned.
\nInterestingly, by the way, many Indonesians, including, or
\nperhaps notably, politicians, often refer to the principle of
\n\"take-and-give\".<\/p>\n
One would wonder if it reflects their mentality -- take first,
\nas much as possible, and only then, possibly, give away as little
\nas possible!<\/p>\n
Indeed, who would have thought, that the political bickering
\nnow seems to have crystallized and pivoted on the President and
\nVice President as the fulcrums. Any compromise would be focused
\non these two leaders.<\/p>\n
The present crisis has its blessing for them. It provides them
\nwith a rare but golden opportunity to prove their statesmanship
\nand their patriotism. How will they play their cards, to save the
\nnation from violently disintegrating and thus saving the reform
\nprocess toward a better, more democratic society?<\/p>\n
The whole nation is anxiously waiting.<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/political-crisis-is-compromise-still-possible-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }