Politicians agree Constitution forbids opposition<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Politicians and observers agreed yesterday the
\n1945 Constitution did not recognize opposition, but some of them
\nunderlined the need for greater democratization.<\/p>\n
They were responding to President Soeharto's statement on
\nTuesday that Indonesia had no room for opposition and that
\ncritics of his government did not understand the basics of the
\ncountry's political system.<\/p>\n
United Development Party (PPP) Secretary-General Tosari Wijaya
\nsaid the President might have been referring to sacked PPP
\nlegislator Sri Bintang Pamungkas who, along with activists of the
\nunrecognized Indonesian Democratic Union Party (PUDI) he
\nestablished, rejects Soeharto's re-election and is preparing a
\npost-Soeharto administration.<\/p>\n
Bintang, his deputy leader Julius Usman and another PUDI
\nactivist Saleh Abdullah, are currently being detained at the
\nAttorney General's Office on subversion charges.<\/p>\n
Tosari said Bintang's decision to form an opposition party was
\nan "awful" move considering one of Pancasila's (the state
\nideology) fundamental aspects was the principle of consensus
\nthrough deliberation. Under such a political system, there are
\nneither opposition nor government parties.<\/p>\n
Tosari, however, also leveled criticism at the government. "We
\nneed to put Pancasila democracy back on its original track," he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
"All three parties join forces to draw up the state policy
\nguidelines, but when it comes to the policy implementation only
\none political group stands out," he added, referring to the
\ndominant Golkar grouping.<\/p>\n
Political observer Amir Santoso of the University of Indonesia
\nsaid that the President must have had sufficient reason to issue
\nsuch a statement.<\/p>\n
"I believe he wouldn't just accuse anybody without proper
\nevidence," said Amir, a Golkar legislature candidate.<\/p>\n
Amir agreed that those who are considered to have behaved
\nunconstitutionally should be taken to court.<\/p>\n
"We have to learn how to practice democracy in this country
\nand those who violate the law should be punished," he added.<\/p>\n
Another expert, Arbi Sanit, speculated that Soeharto's warning
\nwas not aimed at anybody specific.<\/p>\n
He believed that Bintang was just exercising his rights to
\nspeak and form an organization, two things allowed by the
\nConstitution.<\/p>\n
"The problem, however, has its root in the fact that the 1945
\nConstitution is controversial, because its interpretation depends
\non the authorities," Arbi said.<\/p>\n
"It's a pity that the tag of 'unconstitutional conduct' is
\nattached only to critics," he added.<\/p>\n
Indonesian Democratic Party faction Chairwoman Fatimah Achmad
\nsaid that Soeharto was only reminding the nation to stick to
\nPancasila democracy.<\/p>\n
"Different opinions are allowed in our democracy, provided
\nthey do not lead to anarchy or other unconstitutional conduct,"
\nFatimah said.<\/p>\n
She speculated that most of Indonesia's 200 million people are
\nloyal to the Constitution and the state ideology. "Only a very
\nfew people think about changing the Constitution," she said.<\/p>\n
Another political observer from the University of Airlangga,
\nAribowo, said the President's statement was probably merely a
\nwarning to anyone considering trying to ruin or break away from
\nthe already accepted system. (12\/amd)<\/p>\n
Bintang -- Page 2<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/politicians-agree-constitution-forbids-opposition-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }