RI must consolidate its base for democracy<\/p>\n
TOKYO: It was the classic story of a politician falling prey
\nto the corrupting effects of political power.<\/p>\n
Indonesia's People's Consultative Assembly, the nation's
\nhighest legislative body, has dismissed embattled President
\nAbdurrahman Wahid in a vote that automatically installed Vice
\nPresident Megawati Soekarnoputri to replace him.<\/p>\n
Abdurrahman declared a state of emergency in a last-minute effort to
\navoid impeachment, but the assembly overrode his order. The
\nmilitary and police, responsible for keeping order, refused to
\nobey the president and backed the assembly.<\/p>\n
The peaceful transition, achieved in a precarious situation
\nthat could have disintegrated into a bloody clash of Abdurrahman
\nloyalists and Abdurrahman opponents, should be welcomed.<\/p>\n
Claiming that he had been illegally deposed, Abdurrahman refused to
\nconcede and would not leave the presidential palace. But to no
\navail. By attempting to cling to power, Abdurrahman stood only to
\nfurther besmirch his tattered presidential legacy.<\/p>\n
Abdurrahman took office two years ago with a promise of true
\ndemocracy, encouraging public criticism of the president or
\nanyone with power. His words were like a gospel of freedom for
\nthose who had endured the harsh suppression of free speech that
\nmarked president Soeharto's autocracy.<\/p>\n
Abdurrahman was keenly aware of the need to attack widespread
\ncorruption and cronyism to promote democracy in Indonesia. Facing
\nfierce resistance from those with ties to the old regime willing
\nto resort to terrorism against opponents, Abdurrahman sought to reveal
\nthe full scope of the Soeharto family's vast accumulation of ill-
\ngotten wealth.<\/p>\n
But Abdurrahman became embroiled in a political finance scandal and
\nbegan rejecting criticism. It was the classic story of a
\npolitician falling prey to the corrupting effects of political
\npower.<\/p>\n
Megawati, Indonesia's new leader, is the eldest daughter of
\nSukarno, the nation's founding president. She was born to luxury.<\/p>\n
Her father was ousted when she was 18, however, and she was
\npersecuted.<\/p>\n
In a general election two years ago, Megawati's Indonesian
\nDemocratic Party of Struggle won the most seats in the national
\nassembly with broad support of those who saw her as the symbolic
\nleader of victims of Soeharto tyranny. But she lost to Abdurrahman in
\nthe presidential vote in the assembly, in part because Islamic
\nparties objected to having a woman as head of state.<\/p>\n
The sequence of events leading to Abdurrahman's downfall and
\nMegawati's succession brought forth all the structural flaws of
\nthe Indonesian political system.<\/p>\n
The People's Consultative Assembly, which impeached the Muslim
\ncleric, includes parliamentarians and local and organization
\nrepresentatives. It was once a legislature that endorsed
\ndictatorship. Its power to hold the president accountable for his
\nactions was nominal and never used. That is why the president has
\nno power to dissolve it.<\/p>\n
Once Indonesia was bound for democracy, however, the assembly
\ngained real power and became a formidable institution. This time,
\nit probed the Abdurrahman scandal and eventually ousted him, blaming
\nhim for all the nation's present political turmoil. It all smells
\nof political strife unrelated to what people want.<\/p>\n
If the assembly gets into the habit of jeopardizing the office
\nof the presidency, political strife will continue unabated,
\ncontributing to the broad perception that a civilian politician
\ncan never be a good leader and encouraging selection of a
\nmilitary ruler.<\/p>\n
Indonesia's flawed political system is a ubiquitous relic of
\nthe Soeharto area that bedevils society. Megawati's primary
\nmission is to free Indonesia from such relics and build a solid
\nfoundation of democracy to ensure political stability.<\/p>\n
-- The Asahi Shimbun<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/ri-must-consolidate-its-base-for-democracy-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }