Setting foot on two boats<\/p>\n
From Merdeka<\/p>\n
During the New Order regime, all Cabinet ministers and
\ngovernment officials from the upper to the lower echelon were
\nordered to campaign for Golkar. Apart from their official job,
\nthey were also Golkar functionaries and leaders at various
\nlevels. The president himself chaired the board of elder members.<\/p>\n
The results satisfied them all. A single majority dominated
\nthe House of Representatives\/People's Consultative Assembly. The
\nassembly succeeded in appointing the chairman of Golkar's board
\npresident for a sixth term. But in the end, for all their
\nengineering, they had to face reality. President Soeharto was
\ntoppled by a reform movement and the New Order regime collapsed.<\/p>\n
The appointment of B.J. Habibie as president gave rise to a
\nconstitutional controversy that finally cooled down. The reform
\nmovement did not run as smoothly as expected. Remnants of the New
\nOrder regime in the government and representative institutions
\ncontinue to exert influence, not different from setting one's
\nfeet in two boats.<\/p>\n
The government fell but Golkar remains in power, with a new
\nparadigm, a new name, a new determination voicing reform in
\ndefense of the people's interests. But there is no solution to
\ncollusion, corruption and nepotism.<\/p>\n
Three political laws passed by the remnants of the House were
\nsaid to be efforts of reform. Toward the general election there
\nis a new game but with an old tune. Ministers and officials want
\nto campaign again, with the pretext of legal rights, citizens'
\nrights, etc. A profusion of promises again, money spending by
\nsome officials. The old promises have not been fulfilled and now
\ncome new ones. The people are aware of the whole situation.<\/p>\n
The sun of reform is high in the sky. It is broad daylight. Do
\nnot wake up too late. The people's eyes are already open. Do not
\nstand in two boats. Formerly the people were afraid, now they are
\nno longer afraid, especially the students.<\/p>\n
SOETARNO<\/p>\n
Jakarta<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/setting-foot-on-two-boats-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }