Soeharto's 'forces' won't come back: Nurcholish<\/p>\n
SEMARANG, Central Java (JP): Political observers remain
\nunconvinced that forces loyal to former president Soeharto could
\nmake a comeback and stifle the wave of reform sweeping the
\ncountry, despite still wielding strong influence in important
\ncircles.<\/p>\n
Moslem scholar Nurcholish Madjid maintained that Soeharto's
\n"force" was not based on state ideology but merely on the
\ndistribution of material benefits and power.<\/p>\n
"He's different from his predecessor, Sukarno, whose political
\nforce was so powerful because it was based on ideology," he said
\nduring a discussion at Diponegoro University on the political
\noutlook in the post-Soeharto era.<\/p>\n
He said Soeharto during his 32 years in power had established
\nan undemocratic system which was paternalistic and feudal,
\ncombining elements of Javanese philosophy and militarism.<\/p>\n
Talk has been rife this past week about the possibility that
\nSoeharto, who resigned from his presidency on May 21 under strong
\npublic pressure, was maneuvering to stage a comeback.<\/p>\n
The Armed Forces (ABRI) maintains that it would not tolerate a
\ncomeback of "old political forces" into the political arena.<\/p>\n
But despite not having made a single public appearance since
\nhe stepped down last month, some remain worried.<\/p>\n
Diponegoro university political scientist Soehardjo pointed
\nout that it would not be the figure of Soeharto himself who could
\nbe setting the stage for a comeback, but his cadres who have long
\nbeen trained to maintain the status quo.<\/p>\n
"Up to now Soeharto is still Golkar's patron, and Tutut and
\nBambang are also still members," he said referring to Siti
\nHardijanti Rukmana and Bambang Trihatmodjo, two of Soeharto's
\nchildren.<\/p>\n
"They still have lots of money so it would be quite easy for
\nthem to do something," he added.<\/p>\n
Fellow Diponegoro University colleague, Yusmilarso, shared the
\nsame view, saying that Soeharto still had the means to arrange a
\nstrategy for his return.<\/p>\n
"He certainly does not want to easily fall from grace. We can
\nsee that his supporters and his cadres are still in strategic
\ninstitutions.<\/p>\n
"They have not even resigned from their active roles in the
\nPeople's Consultative Assembly and Golkar," he said.<\/p>\n
In Jakarta, political observer Daniel Dhakidae also warned of
\nGolkar's role, describing it as the root of all political
\ntroubles during the Soeharto era.<\/p>\n
He said that the party was behind much of the political
\nengineering which was only aimed at perpetuating the rule of
\nSoeharto.<\/p>\n
But political scientist Mochtar Pabottingi said he was
\nconvinced that the era of the old political forces had really
\nended.<\/p>\n
"It will be foolish if they try to stage a comeback as they
\nhave been proven to have such a rotten system," Mochtar, who
\nheads the National Institute of Sciences' Center for Political
\nStudies, told a discussion at University of Indonesia in Depok.
\n(har\/ivy\/byg)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/soehartos-forces-wont-come-back-nurcholish-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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