Some questions remain<\/p>\n
When President B. J. Habibie signed a regulation clarifying
\nthe political status of civil servants on Tuesday, the government
\nappeared satisfied that the drawn out controversy over the matter
\nwas at an end. However, many questions remain.<\/p>\n
The special regulation became necessary after the House of
\nRepresentatives became irreconcilably divided over the issue.
\nGolkar, the dominant faction in the House and the lynchpin of
\nformer president Soeharto's regime, was suspected of playing a
\ndevious game and accused of trying to preserve its influence over
\ncivil servants to serve its own ends.<\/p>\n
The government regulation aims to create a politically neutral
\nbureaucracy and thus placate fears that bureaucrats will work to
\nundermine the June general election. Opposition parties have long
\ncampaigned for a neutral bureaucracy, which is essential in any
\ndemocratic society. They point out that throughout former
\npresident Soeharto's 32-year rule, civil servants were used as
\npawns in his dirty political games. During this period, the
\nbureaucracy ceased to serve the public and the nation slid into
\nthe darkest period of its modern history.<\/p>\n
Now that it has been issued, the government must act to show
\nthat the regulation is capable of upholding the high minded idea
\nof neutrality. Worryingly, close examination of the regulation
\nreveals an ambiguously drafted, loose piece of legislation which
\nif left unclarified will leave the public more confused than
\never.<\/p>\n
It stipulates that civil servants who intend to retain their
\nmembership of political parties or undertake political activities
\nwill lose their structural posts in the government but will
\nretain their status as civil servants. The regulation applies to
\nall civil servants, including directors general, lecturers and
\nclerks of court. Since they can be reinstated after they cease to
\nbe politically active, it is likely that senior members of the
\nbureaucracy who leave to pursue their own political agendas will
\nretain an ample degree of influence over their former
\nsubordinates and colleagues.<\/p>\n
The reality is that many civil servants hold key positions in
\nGolkar, while the other political parties have only very
\ninsignificant ties to the bureaucracy. The regulation will thus
\npresent Golkar with an unfair advantage at the general election
\nand allow the ruling grouping to benefit from its recent
\ntrickery.<\/p>\n
Another clause from which Golkar stands to benefit is one
\nstating that all civil servants holding positions in political
\nparties (read Golkar) should report their involvement in politics
\nwithin three months of the regulation taking effect. May falls
\nthree months from now and one month before the general election.
\nWhat games Golkar can play with words. And these are but a few
\nexamples.<\/p>\n
The general public wanted the country's independent political
\nparties and reform-minded activists to keep a close watch on
\nGolkar and the government during deliberation of the political
\nbills. The bills set out the rules for the general election, and
\nmany observers feared the establishment would use its remaining
\ninfluence to stack the election cards in its favor.<\/p>\n
Unfortunately, the new political parties let the moment pass
\nwith little more than a whimper, and only Amien Rais, the
\nchairman of the National Mandate Party (PAN), has shown any
\nserious concern about the matter. This spineless show by the
\nnation's new political parties may yet have serious repercussions
\nfor the country, but only when it is too late will the error of
\ntheir recent lethargy become apparent.<\/p>\n
The public will reject another rigged poll. They have had the
\nwool pulled over their eyes since 1970 and they are tired of it.
\nTheir reaction to yet another brazen insult to their intelligence
\nwill push the nation into unimaginable chaos.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/some-questions-remain-1447893297",
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