State officials urged to give up party position<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
State officials have been urged to relinquish their strong grip
\non their respective political parties because the dual role could
\neasily lead to abuse of power at the expense of national
\ninterests.<\/p>\n
The demand gained new momentum on Monday when the National
\nResilience Institute (Lemhannas) Governor Ermaya Suradinata
\nsuggested that the officials abandon their party jobs and focus
\non their state duties in order to bring the nation out of the
\ncrisis.<\/p>\n
\"At least, the President, the Vice President and the Cabinet
\nministers should relinquish their party top posts, without having
\nto leave the parties,\" Ermaya told a hearing with House
\nCommission I for defense and foreign affairs here.<\/p>\n
In the hearing presided over by legislator Isaac Latuconsina
\nof the military faction, Ermaya disclosed that he had raised this
\nissue at a Cabinet meeting on Sept. 21 last year, but there had
\nbeen no response to date.<\/p>\n
Demands for state officials to abandon their party interests
\nhave been increasing over time, because party leaders often use
\nstate facilities to the advantage of their political parties.<\/p>\n
In any official visits funded by the state, they often spent
\ntime for a session to consolidate local party cadres.<\/p>\n
\"Cabinet ministers are too busy carrying out the activities of
\ntheir parties, therefore they ignore their state duties,\" Ermaya
\nremarked.<\/p>\n
President Megawati Soekarnoputri, Vice President Hamzah Haz,
\nCabinet ministers, and speakers of the legislative bodies have
\nalso been the target of criticism because they often use state
\nfacilities in conducting the internal affairs of their party.<\/p>\n
State officials often used their official car provided by the
\nstate even if they were attending a party function. Many suspect
\nthere has been a compromise between the officials to tolerate the
\npractice for the sake of their preparations for the 2004 general
\nelection.<\/p>\n
The new demand for state officials to relinquish their party
\nposts drew prompt responses.<\/p>\n
Amien responded positively to the demand, saying he would be
\nready to relinquish his leadership in the party.<\/p>\n
\"I appreciate that proposal. Just wait and see, I will
\nrelinquish my chairmanship in PAN,\" Amien told reporters.<\/p>\n
But, secretary-general of the Indonesian Democratic Party of
\nStruggle (PDI Perjuangan) Sutjipto said that the largest party
\nwould keep the leadership of Megawati Soekarnoputri, who is also
\nthe incumbent President.<\/p>\n
Vice President Hamzah Haz who chairs the third largest party,
\nthe United Development Party (PPP), underscored the need for a
\nspecific law that requires all high-ranking state officials to
\nrelinquish their positions in political parties to avoid a
\nconflict of interest between the state and political parties.<\/p>\n
Speaking to journalists at his office on Monday, Hamzah said
\nthat the House could insert the regulation in certain laws such
\nas the law on presidency.<\/p>\n
\"I think it would be better if there was a law that bans the
\npresident, vice president and cabinet ministers from leading a
\npolitical party,\" Hamzah said, saying that earlier in a weekly
\nbreakfast with President Megawati Soekarnoputri the issue was
\ndiscussed.<\/p>\n
However, Hamzah contended that so far he never felt any
\nconflict of interest as Vice President and chairman of PPP as he
\nhad delegated most of his duties as political party leader.<\/p>\n
\"Sometimes the two position could support each other, but of
\ncourse there are some weaknesses ... but for me I have many
\ndeputies to carry out my job in my party,\" the Vice President
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Opposition also came from legislators who said it was
\nunnecessary for state officials to resign from their political
\nparty, as long as they were able to separate the party's
\ninterests in conducting their daily work.<\/p>\n
\"The person must be able to separate party interests and
\nnational interests. As long as this stance is maintained, it is
\nunnecessary to resign from one of the positions,\" Golkar's deputy
\nchairman, Slamet Effendi Yusuf, told The Jakarta Post on Monday.<\/p>\n
Deputy secretary-general of PDI Perjuangan, Pramono Anung,
\nshared Slamet's view, saying the division was unnecessary because
\nit was not illegal.<\/p>\n
\"There is no problem thus far ... the party also needs a
\nfigure who binds the party,\" he said, referring to Megawati.<\/p>\n
Senior advisors of PDI Perjuangan have recommended that
\nPresident Megawati Soekarnoputri who is also the party
\nchairwoman, concentrate more on state duties and delegate her
\nparty duties to an executive.<\/p>\n
Alvin Lie, from the National Mandate Party (PAN) said that a
\nstate position was also a political position, therefore, one
\nwould not occupy a state position if one had no political
\nsupport.<\/p>\n
\"What's important are guidelines and ethics. He or she should
\nnot allow their parties to take advantage of their position in
\nthe government,\" Alvin said.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/state-officials-urged-to-give-up-party-position-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}