'Strong government should be balanced with basic rights'<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The government must forge a trusting
\nrelationship with the people by letting their dynamic ideas
\ncontribute to the overall development process of the country,
\npolitical observers said yesterday.<\/p>\n
Afan Gaffar, a lecturer at Yogyakarta's Gadjah Mada
\nUniversity, affirmed the continued need for a strong executive
\ngovernment in Indonesia, but he also underlined the necessity for
\ngreater political freedom and openness.<\/p>\n
\"Our society still needs a strong executive supported by a
\ndominant political party,\" said Afan. \"On the other hand, people
\nshould have more opportunities to become involved in the
\npolitical process and enjoy political rights.\"<\/p>\n
Afan pointed out that the country's diversity necessitated a
\ngovernment strong enough to implement various programs.
\nNevertheless, he added that the fruits of economic development
\nhave brought fourth demands for mass participation in the
\npolitical process.<\/p>\n
\"A strong government should be balanced with, or at least have
\nthe perception of maintaining, basic rights of every citizen
\nwhich should include freedom of assembly, freedom of expression
\nand freedom of the press,\" said the postgraduate lecturer of
\npolitical science.<\/p>\n
Hasnan Habib, a retired army general and former ambassador to
\nthe U.S., also focused on the need for greater openness saying
\nthat political development, which was sacrificed in the past for
\neconomic development, now needed more attention.<\/p>\n
Conditions<\/p>\n
Both Hasnan and Afan were speakers yesterday at the beginning
\nof a two-day seminar on \"The Exercise of Pancasila and the 1945
\nConstitution in an Era of Globalization,\" held at the National
\nResiliency Institute (Lemhanas).<\/p>\n
In his presentation, Hasnan admitted that conditions in the
\npast required civil and political rights to be eschewed for the
\nsake of economic development.<\/p>\n
\"The people were minor players, or just observers. You cannot
\nexpect much political participation from people living in
\npoverty,\" said Hasnan, the co-chairman of the Council for
\nSecurity and Cooperation in Asia-Pacific.<\/p>\n
With the relative success of Indonesia's economic development,
\nboth speakers felt there was now a clear need to correct a
\ndeficiency in political development and democracy.<\/p>\n
\"Using the general indicators of empirical democracy...we can
\nassess that Indonesian democracy in the New Order is far from
\nboth academically or politically expectations,\" Afan said.<\/p>\n
He pointed to the existing \"water-tight\" political environment
\nin which all political activity is carefully scrutinized.<\/p>\n
\"Room for positions and thoughts contrary to the government,
\nif they exists, is limited on the grounds that Pancasila
\ndemocracy does not recognize opposition,\" Afan said.<\/p>\n
Permits<\/p>\n
Afan said one example of the controls being placed on society
\nis the permit requirements for public seminars and discussions.<\/p>\n
The government has made it illegal to hold a public debate
\ninvolving more than five persons without first obtaining a
\npermit.<\/p>\n
Apart from braking up seminars for not having permits, the
\ngovernment has also rejected permit requests for seminars on
\nissues it considered politically sensitive.<\/p>\n
Hasnan Habib aimed specific criticism at the permit system.
\n\"If the basis for employing the permit system is derived from a
\nmistrust of the people, then it means we have returned to the
\ncolonial age,\" he argued.<\/p>\n
He added that the permit requirement contradicts the basic
\nprinciple of sovereignty in which the state is responsible for
\nthe people -- not the other way around.<\/p>\n
In the same gist, Hasnan further noted that although the 1945
\nConstitution demands a strong state it does not call for one
\nwhich is at the point of being authoritarian or even
\ntotalitarian.<\/p>\n
\"The Constitution does not intend for the government to rule
\nall aspects of people's lives, especially their private lives,\"
\nHasnan explained.<\/p>\n
\"Democracy is a logical consequence in man's natural
\nprogression,\" he said in closing. (mds)<\/p>",
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