Suhardiman upset over expert's remarks on Golkar<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Constitutional law expert Harun Alrasyid drew
\nfire yesterday for saying the dominant political group Golkar
\nshould not take up seats in the House of Representatives as long
\nas it refused to call itself a party.<\/p>\n
Vice Chairman of the Supreme Advisory Council Suhardiman, who
\nwas one of Golkar's founders 33 years ago said Harun \"must be
\npolitically blind,\" Antara reported.<\/p>\n
Suhardiman said Harun had no knowledge of Golkar's history.
\n\"Do we have to invite him over to the council to explain it?\" he
\nasked.<\/p>\n
Golkar, which stands for Golongan Karya (Functional Group),
\nwas founded with the help of the Army in 1964 to bring together
\nvarious professional and nonpolitical groups to counter the
\nIndonesian Communist Party's (PKI) growing power.<\/p>\n
Suhardiman was head of SOKSI, a labor movement which became
\none of three major mass organizations supporting Golkar.<\/p>\n
The PKI was banned after its abortive coup attempt in 1965,
\nand Golkar became Indonesia's dominant political force.<\/p>\n
Golkar, which refuses to call itself a party, won 74 percent
\nof the vote in May's general election.<\/p>\n
At a seminar to hammer out at ideas on Golkar's political
\nconcepts in Yogyakarta on Monday, Harun said Golkar's proper
\nplace was not the House of Representatives but the People's
\nConsultative Assembly (MPR).<\/p>\n
The University of Indonesia law professor said Golkar should
\nreview its status because it was effectively a political party,
\nand no longer a functional group.<\/p>\n
The 1945 Constitution's second article states that the House
\nof Representatives is a forum for political parties, he said.<\/p>\n
The constitution provided the MPR for functional groups, which
\nis the proper place for Golkar, he said.<\/p>\n
\"This is wrong,\" Suhardiman said.<\/p>\n
He recalled that Harun made another error sometime ago when he
\ncalled for the Supreme Advisory Council to be abolished, saying
\nit was ineffective.<\/p>\n
On that occasion the council invited Harun over to explain how
\nthe council worked, he said.<\/p>\n
Suhardiman said Golkar was not the same as the functional
\ngroups referred to in the second article of the Constitution, he
\nsaid. This Golkar is written with capital G, he said.<\/p>\n
The Golongan Karya in the Constitution is written in lower
\ncase and refers to professional groups and the like, he said.<\/p>\n
Golkar's existence is regulated by Law No. 3\/1985 on Political
\nParties and Golongan Karya, which recognizes Golkar, the United
\nDevelopment Party (PPP) and the Indonesian Democratic Party
\n(PDI), he said.<\/p>\n
The House has 500 seats, 425 of which are contested by the
\nthree political groups and the other 75 are appointed by the
\nArmed Forces.<\/p>\n
The MPR includes the 500 House members and another 500 seats
\nallocated to representatives of the provinces, professional
\norganizations and public figures.<\/p>\n
Another Supreme Advisory Council member, Lt. Gen. (ret.)
\nBambang Triantoro, said although Golkar did not call itself a
\nparty, its status, function, and organization were the same as
\nany political party.<\/p>\n
\"It has not changed its name to a party because of its
\nhistory. When Golkar was formed, it was an organization of
\nfunctional groups. It has stuck to the name since then,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Bambang said voters had no qualms about Golkar's name.<\/p>\n
\"People vote for whatever suits them, whether Golkar, PPP or
\nPDI. They don't care why Golkar doesn't call itself a party,\" he
\nsaid. (emb)<\/p>",
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