The bill has to go<\/p>\n
Perhaps no countries on this planet are as busy as Indonesia
\nis today. However, our hustle-and-bustle activities here have
\nnothing to do with a killer earthquake or inhumane acts of ethnic
\ncleansing, but the administration and the House of
\nRepresentatives controversial efforts to make the best use of the
\nlast weeks of their terms by their flurry of precarious
\nactivities.<\/p>\n
For months the House, the term of which will end in late
\nSeptember, has been in great haste to pass as many
\nadministration-sponsored bills into law as possible, as though
\nits members think doomsday is imminent.<\/p>\n
Lately the House has become the target of public resentment
\nfor refusing to cease deliberation of the controversial state
\nsecurity bill, or to reject it outright. On the contrary, it has
\ndevised some tricks to ensure that it is seen as vital to the
\nnation.<\/p>\n
Many paragraphs of the bill scare members of the public,
\nnotably legal experts and political and military observers. Many
\nhave questioned why the present government -- which has
\nrepeatedly vowed to work for political and economic reform,
\nrespect the supremacy of law, human rights and has supported
\nfreedom of the press -- is so adamant to have the bill passed.<\/p>\n
The bill clearly paves the way for military dominance because
\nit clearly stipulates that the regime, without consulting the
\nHouse, has the right to declare martial law whenever it deems it
\nnecessary. Consulting only security agencies set up by the
\ngovernment is considered sufficient by the bill.<\/p>\n
Under martial law, the regime would also enjoy the freedom to
\ncurtail people's basic rights and introduce press censorship.<\/p>\n
The bill is considered so flawed that 58 experts from the
\nIndonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI) and four parties that did
\nwell in the June general election have opposed it.<\/p>\n
The question for us is: How can a regime which has supported
\nfreedom of the press do such an about-face and betray this
\nadmirable achievement by even considering endorsing a bill that
\nso undermines democracy?<\/p>\n
Former minister\/state secretary Moerdiono even admitted the
\nbill had been kept on the back burner in his office for a decade
\nbecause it was considered too controversial for the House to
\ndeliberate. But the present regime picked it up and sent it to
\nthe legislative body.<\/p>\n
This turn of events begs one question for President Habibie to
\nanswer: which is more authoritative, the present regime which
\ncalls itself the development and reform government, or Soeharto's
\nwhich has been branded a corrupt administration with no respect
\nfor human rights?<\/p>\n
In full view of the whole nation, the naked truth in Indonesia
\ntoday is that the country is being run by a minority transitional
\nregime which is supported by a legislative body which represents
\nonly a minority of the people. They plot to secure their place in
\nthe future. The controversial bill will be used by the military
\nto crush any public opposition during the November General
\nSession of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR), the
\ncountry's highest constitutional body which will elect a new head
\nof state during the session.<\/p>\n
Although the House must realize its lack of legitimacy, it has
\nrefused to show political ethics and social sensitivity by
\nconducting hearings with genuine law experts or political
\nobservers, let alone leading political forces which will lead the
\nfuture government. Had House members done this, they may have
\nbeen brought to their senses and realized that the bill is a
\nthreat to democracy.<\/p>\n
At the moment, very little can be expected from members of the
\nHouse. The legislators seem to be heavily influenced by the
\nregime's promise to reward each of them Rp 150 million (US20,000)
\nfor their \"meritorious deeds\" in acting as servants of the
\nadministration.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/the-bill-has-to-go-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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