Wahono on a tightrope<\/p>\n
Speaker of the House of Representatives Wahono is walking a
\ntightrope. He is being challenged as to whether he is courageous
\nenough to defend a legislator whom the ruling party Golkar wants
\nto sack. As required by procedures, Golkar has officially
\nproposed the withdrawal of Bambang Warih Koesoemo for misconduct
\nand \"lacking manners\" in dealing with cabinet ministers. Bambang
\nstands accused of offending the ministers of manpower, industry
\nand finance.<\/p>\n
Minister of Industry Tunky Ariwibowo has said he did not feel
\noffended by Bambang. And Bambang himself has denied the charges
\nleveled against him by his party leaders, calling them \"major
\nslander\" and a \"political maneuver\".<\/p>\n
In line with tradition, a political group can propose to the
\nHouse speaker that a legislator be withdrawn. It depends on the
\nspeaker whether or not he considers it justified to pass the
\nproposal on to President Soeharto. In Bambang's case, many people
\nbelieve that the dismissal is due to his outspokenness and no
\nother reason.<\/p>\n
Perhaps, because the withdrawal was proposed by Golkar, the
\ngovernment-backed political grouping which dominates the House,
\nso many people have expressed their sympathy for Bambang. People
\ndo not expect that political grouping to resort to such means to
\ndiscipline its members. Although it can legitimately demand
\nBambang's withdrawal, the move does not seem to be in line with
\ndemocratic procedures and with the demands for greater openness
\namong the public.<\/p>\n
The problem now is just how courageous Wahono, who is a former
\nGolkar chairman, will be in studying the case objectively and
\nmaking a fair decision.<\/p>\n
It should be remembered that, as reported, President Soeharto,
\nwho is the chief patron of this political group, has given the
\ngreen light for the dismissal.<\/p>\n
When Amir Machmud was in Wahono's position a decade ago, he
\nrefused to pass on a similar proposal by the United Development
\nParty against a House member called H. Sudardji. At that time,
\nAmir reportedly said that \"I am not a post office chief who sends
\nonward everything I receive.\"<\/p>\n
In efforts to muster the necessary courage, perhaps Wahono
\nshould understand that the matter of Bambang has grown to immense
\nproportions. It is now a problem of losing face, instead of
\nwhether the legislator has performed his constitutional duties in
\nthe right way. For Golkar and Bambang himself it is now a problem
\nof face saving. In Indonesia, saving face is perhaps more
\nimportant than almost anything else.<\/p>\n
In this case we understand why other ministers -- apart from
\nTunky -- have refused to comment on whether or not they felt
\ninsulted by Bambang's style.<\/p>\n
Although voters choose a political group and not an individual
\nrepresentative in the Indonesian election system, it is not
\ncompletely true to say that a House member is there to represent
\nhis party and not the people. When a legislator takes his oath he
\npronounces loyalty to \"the people, the nation and the state\", not
\nto his political grouping.<\/p>\n
We are afraid that if the speaker just forwards everything a
\npolitical group requests to the President, then one day he
\nhimself could be withdrawn by his party for defending a
\nlegislator whom his party loves to hate.<\/p>\n
Besides, it seems that Golkar would be wise to consider the
\nimpact which this particular move could have on its standing in
\nthe eyes of the electorate. It should be borne in mind that
\nbecause of their better education, today's Indonesians are
\ngenerally much more capable of drawing their own conclusions than
\ntheir parents were.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/wahono-on-a-tightrope-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}