A political compromise

On Tuesday, a number of Islamic and intellectual leaders met with President Soeharto in the State Palace's Jepara Room. Discussed during this two-hour meeting were the proposals and demands that have been made by various parties, including the faction leaders who had asked the President that he judiciously resign.

While the meeting was being held, students were converging on various campuses to prepare for their march on the legislature at Senayan. That pause was effectively used (by the President) to buy time and slacken the tempo of the protests that were building in the students' ranks. The political developments, which initially were moving at a very high pace, suddenly eased after the President announced the results of his meeting with the Islamic leaders.

Those results included: that President Soeharto would continue to execute his tasks and responsibilities as bearer of the People's Consultative Assembly's mandate; that a cabinet reshuffle would take place and the new cabinet would be named the Reformation Cabinet; and that a National Reform Committee would be formed consisting of experts, university academics and community leaders -- including some of those regarded as vocal.

Meanwhile, what could have caused House of Representatives Speaker Harmoko's sudden volte-face? After all, he has long been known as a bulwark that ensures constitutional succession of the national leadership. For this purpose, the speaker is aided by deputies to guarantee that any succession process will be constitutional.

This very fact actually demonstrates how fragile has been the political system which the New Order has engineered. In times of crisis, the system is unable to withstand pressures and blows.

At this stage, all parties involved are advised to exercise restraint while awaiting the formation of the National Reform Committee, whose members membership will, as promised, be broad- based. Attention should be given to the personnel composition of the new cabinet that will emerge as the result of the promised reshuffle.

All those points mentioned represent the optimal political compromise that could be achieved during the informal yet important meeting.

-- Republika, Jakarta