A political compromise

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