ABRI aims to sustain Golkar's big majority

ABRI aims to sustain Golkar's big majority

JAKARTA (JP): The Armed Forces (ABRI) yesterday defended its decision to choose Golkar as its partner in politics, saying that the country needs a political force dominant enough to maintain the momentum of national development.

ABRI Chief of Sociopolitical Affairs Lt. Gen. Syarwan Hamid told Antara that choosing Golkar, the dominant political group, as its partner does not necessarily mean that the military treats the two minority political parties as adversaries.

"Everyone is actually a partner in the wider sense," he said.

He stressed that ABRI is looking for Golkar to have a "single majority" and not a "dictatorial majority".

The "single majority" concept is interpreted to mean having a majority strong enough to resist the two minority political parties, individually or in coalition, in the House of Representatives.

Syarwan said the absence of a single majority in the House in the 1940s and 1950s tossed the country from one crisis to another as no one was strong enough to carry out development.

Syarwan was commenting on a new polemic about ABRI's political role which was started by Army Chief of Staff Gen. R. Hartono, who said last week that all soldiers are "cadres" of Golkar.

Hartono's remarks, made during a meeting with Golkar members in East Java, angered politicians of the Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI), which together with the United Development Party, is contesting the election with Golkar. They said the statement contradicted ABRI's claim of neutrality at general elections.

Syarwan said Hartono's statement should not be misinterpreted and it should be considered in the context of ABRI's dual function -- as a sociopolitical force and as a security and defense force.

"As a political force, ABRI's Big Family are cadres of Golkar. As a security and defense force, ABRI is neutral," he said. The Big Family refers to military personnel, their spouses and children.

In discharging its sociopolitical task, ABRI has to choose a partner which can represent its aspirations. "It's a matter of tactical concept, to ensure sustainable development," he said.

In its security and defense force role ABRI will act as a referee in the general election and will punish violations committed by anyone, including by its partner Golkar, he said.

Asked to comment on the establishment of the Independent Election Monitoring Committee by a group of scholars, lawyers, journalists and statesmen, Syarwan took a more conciliatory tone than the previous military position.

"I see this as a positive intention from members of the public who want to help to make the election smooth and better, whatever the organization is called," he said.

Before the committee was formed on Friday, the military said such a committee was not in the constitution and therefore illegal.

Syarwan said the committee should not advertise itself as a rival body to the election committee set up by the government. (emb)