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)