ABRI failed the test

The political neutrality of the Indonesian Armed Forces (ABRI) has been in question since the ABRI faction in the House of Representatives joined with the ruling Golkar party and the Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI) in rejecting a proposal to summon President B.J. Habibie in connection with his leaked telephone conversation with Attorney General Andi Ghalib.

ABRI has missed a golden opportunity to prove the sincerity of its pledge to henceforth be neutral (in politics), by abstaining from either supporting or opposing the United Development Party (PPP) proposal to call Habibie to account before a plenary session of the legislature.

We regret to say that ABRI has failed its first test to prove that it is sincerely committed to realizing its pledges and promises.

-- Merdeka, Jakarta