ABRI warns against radical reform methods
ABRI warns against radical reform methods
JAKARTA (JP): The Armed Forces (ABRI) warned yesterday that it
would not permit political reforms to be pursued through radical
means.
The spokesman of the ABRI faction in the People's Consultative
Assembly, Lt. Gen. Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, told a plenary
session yesterday that history had proven that revolutionary
means of political reform only ended in ruin.
"This is not the choice of reform that fits Indonesia, a very
plural nation which is now in an endless process of change and
progress," Susilo said.
The remarks were made in reaction to mounting demands for
total reforms of the political, legal and economic systems. The
cries for reform have been sparked by the deepening financial
crisis gripping the country.
In addition to past riots over food prices, students have been
holding rallies to protest corruption, collusion and nepotism.
Some of them have urged the Assembly to choose a new president as
the basic requirement for political reform.
Susilo said political, legal and economic reforms were already
part of the country's comprehensive development agenda.
"We must be fair and admit that we have made many reforms over
the past 30 years. In the political field, openness and
recognition of human rights have been vastly improved," said
Susilo, who will hold an Armed Forces sociopolitical affairs post
after the General Session.
"Just to cite an example, compare the content of news,
editorials and reader letters in our media from the 1960s, 1970s,
1980s, 1990s and now."
Susilo said political development had generated increasing
mass participation in the country's decision-making process.
"For a nation which is less than a century old, the
improvement gives an image and reality that brings us hope,
doesn't it?" he said, adding that the government was on the right
track with political development.
The United Development Party (PPP) faction agreed with the
concept of gradual political reform, but urged fellow factions in
the Assembly to make sure their promises of democratization
become a reality.
PPP spokesman Tosari Wijaya told the same plenary session that
the Assembly had initiated a significant move toward a more
democratic way of life with its adoption of his faction's
proposed electoral rule changes to the 1998/2003 State Policy
Guidelines.
"The next political reform should deal with a review of the
five politically related laws," said Tosari, who is also PPP
secretary-general.
Tosari was referring to the 1985 laws on elections, political
organizations and Golkar, assembly, the House of Representatives
and local legislative bodies, local governments and village
administration.
The PPP and fellow minority party the Indonesian Democratic
Party (PDI) have repeatedly called for the revocation of the five
laws which they claim have restricted mass participation in
politics. (amd)