ABRI won't tolerate voting, walkouts
BANDUNG (JP): The Armed Forces forewarned yesterday those seeking to disrupt March's People's General Assembly (MPR) by "excessive" interruptions, walking out of meetings, or taking votes.
Armed Forces (ABRI) Commander Gen. Feisal Tanjung said here yesterday that interruptions, walkouts or making decisions by voting are not in accordance with the spirit of musyawarah mufakat (reaching consensus through deliberation).
"For ABRI, the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) meeting (can be used to) gauge the loyalty and integrity of the political elite (and whether) they are putting the interest of the nation above that of individuals or groups," Feisal said in a written statement at the opening of a course at the ABRI staff and command school.
The statement was signed by Armed Forces Chief of Social and Political Affairs Lt. Gen. M. Yunus Yosfiah on behalf of Feisal, but was delivered by the school's commander Lt. Gen. Arie J. Kumaat.
Also present at yesterday's ceremony was chief of the Siliwangi Regional Military Command Maj. Gen. Djamari Chaniago.
The Armed Forces has 75 legislators at the House of Representatives (MPR) and 38 at the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR). But with its traditional allies, the dominant Golkar and the regional representatives factions, the military faction was formidable.
"In the end, the MPR assembly will show that Indonesia has commitment in its mission and concept on how the nation will enter the 21st century," Feisal said. "Because of this strategic significance, the assembly has to succeed both politically and in regards of security."
The assembly is considered politically successful if all agenda goes as planned. It is also successful if the country remains secure and provides the best climate for the MPR to do its job, he said.
"(It's successful) if there are no riots or even small disturbances in Jakarta, much less around Senayan (the House of Representatives/People's Consultative Assembly building)," he said.
Disturbances will cause political and psychological stress on the Assembly members, he said.
Arie J. Kumaat said that interruptions, walkouts or votes are not in line with Indonesian culture which places greater importance on seeking consensus.
"If we could still reach consensus, why do we take (alternative measures)? Much less those (alternative measures) which are done excessively," he said.
He defined "excessive" as "making (the alternatives) the main measures and rejecting the musyawarah mufakat which is actually what identifies Indonesian people."
Although voting is legally acceptable, in Indonesian politics, it is frowned upon and all-out efforts are often made to prevent it. In the making of many important decisions, including the election of senior officials such as the president and vice president, people are discouraged from taking votes.
One of the most notable interruptions during an MPR assembly was the one conducted by Ibrahim Saleh, a member of the ABRI faction, in March 1988.
Shortly after the reelection of President Soeharto, Ibrahim interrupted the session by taking the podium and voicing his opinion about the vice presidential race. Fellow ABRI legislators ordered him to get down, and eventually forcefully ushered him back to his seat before he could finish his remark.
The incident became a subject of debate long afterward, and Ibrahim Saleh was disciplined.
In another part of his explanation, Feisal said the MPR session is also a reflection of the nation's political maturity.
"It would be difficult for us to say that, as a nation, we are politically mature, if (the session) is marred with chaos like what happened during the congress of social and political organizations," he said. (43)