ABRI won't tolerate voting, walkouts

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)