Activists call for an act of civil disobedience

JAKARTA (JP): Political activists are calling for an act of civil disobedience by rejecting all regulations, policies and taxes imposed by the government and the House of Representatives.

In a statement signed by political activist Bara Hasibuan, economist Faisal Basri and anticorruption activists Teten Masduki, Erry Riyana Hardjapamekas and Irma Hutabarat, they charged that political leaders had forgotten the people's interests and were focused on their personal struggle for power.

"Political leaders, both in the legislative and executive bodies, ignore the problems we face and concentrate more on a tussle for power at the cost of the people," Bara Hasibuan, who read the statement, said.

"If the coming People's Consultative Assembly special session only becomes a venue for distributing power (among themselves), we then call on the people to boycott the political elite and reject policies made by them," he said.

Bara, a former member of the National Mandate Party (PAN), underlined that the special session should be a new chapter for the country in dealing with its current hardships, and not simply an arena to topple the President.

Faisal Basri, another former PAN member who left the party out of discontent, said acts of civil disobedience could take the form of refusing to pay taxes or by simply ignoring the antics of political leaders.

"For example, the media does not have to cover their actions for a whole week during the special session, or all state-owned companies could stop delivering money to legislators. It is time for us to fight them," Faisal remarked.

He contended that political leaders should stop burdening the country to fulfill their own ambitions, and start discussing issues that are more important to the people.

"The main agenda in the future should not be the distribution of power but the distribution of burdens, which are currently on the shoulders of the people .... We have to show them our defiance," he said.

"I am ready to go to jail for this ... I am sure that 60 percent of the legislators have received illicit money from state-owned companies," Faisal remarked.

Teten Masduki had a more mirthful suggestion: declare a national holiday during the special session.

"Let the people enjoy themselves while the legislators are busy with themselves during the special session. The House does not represent the people as it is not fighting for the people's interests," he remarked.

Teten, who is a member of National Ombudsman Commission, stressed that people were concerned by the large increases in electricity rates and fuel prices, but the legislators simply ignored these concerns.

He said the special session would be useless if all it did was produce a new government that would once again ignore the people's interests.

Erry Riyana Hardjapamekas suggested the special session forge a national consensus to deal with the economic hardship of the people and the crimes of former regimes, so the country could move ahead with the reform movement.(dja)