Aid for flood victims 'highly politicized'

Kurniawan Hari, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The next general election in 2004 is still a long way off, but political parties have been seen politicizing the severe floods in the capital city as clearly displayed during the handover of humanitarian aid by party' leaders to flood victims.

Their actions are designed to enable them to succeed in the general election, political analysts have said.

"That is not only a premature campaign, but also a political conspiracy for the interests of the party," said J. Kristiadi of the Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) here on Sunday.

He said that the practice exemplified the failure of the political parties in performing their main task of voicing the people's aspirations and of maintaining the growth of democracy in the country.

Fellow analyst Chusnul Mar'iyah from the University of Indonesia (UI) noticed that a lack of experience of democracy had led politicians to use whatever means they can for political gain.

"Rather than just trying to survive in the 2004 general election, I think they should find more ethical means to achieve that goal," Chusnul told The Jakarta Post.

Instead of offering the humanitarian aid personally, Chusnul suggested that the government, which constituted a coalition of several political parties, should establish a collective command post, involving representatives of all ruling parties to help flood victims.

The two analysts made the remarks following visits by several political leaders to areas severely hit by floods to give local residents humanitarian aid. Their social welfare activities were mostly performed under the banner of their own political parties.

Several political leaders distributed aid on Thursday after the fourth day of flooding.

People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) speaker Amien Rais, who is also chairman of the National Mandate Party (PAN), wore a T- shirt and cap with the logo of his party.

At that occasion, Amien strongly criticized President Megawati Soekarnoputri, who is chairwoman of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan), for her slowness in addressing the flood problems. The criticism was quickly countered by chairman of PDI Perjuangan faction Roy B. Janis, saying that his party had taken the lead in providing donations.

Former secretary-general of the National Awakening Party (PKB) Muhaimin Iskandar, who is House deputy speaker, also joined in the polemic, saying that the PDI Perjuangan donations were merely an apology for its lack of a sense of crisis.

In a more regretful incident, a source said that a Golkar leader had claimed a donation was given by his party despite the fact that the donations were collected by legislators from various parties.

Kristiadi emphasized it would be inappropriate for any state official to give aid under the banner of their own political party.

"From the time political leaders are sworn in to take a position within the state administration, they must not act under the banner of their political party," he said.

Kristiadi added the nation needed to develop norms and ethics to determine which actions could and could not be carried out by political leaders.

"The political leaders should remember that they don't give donations to their constituents, but to the people as a whole. Therefore, they must not display attributes (logos) of their political party," he said.

According to Kristiadi, the phenomenon reveals that the nation's political stage is marked by political struggle among its leaders. The political elite do not fight for the people's interests, but use the name of the people to achieve political goals. "This is extremely regretful," he said.

Chusnul hoped that political leaders would not try to seek political gains in return for donations. She feared the people may be terrorized by political parties to give support to a certain party in the election.

She suggested that political groups in the government should join hands in coordination with the President to set up a crisis center for the people who have suffered during the floods. "It would be an easy thing for the government," she added.