Akbar's stinging attack on government deplored

Akbar's stinging attack on government deplored

JAKARTA (JP): There was a chorus of disapproval on Wednesday
over Golkar Party chairman Akbar Tandjung's strong criticism of
the government, saying he forgot that Golkar itself was part of
the New Order regime which brought the country to ruin.

The head of the National Awakening Party (PKB) faction at the
People's Consultative Assembly, Yusuf Muhammad, expressed
disappointment with the political statement saying that Golkar
betrayed Sunday's agreement by the 11 Assembly factions to calm
political tensions.

"Akbar opened a new conflict. He and his friends in Golkar
should realize that he was part of the New Order regime that has
destroyed the country during 32 years in power," Yusuf, one of
President Abdurrahman Wahid's supporters, said.

He said Akbar's statement was arrogant and reflected the
party's desire to return to power without apologizing for their
past mistakes.

He called on all elements of the nation, loyal to the reform
agenda, to be wary of former members of the repressive New Order
regime under former president Soeharto.

During the opening of the party's leadership meeting on
Tuesday night Akbar, who is also House of Representatives
speaker, launched a lashing attack on the performance of
President Abdurrahman Wahid's government saying that its
inconsistent policies had dragged the nation further into the
multidimensional crisis.

The timing of the criticism also seems out of step with the
apparent mood of political reconciliation ahead of the general
session of August's Assembly.

Abdurrahman's close confidant Alwi Shihab also said the
criticism was baseless.

"These criticisms are merely a political commodity," Alwi, who
is foreign affairs minister, told reporters on Wednesday.

Coordinating Minister for Economy, Finance and Industry Kwik
Kian Gie said during the high toned criticism, Akbar failed to
give clear proposals and solutions to the government.

"If he (Akbar) cannot give a more specific picture, his
criticism is meaningless. The government can learn nothing from
him," Kwik, who is deputy chairman of the Indonesian Democratic
Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan), said.

Rationale

Noted Muslim scholar Nurcholish Madjid also questioned the
rationale for such a stinging attack saying that it would not
undermine the President and was not meant to topple the head of
state.

"They have calculated the losses and benefits of that
(toppling Abdurrahman) and found that it will only incur more
losses to them," he remarked.

Nurcholish called on Golkar Party to ceremonially dissolve
itself as a symbol of cutting its links with the previous New
Order regime.

He said Golkar Party should also answer the public's demand to
conduct internal reforms.

"From the beginning, I always said that Golkar has to be
discharged although it can then form a new party. It should
symbolically cut links with the past," he told reporters on
Wednesday.

He further said Golkar should get used to being a party with
no authority or even becoming an opposition party.

Meanwhile political scientist Arbi Sanit said Akbar's
statement against the government was part of efforts to erase
from history that Golkar was part of the New Order regime.

"All the difficulties we are suffering is a result of the New
Order regime which was fully supported by them (Golkar)," Arbi
from the University of Indonesia, was quoted by Antara as saying.

Separately, Rubiyanto Misman, rector of the Purwokerto-based
Jenderal Soedirman University, remarked that Akbar's criticism
was launched at an inappropriate time.

"I regret the criticism against the government. It was not the
right time due to the country's current condition," Rubiyanto
said.

He suggested Akbar first indict himself and his party which
needed a lot of improvement before blaming other parties,
especially the government.

When asked by journalists about the almost wide-scale
censuring of his political address, Akbar took a conciliatory
tone saying that criticism was necessary and valid in a
democratic system and that his comments should not be
misconstrued as trying to undermine Abdurrahman.

"We are being outspoken with the spirit of trying to find a
solution for the nation," Akbar, who served several ministerial
posts under former presidents Soeharto and B.J. Habibie, said on
the sidelines of the second day of the party's leadership meeting
on Wednesday.

He reiterated that impeachment of a president is difficult
since the president should be firmly considered to have violated
the State Constitution and the State Policy Guidelines.
(45/byg/dja/jun)