Arief criticizes 'political patronage' system
Arief criticizes 'political patronage' system
SEMARANG (JP): Academic Arief Budiman questions the
inappropriateness of Indonesia's political system which appoints
the Ministry of Home Affairs as patron of all political
organizations.
"It sounds absurd. (Minister) Yogie is a Golkar (the ruling
party) man, how can he be the political patron of other parties,
the PDI and PPP?" Arief queried in a long distance phone
interview from Australia yesterday.
He said that the political patronage is among the many
political anomalies in Indonesia which needs to be reviewed,
arguing that such practices will cause the creation of a
political hegemony by a certain political power.
Arief was dismissed from the Satya Wacana Christian University
in Salatiga, Central Java, in December last year. The outspoken
academic is now completing research at the Monash University in
Melbourne.
Arief's comments came in the wake of Minister of Home Affairs
Moch. Yogie S. Memed's remarks that United Development Party
(PPP) chief, Ismail Hasan Metareum, was "sick" when he stated
that the other two parties had been sidelined under the current
Golkar dominated political system.
Arief argued that perpetuating a system whereby the Minister
of Home Affairs is patron of domestic political development
hinders the country's political maturation.
He contends that such a system would succeed only if the
political patron possessed qualities and skills which displayed a
mature vision and mission.
"However, what happens is that cabinet ministers are picked
mainly based on their loyalty," Arief remarked adding that "this
is a very dangerous situation."
Separately, political scientist Riswandha Imawan lamented the
minister of home affairs' remarks about the PPP leader.
"The minister of home affairs' statement was very improper
because the word 'sick' in that context implies not of ill-health
but a sick mind," said the lecturer at Yogyakarta's Gadjah Mada
University.
Riswandha also felt that PPP members were within their right
to demand an apology from the minister of home affairs.
Representatives from PPP have demanded an apology from Yogie
for his remark, which they considered "insulting." Letters
demanding Yogie apologize have also reportedly been sent to the
minister's office and to President Soeharto.
Ismail Hasan is scheduled to meet with Yogie at the Home
Ministry this morning but it is unclear whether the meeting has
to do with the ongoing controversy.
Riswandha said he could not understand how the minister could
have made such a remark which can be considered a serious affront
towards Ismail Hasan.
He added that by denying Ismail Hasan's statement that the
minority factions, PPP and the Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI),
are being sidelined only lends credence that they are.
"In reality these parties have so far been sidelined. It would
have been more appropriate for the minister to accept Buya
Ismail's comments as a recommendation," he said.(har/mds)