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)