Army officer warns Golkar of internal rifts
Army officer warns Golkar of internal rifts
JAKARTA (JP): A senior Armed Forces officer warned Golkar yesterday against complacency, saying that the ruling political group could develop the internal conflicts found in the two minority political groups.
Lt. Gen. Moch. Ma'ruf, the Armed Forces' (ABRI) chief of sociopolitical affairs, noted that internal conflicts are overshadowing inter-party rivalry.
"Internal conflicts are not the monopoly of the two (minority) political parties. Golkar also has the potential for conflicts," Ma'ruf said in a speech read by Maj. Gen. Arie J. Kumaat, deputy to ABRI's chief of general affairs, during a seminar.
The seminar, which reviewed Indonesia's human resources and their relation to nation building, was organized by Wira Karya, an organization affiliated to Golkar.
Golkar's two rivals, the United Development Party and the Indonesian Democratic Party are beset by endless internal bickering that undermines their strength and any chance they had in the 1997 general elections.
Golkar, under the chairmanship of Harmoko, has been consolidating power and says it is well prepared for the polls.
Ma'ruf said no one, not even Golkar, benefits from the political groups' internal conflicts.
"Golkar's own strength and dynamism might be weakened because it does not have any serious sparring partner," he said. The presence of a serious challenger, on the other hand, would sharpen Golkar's alertness and competitiveness, he added.
Complacent
"Golkar might become complacent, and this in turn could lead to internal intrigue," he said.
About 300 people took part in the one-day seminar held in conjunction with Wira Karya's 32nd anniversary. Other speakers include Suhardiman, deputy chairman of the Supreme Advisory Council and chairman of the Central Organization of Indonesian Socialist Workers; Amir Santoso, a political scholar at the University of Indonesia; columnist La Rose; and chairman of the Indonesian Youth National Committee, Tubagus Haryono.
Ma'ruf also called on Golkar to continue its moral commitment to fight for the interest of the people.
"Moral commitment to the people is absolutely necessary for Golkar to avert conflicts of interest among its leaders and members," he said.
Golkar must keep its commitment for the development of an advanced, independent and democratic Indonesia, based on the state ideology Pancasila and the 1945 Constitution, he continued.
By remembering its moral commitment, Golkar will avoid drawing unfavorable comments. It is often criticized for lacking dynamism and always being defensive.
Golkar has won all five general elections held since 1971. It won them all by at least two-thirds of the total vote.
The faction was established on Oct. 20, 1964, and was originally composed of various professional organizations mobilized by the Army to counter the growing strength of the Indonesian Communist Party.
After communism was outlawed and President Soeharto took power in 1966, it grew to become the largest political group in the country. (imn)
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