Assessing current government

Assessing current government

From Jurnal Indonesia

The Foundation of the Indonesian Legal Aid Institute (YLBHI) has been observing the current situation in Indonesia and has discovered two big tendencies. The first tendency is shown by the symptoms of weakening legitimate civil government, and second, the fading spirit of reform.

This is shown by problems like a failure in determining new a economic policy and strategy; instability and an increasingly complex issue of national disintegration as a result of a weak and sluggish consolidation process of the Indonesian Military and the police; a lethargic and lack of priority in enforcing traditional justice capable of enabling authoritarian political instruments to survive and the political immunity of humanity criminals; weak and incompetent transitional governance; political banditry; growing symptoms of social anarchy; permanent conflicts and competition among institutions as well as individuals in national politicizing.

Whereas, on the other hand, the Indonesian political public also shows a number of tendencies: a process of reversing the history of people's suffering has taken place automatically; restrengthening the clutch of territorial politics and the New Order militaristic pattern of security; the maintenance and development of political banditry through the preparation of armed civilian troops; the existence of the process of wholly coopting against people's political aspiration.

As a result of a meeting between the two tendencies, it is clear that we are facing the fact that the legitimation of the democratic political strength is facing the heaviest challenge. This challenge is strengthened by a combination of weaknesses in consolidating democratic government so that an opportunity for authoritarian politics is available in order to conduct consolidation, reversing the image from criminal to reformist, building the opinion as already changed, continuing and deepening conflicts and crises to undermine reformation.

With a view to political feedback of the New Order, YLBHI is of the following opinion: 1. To maintain democracy, the best way to evaluate the current performance of the government is by observing the ability or failure of the government of Abdurrahman Wahid in conducting the transformation of Indonesian society to do away with the New Order style. 2. The reform exponents should go back to our basis and basic values in struggling for reform pioneered by the students since 1997 by postponing all kinds of political interests and adventures. 3. Abdurrahman's government should be serious in conducting political evacuation from the New Order to a new society through seriousness in governing and strengthening democratic institutions, enforcing the law firmly and without compromise, to punish and take action on destructive factors toward national integrity, avoiding patriarchal, paternalistic political style which will only become a new weapon for the New Order.

The government ought to realize that failure at this time will only mean the fading of all lights of hope for the future of democracy, and rebuilding it will cost us more time and energy.

BAMBANG WIDJOJANTO

Board of YLBHI Committee Foundation

Jakarta