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