Avoid a military coup d'etat

Let's shift our attention to the representatives at the House of Representatives (DPR) and at the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR). Their behavior is becoming a problem; look at their civilian and military background. During the New Order regime the military was considered superior, but in this reform era things have turned upside down; people speak of civilian hegemony, civilian supremacy and the creation of a civilian society. The military seems to have become marginalized, and not surprisingly has become a target of endless criticism.

One day a number of New Order functionaries, all generals, were called by civilian politicians for a special committee meeting at the DPR in Senayan. The subject was Aceh. The result of the meeting lacked substance. DPR members furiously asked questions, which lacked focus, and did not succeed in eliciting explanations from the generals considered responsible for the military operation (DOM) policy in Aceh. The only thing that was clear was the generals' denial and their questionable rhetoric.

It is reasonable to predict that civilian politicians are not capable of responding to the wishes of the people they represent -- that they take a firm stance toward the military. It is this firmness which people hope can contribute to solve problems in a democratic manner.

Unfortunately, the politicians were only looking for sensationalism or popularity. We fear this could lead to a conflict of interest with politicians busy looking for sensationalist concerns. If this situation persists the people will feel frustrated, and they may even reconsider the military as a force that is more solid and disciplined.

Such a counterproductive conflict began to emerge when MPR Speaker Amien Rais had to respond to protests from members of the Assembly's working group because they thought he commented too much on a federal state and the settlement of the Aceh case. On the other hand, other civilian politicians thought it was befitting of Amien to air the issue.

A counterproductive situation could become a reality if DPR and MPR members attack each other and are not in harmony. Then don't blame the military if they recapture the national political stage, because the civilian politicians evidently could not concentrate on sticking with substance in upholding democracy.

The presidential decree of July 5, 1959, (stating a return to the 1945 Constitution and the rise of strong executive power) could recur under other conditions. Let's just hope the military does not stage a coup d'etat.

TEUKU FADLUN SYEH AN

Bekasi, West Java