Bambang's time was up, chairman Harmoko says

Bambang's time was up, chairman Harmoko says

JAKARTA (JP): Golkar chairman Harmoko has defended his decision to withdraw a member of the ruling political group from the House of Representatives saying the member in question had failed to adhere to the group's political line and that his time had been up anyway.

Golkar announced on Tuesday that it was withdrawing Bambang Warih Koesoemo from the House of Representatives for repeatedly deviating from the group's official line. Bambang is known for his outspokenness on various issues, a rare quality among Indonesian legislators.

"The decision was taken in order to uphold discipline in Golkar," he told reporters last night. "Any other organization would have done the same thing."

The step of withdrawing a member from the House, known locally as "recalling", has been taken only rarely, and Harmoko's decision has prompted speculation that others might also be recalled.

Harmoko refused yesterday to call the move a "recall".

"It's called mid-term replacement, and it's routine," he said, apparently trying to play down the incident.

"He's not being withdrawn because of his outspokenness, but because Golkar has observed that he failed to observe discipline."

Harmoko was confident that the move would improve the dominant group's public image because, he said, it showed firmness.

Bambang, who was mobbed by reporters outside the House of Representatives, said yesterday he had not been formally notified about his withdrawal. He had read about it in the press, he said.

He said he regretted the decision and was worried about the repercussions it might have on Golkar and the House.

"It will take the public a long time to regain its trust in the legislative body," he said.

"This has all been engineered to further the interests of certain groups," he said. "But, let it go... It's a risk that comes with this job."

"They said one of their reasons for firing me was that I had never visited my constituency (in East Java)...That is not true, they should have checked first with the local regents."

Bambang said the news of his dismissal had come as a shock because he had been serving in Golkar for a long time.

"Let the public decide, they are the paramount judges."

"I've been serving in Golkar for about 27 years, longer than most of the functionaries in the Golkar executive board," he said. "I thought I was doing my job well."

Condemnation

PPP legislator Sri Bintang Pamungkas and political scientist Dr. Maswadi Rauf from the University of Indonesia both condemned Bambang's dismissal.

"This shows that our political system is still chaotic," Bintang said. "This dismissal shows that the executive branch of government is more powerful than the legislative branch."

Bintang said the dismissal of Bambang was in contradiction to the theory that the House should not be placed in an inferior position because it is an extension of the People's Consultative Assembly, which holds supreme authority. "Bambang's dismissal makes a mockery of the House, and of democracy."

Last year Bambang disclosed the huge debts of the giant textile group Kanindo, owned by Robby Tjahjadi. Robby turned out to be a major donor to Golkar.

"(Firing Bambang) is a grave mistake on Golkar's part, because the public can't help but associate it with the Kanindo case," Maswadi Rauf said. "Like any other House member, he was doing his job when he exposed that scandal."

He said Golkar should provide a detailed explanation of its action. "If Golkar remains vague about the dismissal, people will try to second guess it and will draw their own conclusions," he said. "They might draw negative conclusions...so it is important that Golkar leaders explain the situation as soon as possible."

Rumors had been circulating among House members since last year that Golkar might "recall" at least ten of its outspoken members. Tadjoeddin Noer Said, from the commission overseeing state-budgets, was said to be on the list.

Yesterday Tadjoeddin expressed support for the Golkar executive board's action, saying that "recalling is a political mechanism needed to assure voters that the political party of their choice is doing its job well."

"The withdrawal of a member from the House will convince the public that its aspirations are being furthered by the party," he said. "Without this mechanism, the public would not believe in the party, and would stop voting for it."

"Golkar should assert its policies clearly...all members who fail to follow the party's line should be recalled from the House," he said.

As for the meaning of "following of the organization's political line", he quoted Harmoko, as saying that Golkar members "should be able to hear the beats of the people's pulse". (swe)