Changes in the Assembly

Changes in the Assembly

A month after his installation as President, B.J. Habibie
continues to display agility in his actions. No sooner has the
House of Representatives asked the People's Consultative Assembly
(MPR) to convene for a special session than he started flushing
the assembly of members who are considered to be involved in
collusive or nepotistic practices, whether through ties of
kinship or friendship.

By Presidential Decree No. 172/M, dated June 29, 1998,
President Habibie discharged 41 assembly members representing
functional groups and replaced them with 41 others. What was
difficult for Habibie to evade was the fact that the majority of
those new members are either close to him personally or are close
in interests. Names need not be mentioned, but at least 15 of
those 41 are ICMI (Association of Indonesian Moslem
Intellectuals) people, an organization which Habibie created and
has controlled for eight years. Others are not related to ICMI
but are close to him.

From the mathematical and political point of view, Habibie's
move is perfect. The Golkar faction to which those new members
belong is the biggest in the legislature. By adding the fresh
blood of representatives who are close to him, Habibie can be
sure he will sail smoothly through the upcoming MPR special
session in case vote counting should be necessary.

From the democratic perspective, however, Habibie's act of
infusing the Golkar faction in the assembly with fresh blood is a
negation of the prevailing spirit of reform. The demands of
total reform are being countered with a move of formal reform.
The fight to end individual collusion and nepotism is countered
with an act of group collusion and nepotism. The People's
Consultative Assembly which has been accused of being filled with
Soeharto cronies is now dominated by cronies of Habibie. Nothing,
therefore, has changed. If all this is true, being unable to
progress is a fate this nation will have to accept.

-- Media Indonesia, Jakarta