Communism is dead, corruption a bigger threat: Observer

Communism is dead, corruption a bigger threat: Observer

Tiarma Siboro and A'an Suryana, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Rights activists called on politicians on Monday to have an open
mind on Communism, saying the ideology was no longer a threat to
the country for the time being.

Noted rights activist Todung Mulya Lubis said countries that
embraced Communism as their ideology had collapsed, and that
"Indonesian politicians are overreacting in viewing the
ideology".

"Politicians are overreacting because Communism is no longer
posing a threat to both the country and the world because the
ideology itself had collapsed," Todung said.

Sharing Todung's view was Solahuddin Wahid, a deputy chairman
of the National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM).

"The government cannot prohibit people from expressing their
thoughts on communist teachings, despite stern regulations
banning them from following it," Solahuddin said.

He stressed that instead of Communism, the country was facing
threats of possible collapse due to rampant corruption practices
and the government's failure to promote policies favorable to the
people.

Todung and Solahuddin were commenting on the decision of the
Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) to
withdraw its proposal to repeal a 1966 decree banning the
Indonesian Communist Party (PKI) and the dissemination of
Communism, Marxism and Leninism in the country.

The decision, which dashed any hope for eliminating the
discrimination of suspected PKI members and their families, was
made public on Sunday during the preliminary hearing of People's
Consultative Assembly Commission B in charge of identifying
decrees to be repealed during the current Annual Session.

Todung blamed PDI Perjuangan for its failure to use the
ongoing session to erase the so-called "communal sins" leveled
against suspected PKI members and their families following the
shadowy attempted "coup" in 1965.

"I'm curious whether the proposal has been made merely as a
means of political horse-trading with certain parties, including
the military, instead of expressing genuine concern over the fate
of suspected PKI members and their families.

"We know that certain parties in the country are reluctant to
be honest in disclosing the history behind the 1965 coup blamed
on the PKI," said Todung, referring to questions as to who
benefited from the 1965 incident that led to the transfer of
power from then president Soekarno to Soeharto, who at the time
was a three-star Army general.

Soekarno is the father of Megawati Soekarnoputri, the
incumbent President and chairperson of PDI Perjuangan, the
largest faction in the MPR.

Permadi, a legislator from the PDI Perjuangan faction, said
Monday that his party had suggested the revocation of the
Communism decree.

The revocation of the decree would get rid off discrimination
against suspected PKI members and their family members and allow
former PKI members and their families to cast their votes in the
2004 general election, when the country will hold its first ever
direct presidential elections.

"They (families of suspected PKI members) must not be barred
from seeking jobs in government offices. The sins of PKI members
must not be inherited by their descendants.

"We also have to grant them political rights in general
elections," said Permadi, referring to the newly enacted election
law, which, among other things, stipulates that legislative
candidates should not be implicated in the 1965 coup.