Conflict among political elites

Conflict among political elites

From Pikiran Rakyat

In developing countries like Indonesia conflicts among
political elites are common place. Each group is striving for its
own interests, even though they are in the same government.

To achieve its goals, a political group always makes efforts
and employs any method so that at one time it does not hesitate
to make innocent people its victims.

During the New Order era hidden rifts among the political
elites existed, but they were rarely covered in the media,
because of the wisdom of the authoritarian government which ruled
the country then. Regard for human rights and democracy were at
that time at their lowest level.

Only after the fall of the New Order, and the rise of the
reform order, did the power of the political elites emerge. Each
and everyone of them declared the same slogan: upholding justice
and paving the path for democratization. It was here the
political elites engaged themselves in the race for gaining the
people's support, by presenting their high-sounding concepts and
aspirations.

I would like to call on those political elites to realize
their shortcomings in implementing their programs and do away
with any destructive emotions for the interest and integrity of
the society. Honesty and good intentions on the part of the
political elites are desperately needed if justice and
democratization are to be manifested.

AAN SUPRIATNA

Bandung, West Java