Criticism from retired officials needed, Edi says
Criticism from retired officials needed, Edi says
JAKARTA (JP): Minister of Defense and Security Edi Sudradjat
said yesterday that Indonesia needed constructive criticism from
its retired government officials to fertilize democracy.
"Criticism by retired government officials should be
considered as their input in the country's democratization
process. They should share their ideas on state affairs," Edi
told reporters.
Retired officials are also concerned with state issues, he
said after a hearing of the House of Representative's Commission
I on foreign affairs and defense.
Edi was commenting on President Soeharto's concern at some
retired officials who were criticizing the government.
Soeharto said they often voiced ideas that opposed the spirit
of the state ideology, Pancasila, and the 1945 Constitution.
Soeharto's displeasure at criticism from his former aides was
conveyed to the public by Tantyo Sudharmono of MKGR, an
organization affiliated with the ruling Golkar party.
The President, who has been in power for almost 30 years, has
not named any names.
Soeharto said he was not bothered by outspoken former
officials because there were so few of them: "They will
eventually be overpowered by others who respect the spirit of
Pancasila and the 1945 Constitution."
Edi, however, suggested that criticism should be aired
politely, according to Indonesian cultural values.
"As long as criticism is presented politely , it will be
heeded and hopefully accepted," he said.
Also applauding constructive criticism from retired government
officials was political observer Arbi Sanit of the University of
Indonesia. He is also a member of the independent electoral
supervisory committee (KIPP).
"I believe they all have good intentions with their criticism.
They want to share their ideas to improve the nation," he told
The Jakarta Post in an interview.
He said it was impossible for people to freely express ideas
about the state while holding positions in the bureaucracy.
Arby said that in the early years of independence, people were
free to express ideas which were different from those of the
government.
He argued that retired officials should be free to criticize
government policies because their ideas would not undermine
political stability.
"Past experience has shown us that criticism of the government
has never rocked the boat," he said.
He said that recent criticism from members of the Petisi 50
group of government critics and the National Brotherhood
Foundation (YKPK), groups of retired senior government and
military officials, did not disrupt stability.
"Criticism from Petisi 50 members and the YKPK foundation was
less harsh than that from some young human rights and social
activists," he said.
"The retired officials' criticism is still within tolerable
limits and in line with local cultural values," he said. (imn)