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)