Criticize govt, not president, says Soemitro

JAKARTA (JP): Though fully supporting the people's right to criticize the government, Gen. (ret.) Soemitro yesterday stressed that such criticism should not be of a personal nature which would undermine the president's charisma.

Speaking to journalists, the former head of the powerful Internal Security Agency (Kopkamtib) described the president as a national asset and as such, said his charisma functioned as a national unifier.

"If you talk about preserving national unity, at present the symbol is still Pak Harto. That's a fact!" Soemitro said of President Soeharto.

Therefore, he beseeched that people not jeopardize the charisma of the presidential seat.

"Do not gnaw at his charisma," Soemitro said.

Within the past year, several people have been brought to trial under allegations of defaming the president.

Last year 21 university students were sentenced to jail for besmirching the president's name.

Academic George Aditjondro and politician Sri Bintang Pamungkas are currently undergoing police investigations for libel against the President. Abdurrahman Wahid, the chairman of the rural mass-based Islamic organization Nahdlatul Ulama, has also been on the bad side of Soeharto, apparently for remarks he made to a visiting foreign journalist about the President.

Though Soemitro was not alluding to any of the above cases, he did express condemnation towards an anti-Indonesian demonstration in Dresden, Germany, in April, in which some Indonesians were reported to have taken part.

"I do not approve of it," he said of the demonstration in Dresden during a visit there by President Soeharto in April.

Bintang, who was in Germany at the time, is under investigation for his alleged involvement in the affair. He has since been removed from the House of Representatives at the instigation of his party leaders. Bintang was a representative of the United Development Party.

Criticism

Soemitro said he is not suggesting that people refrain from criticizing policies or government actions which they construe as going against their interests.

"Criticism is all right, go ahead. But, if possible, avoid mentioning names," he said, adding that it should be directed at the government instead.

He described the government as "one political entity" and thus criticisms should be directed at the government in general and not the president.

Soemitro expressed fear at the consequences of debilitating the presidential figure and causing national stability.

"Don't let there be a vacuum in power and charisma, it will cause national and social disintegration.," he said pointing out examples in the break-away Soviet republics and the war-torn former Yugoslav republic.

He argued that the political parties who support the President should be more sensitive to the concerns of the people.

Speaking on the future of political parties, Soemitro reiterated the need for political parties to be given more independence.

He mused that in the future, regional authorities should not interfere in the internal affairs of political parties.

Political parties are national institutions and thus should only be dealt with on a national scale by central authorities, he said.

Soemitro argued that intervention of local authorities reflected federalistic tendencies, "while Indonesia opposes federalism." (mds)