Criticize govt, not president, says Soemitro
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)