Do MPR members really represent the people?
Do MPR members really represent the people?
JAKARTA (JP): Despite the presence of many new faces, the big
question mark looming large over the Special Session of the
People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) is whether it will really
voice the people's aspirations.
Opposition politicians, students and many members of the
public believe that the Assembly -- crammed with people who
gained their political clout in the New Order regime -- will only
serve the interests of Soeharto's successor, B.J. Habibie.
The House of Representatives (DPR)/MPR Speaker Harmoko, who
has installed about 250 new MPR members since July, denied that
the MPR leadership was trying to pack the Assembly with
politicians sympathetic to Habibie's reelection for the 1999 to
2004 term.
"How can (the MPR leadership) engineer it (the presidential
election) since I no longer have a position in the Golkar central
board?" said the former chairman of Golkar, the ruling political
grouping.
He said the installation of new members was not a political
ploy because the bodies' three political groups -- the United
Development Party, Golkar and the Indonesian Democratic Party --
had the authority to withdraw and replace any of their members.
Speculation of political engineering grew after a former
Golkar leader, Sarwono Kusumaatmadja, alleged recently the Golkar
replacements were installed to ensure Habibie would retain power.
Sarwono was among a number of former ministers and members of
the current Cabinet withdrawn from the Assembly.
The others included former manpower minister Abdul Latief,
former minister of food Ibrahim Hasan, former minister of social
services Inten Suweno, former minister for women's roles Mien
Sugandhi, former minister of education and culture Wardiman
Djojonegoro, former minister of health Sujudi, former minister of
agrarian affairs Soni Harsono, former minister of transmigration
Siswono Yudhohusodo, former minister of transportation Haryanto
Dhanutirto and former minister of public works Radinal Moochtar.
Minister of Trade and Industry Rahardi Ramelan and State
Minister of the Empowerment of State Enterprises Tanri Abeng were
also included in the 37 Golkar representatives withdrawn from the
Assembly.
Among the Golkar replacements were Coordinating Minister for
Political and Security Affairs Feisal Tanjung, former minister of
manpower Cosmas Batubara and such Habibie aides as journalist
Parni Hadi, Lt. Gen. (ret.) Sintong Panjaitan and international
relations expert Dewi Fortuna Anwar, now a spokeswoman for the
president.
Incoming members also include leading human rights campaigner
Marzuki Darusman, who on Monday surprised many when he made a
public apology for Golkar's past mistakes.
Marzuki, who is also deputy chairman of the National
Commission on Human Rights, has just been appointed leader of the
Golkar faction in the Assembly.
Golkar chairman Akbar Tandjung, also the minister/state
secretary, quickly refuted Marzuki's statement as "personal".
Speculation has also grown that the new Assembly members from
the Golkar faction were recruited from party cadres loyal to
current Golkar chairman Akbar.
Harmoko installed 25 new members of the Assembly on Saturday.
Among the outgoing members were former defense minister Edi
Sudrajat, former minister of administrative reform T.B. Silalahi
and former Army's Special Force chief Lt. Gen. (ret) Prabowo
Subianto, Antara reported.
Lawrence T.P. Siburian, Nathaneil Antonius Maidepa and Lt.
Gen. Johny Lumintang, Commander of the Armed Forces Staff and
Command School, are replacing Edi, Silalahi and Prabowo
respectively.
Much to the amazement of many, a most sensible proposal was
issued from one of the most unlikely and unexpected quarters.
Din Sjamsuddin, deputy leader of the Golkar faction in the
Assembly, said last Monday that his faction was proposing that
Habibie appoint three of the government's most outspoken critics
-- Amien Rais, Megawati Soekarnoputri and Abdurrahman Wahid (Gus
Dur) -- as members of the MPR before the Assembly convenes.
The three rejected the offer, saying that it was only a
"political cosmetic" to improve the poor image of the legislative
bodies. (byg)