Don't abandon history

Don't abandon history

The situation nowadays is quite different from that in 1956.
President Abdurrahman Wahid and Vice President Megawati
Soekarnoputri agree on how to run a government. Both accept and
carry out the broad guidelines of state policy and implement
decisions made by the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR). Hence
no essential differences exist between the two.

Although there is an impression now that President Wahid and
Vice President Megawati differ on the censures that the House of
Representatives has passed, this difference is not related to the
concept of running a government but to the functions assumed by
President Abdurrahman and Vice President Megawati.

As Vice President, Megawati should always uphold the
Constitution and as assistant to the President she should perform
her duty to the best of her ability. However, as the chairperson
of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan)
she must perform her constitutional duty by allowing PDI
Perjuangan as a major party in the House to exercise control over
the government. This assignment has been consistently carried out
in conformity with the Constitution, which is proven with the
issuance of the House censures.

It is clear from the above explanation that Rachmawati (one of
Megawati's younger sisters) has made a gross mistake when
suggesting that Megawati follow in the footsteps of a former vice
president, the late Bung Hatta. This suggestion shows that
Rachmawati does not understand history. In this context, she must
always remember the last message from Bung Karno in his 1966
state address titled "Never Ever Abandon History".

SUBAGIO ANAM

Jakarta