Expert predicts long political uncertainty
Expert predicts long political uncertainty
UJUNGPANDANG, South Sulawesi (JP): Political uncertainty will
continue ahead of the general session of the People's
Consultative Assembly in March, a constitutional law expert
predicted over the weekend.
Yusril Ihza Mahendra of University of Indonesia, Jakarta, said
the political tension, which has been sparked by speculation
surrounding President Soeharto's health, would grip the country
over the next three months because the existing political system
was incapable of accommodating various problems in society.
"The government's failure to set up a system (that
accommodates problems) has caused people to resort to
speculation," Yusril said.
The 1,000-strong Assembly will convene here from March 1 to
March 11, 1998, to endorse the State Policy Guidelines and elect
a president and vice president. About the only certainty in the
coming election was that President Soeharto would be renominated
and reelected to his seventh term. Other matters, including who
will be the next vice president, have been left to speculation.
President Soeharto's 10-day rest, upon the advice of his
medical team, triggered rumors recently that he was seriously
ill. It caused panic both on the bourse floor and currency
market, with the rupiah sinking to a record low of Rp 6,000
against the U.S. dollar.
Yusril said uncertainty had affected cabinet ministers, as
shown in how many of them gauged their success with whether they
managed to produce a law during their respective tenure.
"As a result, each minister fights it out to draw up a bill,
disregarding criticism and controversy that often mar all stages
of deliberation of a draft in the House of Representatives," said
Yusril.
He said due to poor preparations, the 1992 traffic bill and
the recent manpower bill were examples of the establishment of
regulations that only sparked controversy.
Another expert, Andi Muis, agreed with Yusril, saying that
political uncertainty was the fruit of a political culture which
does not tolerate transparency.
"Everybody speculates about what's actually going on. This
allows people to believe in rumors," said Muis, a mass
communications expert of the Hasanuddin University in
Ujungpandang.
He blamed the uncertainty on the government's habit of
choosing a political approach over legal measures when dealing
with legal matters.
According to Muis, the alleged misuse of Rp 7.1 billion
(US$1.4 million) of funds owned by a state workers' insurance
firm PT Jamsostek by Minister of Manpower Abdul Latief was among
the latest proof of the government's inconsistency.
Latief denied that the money was used to pay for incentives
for House legislators who deliberated the manpower bill. He later
said President Soeharto ordered the use of the Jamsostek funds.
Muis suggested that the government nurture transparency, lest
the prevailing uncertainty endanger national stability.
"Except for Mar'ie Muhammad (minister of finance), the current
cabinet ministers lack initiative. They tend to seek the
President's protection when facing difficulties," Muis said.
He also called on the press to be straightforward in its
reports, so that the public would know the truth.
In Jakarta, political scientist Muhammad A.S. Hikam said
speculation in connection with Soeharto's health reflected the
nation's inability to cope with such a crucial issue as
succession of national leadership
"People have been overreacting because they didn't know what
to do in response to the sudden crisis," said Hikam, who is from
the National Institute of Sciences.
He said the dominant political group Golkar should have the
courage to announce its candidate for vice president, or at least
a list of candidates, to help ease public anxiety.
Golkar chairman Harmoko has repeatedly said that it would only
unveil its vice presidential candidate during the Assembly's
general session in March.
Hikam said Golkar's decision has caused other political groups
to follow suit. (37/09/amd)