General elections in era of reform

General elections in era of reform

From Merdeka

Mr Sutan Ali Asli's article in Merdeka of June 27, 1998, titled Why worry about multiparties?, clearly expresses his ideas. Since 1963 I have regularly read articles in the mass media about the institutional development of the Indonesian Armed Forces and therefore I hope that my interpretation of part of the above-mentioned article agrees with what the writer really means.

The part in question is as follows: "...if there are 10 parties (including the Indonesian Armed Forces and social groups), and so forth". According to Article 27 of the 1945 Constitution, it is inherent with all state apparatuses (including the Armed Forces and civilian civil servants) the right to participate in a general election.

This article does not distinguish active and retired members of state apparatuses. Neither does it make any distinction between members of the Armed Forces and civilian civil servants. In short, the Constitution does not adhere to a principle of discrimination. The preamble of the Constitution even contains a constitutional instruction that state apparatuses as state organs/institutions are obliged to stand above all kinds of sectarianism and supersede individualism in carrying out their missions, for example protecting the entire people without exception.

This means that institutionally speaking, these apparatuses must take a neutral stance. As underlined by the Constitution, this neutral stance philosophically means nonrecognition of a dual function. As already proven, this dual function has paved the way for abuses in sociopolitical areas by the head of state/supreme commander of the Armed Forces/President on the basis of Article 10. Worst of all, the division of the body of Golkar (the functional group) into the so-called Armed Forces lane and bureaucracy lane has made state apparatuses adhere to sectarianism and individualism. In the case of the functional group, since March 11, 1996 individualism has signified a personal ambition.

If we consider the ideas contained in the preamble of the 1945 Constitution, there are at least four compulsory references for the drawing up of the decrees of pro-total-reform People's Consultative Assembly (MPR). First, as individuals, all members of state apparatuses still in active service have the same rights as retired ones. They can channel their political aspirations in the coming general election. Second, the human rights inherent in members of state apparatuses as citizens will not be reduced even a tiny bit. Third, a principle of discrimination must not be adopted in the appointment/installation of members of the People's Consultative Assembly/House of Representatives/regional legislatures. Members of all these institutions must be recruited through a general election. Fourth, members of all state apparatuses still in active service must not join any political parties, mass organizations, non-governmental organizations or the like, either as ordinary/executive board members or as patrons.

SUNGKOWO SOKAWERA

Bandung, West Java