Golkar apology brushed aside

JAKARTA (JP): Observers have dismissed Golkar's recent apology for its past mistakes as too little too late, while rival politicians said it was merely a ploy to salvage the group's tattered reputation.

They were responding to an announcement made on Sunday by Golkar chairman Akbar Tandjung, who apologized for the group's "uncompleted tasks, wrongdoings and past mistakes."

However, Akbar made no mention of public criticism that Golkar was responsible for helping to keep the authoritarian New Order regime in power for 32 years.

Speaking in Yogyakarta, Gajah Mada University rector Ichlasul Amal stressed that concrete action was more important than an apology and said that Golkar must now understand that it was no longer "the popular master".

"They (Golkar's leaders) have to respond to change," he said on Wednesday. "Yet Golkar acts as though it was still in control of everything...as shown in its campaign to ensure that civil servants are allowed to join political parties.

"That shows how afraid Golkar is of losing its biggest group of supporters...the apology certainly contained a political message meant to improve its image," he said.

Amal conceded that not all of Golkar's members were "arrogant". "Remember that (deputy chairman) Marzuki Darusman wanted Golkar to apologize," he said.

Eep Saefulloh Fatah of the University of Indonesia agreed and said that Golkar's apology meant very little to the nation.

"We need a new paradigm to rebuild this country and unfortunately Golkar represents the old paradigm...I think it has lost the confidence of voters because the current political situation no longer favors it," he said.

"The apology is far too late and will not mend its tattered image," he said. "Golkar has lost its momentum."

He said the apology showed Golkar's belated realization that its popularity was on the wane. "It is now changing its strategy and engaging in a war of image with other, newly established political parties."

He cited the establishment of the Justice and Unity Party, which was recently set up by dissenting Golkar members including the former vice president Try Sutrisno.

"The new party has indicated that it is open to ideas of democratization and change...that scares Golkar," he said.

Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI) politician Mochtar Buchori said the apology was a ploy to win back sympathy now that Golkar was cornered, abandoned by important figures, and wracked by internal dispute.

"It is not a genuine apology, (Akbar) had to do it after realizing that Golkar was no longer as powerful as in the past," he said.

"When he (Akbar) felt that Golkar was still strong, he refused to bow his head to the people," Mochtar noted.

Nirwan Sembiring, the secretary-general of the newly established Catholic Democratic Party (PKD) said that Akbar's apology was an attempt to attract voters and not born out of genuine regret for past abuses of power.

"Golkar will never change because it is led by the people who are responsible for the New Order's wrongdoings," said Sembiring. (45/prb/rms/edt)