Golkar attacks government policy
Golkar attacks government policy
JAKARTA (JP): The Golkar Party launched a stinging attack on
the government of President Abdurrahman Wahid on Tuesday saying
that inconsistent and controversial policies have pushed the
nation closer to the brink of the country's worst
multidimensional crisis.
In a nationally televised political address at the opening
ceremony of the party's leadership meeting at the Jakarta
Convention Center, Golkar chairman Akbar Tandjung said
Abdurrahman "seems to waste his legitimacy by not paying enough
attention to economic recovery".
"The nation actually had high expectations that the election
of Abdurrahman Wahid as president would bring the country out of
the crisis. But during the course of its journey, this credible
and legitimate government has failed to interpret the message
that was mandated by the State Policy Guidelines (GBHN)," Akbar
said to the cheers of thousands of Golkar supporters clad in
yellow party colors.
"The government has issued controversial statements and
policies and these have been prone to instability and political
uncertainties that in the end will make the economic recovery
even more difficult," he added.
Akbar said that those controversial policies were, among
others, Abdurrahman's plan to revoke a three-decade ban on
communism and the dismissal of Laksamana Sukardi and Yusuf Kalla
in April as investment minister and trade and industry minister
respectively.
"The reasons for their dismissal was artificial, superficial,
inconsistent and not transparent and this has created
uncertainties and made the other Cabinet members feel
uncomfortable," Akbar said.
Akbar added that the ongoing violence in a number of provinces
was "adding fuel to the fire".
Gus Dur, as the President is popularly called, has been under
mounting pressure to end violent sectarian clashes in the Maluku
islands which has killed thousands since it first erupted in
January 1999.
Akbar said that due to the current political and economic
uncertainties, the nation "is now facing the risk of being
dragged to the second phase of a severe crisis".
"Like in a long dark tunnel, the nation can now only see a
slight ray of hope at the end of it," he said.
Akbar also was critical of the government for trying to create
a perception that all the troubles are due to conflicts within
the political elite.
"What has been more worrying is that there are indications
that certain parties are trying to shift the blame to political
parties whereas the real problem is the President's
inconsistency," Akbar said.
He also lashed out at the accusations that there had been a
"systematic attempt" to topple the government.
"Political parties are not functioning well if they are not
critical of the government, so it is very surprising if our
criticism is considered as a conspiracy to topple the
government," Akbar said.
He said that the accusations were baseless as "by
constitution, the DPR (House of Representatives) cannot unseat
the President and the President also cannot dissolve DPR".
While his address relentlessly censured the shortcomings of
Abdurrahman's 9-month old government, Akbar did not touch on the
fact that it was the Golkar Party who domineered Indonesian
politics the previous three-decades.
Akbar's statements came only two days after all 11 factions of
the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) declared a unified
stance to reduce mounting political tensions ahead of the annual
session of the Assembly.
Political tension has sharpened between the government and the
legislature, as well as between the four top political leaders -
Abdurrahman, Vice President Megawati Soekarnoputri, Assembly
Speaker Amien Rais and Akbar, who is also speaker of the House.
Abdurrahman is due to appear before the Assembly in August to
account for his turbulent ten-months in office.
Speculation is rife that the Assembly could try and topple the
President during the session despite analysts' predictions that
the likelihood of such a move succeeding is small.
Akbar said on Monday that the session would only serve as "an
early warning system" for the President.
The three-day consolidation meeting is said to be aimed at
internal strengthening and to disseminate the agenda for the
coming Assembly session.
All current and past Golkar notables, most of whom had at one
point held important government posts, were seen present at
Tuesday's gathering.
Also present was Vice President Megawati Soekarnoputri.(byg)