Golkar rejects rights restriction claim

Golkar rejects rights restriction claim

JAKARTA (JP): Golkar Secretary-General Ary Mardjono denied
yesterday the ruling faction was curtailing its members' rights
by insisting they individually declare their support for the
candidacies of Soeharto and B.J. Habibie as president and vice
president respectively.

By the time the General Session of the People's Consultative
Assembly kicks off this morning, the vast majority of Golkar
faction members will have signed a form that indicates their
personal support for the two candidates.

"Each Golkar representative in the Assembly will have to sign
the form by midnight," Ary told reporters after attending the
last briefing for Golkar legislators at the Assembly building
yesterday.

A Golkar faction executive, Fahmi Idris, said later that two
of the 586 representatives of the ruling organization were unable
to sign the forms: one was sick while the other was on assignment
abroad.

Ary admitted the signing was mandatory, but he was quick to
deny it was a restriction of the individual rights of Golkar
legislators.

"We need the signatures just to meet administrative procedures
of the presidential and vice presidential nominations, as
stipulated by Assembly decree number two in 1973.

"Golkar welcomes different views only during internal
meetings. But once the organization reaches a decision, all
faction members should support it."

The signatures will be attached to a letter stating Golkar's
candidates which will be presented to the Assembly's leaders.
Critics have speculated the signing was designed to minimize the
possibility of dissent.

Golkar, the Armed Forces, the regional representatives, the
United Development Party (PPP) and the Indonesian Democratic
Party (PDI) factions have all named incumbent Soeharto and State
Minister of Research and Technology Habibie for the presidency
and vice presidency.

Ary said it would be normal if all Golkar representatives
voted for Soeharto and Habibie in the presidential and vice
presidential elections by the 1,000-member Assembly, only because
the ruling political organization had named the duo as its
choices.

Interruptions

While Ary expressed his guarded optimism that no Golkar
legislator would dissent, the leader of the PDI faction Buttu
Hutapea hinted that he would allow his team members to interrupt
the Assembly's meetings.

"I cannot guarantee there will be no interruptions (by PDI
legislators) during the meetings. But I hope that the Assembly
sessions run smoothly," Buttu said.

He said the Assembly's internal rules allowed legislators to
interrupt a session.

The rules state that an interruption is allowed only for
matters of technicality. An Assembly member may interrupt the
proceedings to seek clarification, to correct any improper
implementation of procedures or to call for a break.

Buttu said it seemed unnecessary to dissent and interrupt
sessions because all the factions had already agreed on the draft
of the State Policy Guidelines and other decrees to be endorsed
during the 11-day convention.

"If a faction member feels unsatisfied with certain matters,
he or she should call for an internal meeting to discuss them,"
Buttu said.

Separately, outgoing Minister of Environment Sarwono
Kusumaatmadja said the General Session would not be that smooth
if leaders, spokespeople, and the factions' floor leaders
displayed a lack of political skills.

Sarwono, who is a former Golkar secretary-general, predicted
therefore that "threats" to the session would come from inside
rather than outside.

He dismissed those who said the General Session had been so
arranged that the people's representatives would only need to
knock the gavel to signify an end to the discussion.

He said "incidents" could happen if some people overacted.

Sarwono warned that many Assembly members were people with
"education, ranking, and power" who had the right to interrupt
the proceedings should they find something "improperly managed".

Sarwono, who is also a member of the Golkar squad for the
upcoming convention, said threats from inside were imminent.

"If not, why did the leaders of all of the factions warn
members against dissenting, and threaten to dismiss those who
defied the warning?"

Asked about his own expectations for the session, he said it
should be able to accommodate people's rising concerns about the
effects of the economic crisis.

"There are many professors, engineers, ministers and governors
joining the Assembly. Let's just hope they will be able and
willing to do that." (aan/imn/amd)