Golkar shifts stance in political bills debate

JAKARTA (JP): The debate on whether Indonesia's 4.1 million public servants should be allowed a political role has entered a new phase with the dominant Golkar functional group showing signs of relenting.

It has offered to drop the matter altogether from the deliberation of the political bills in the House of Representatives (DPR) and have it regulated instead by another law.

Golkar Deputy Chairman Marzuki Darusman reaffirmed the offer on Sunday.

"Yes, the offer still stands, if the government agrees to drop it from the political bills and have it discussed as part of another piece of legislation," Marzuki told The Jakarta Post.

Golkar's shift, after weeks of loudly insisting that barring the public servants from joining political parties was tantamount to rights violation, was welcomed on Sunday by relevant parties.

Golkar's political triumph over the other parties during the past three decades has been attributed to its obliging public servants to vote for it.

The shift "could solve problems ... we are considering the offer," according to Ryaas Rasyid, the coordinator of the government's expert team that deliberated the bills.

Ryaas said the current law on public servants could be amended so that it includes the question of their involvement in political parties in two weeks time. But he did not say how.

Cautiously, legislator Djufrie Asmoredjo of the United Development Party (PPP) said his faction agreed to drop the contentious issue, but wanted the government to make a ruling on it. The PPP has been the most vocal opponent of Golkar over the matter.

"There's another solution for Minister of Home Affairs Syarwan Hamid ... namely to withdraw the issue from the bills through a presidential decree, and then to rule at the same time that civil servants may not be members or executives of political parties," he said.

"We agree it's a better solution," Djufrie said.

Golkar legislator Ginting Sutradara called for immediate establishment of a government ruling on the matter so "none will have to lose face ... it can be a solution to the stalemate although in a temporary tactical sense," he said.

"Strategically and conceptually though a more dignified solution must be sought," Ginting said.

The debate centers on articles seeking to bar civil servants from politics -- which many believe is a prerequisite for a free and fair general election -- in the government-proposed political bills.

The Armed Forces (ABRI) and the Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI) joined PPP in opposing Golkar's stance.

The deadlock brings the factions to raise the debate to high- level lobbying between their leaders -- particularly for Akbar Tandjung of Golkar, Gen. Wiranto of ABRI, Budi Hardjono of PDI, Hamzah Haz of PPP and Syarwan Hamid of the government to decide.

Meanwhile, a source close to the deliberation told the Post the pendulum has now swung back to Golkar. Related parties are waiting to see whether it would now accept having the issue of civil servants' political role regulated through a government ordinance.

"Golkar knows that establishing a law on the matter will take time," the source said.

And any extra time will only further Golkar's interests, especially if the issue is left unaddressed before the poll, the source added.

The source said that a bargain already offered was that for Golkar "to let PDI and PPP win" on the civil servants issue and for PPP and PDI "to let Golkar win" on the issue of electoral districts.

Golkar and the Armed Forces -- supported by the government -- had insisted that House members were elected through a proportional representation voting system at the regency level, while PPP and PDI wanted them elected at the provincial level.

Separately, Megawati Soekarnoputri of Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI Perjuangan) slammed Golkar because of its anti-reform stance as shown in its persistence in trying to use civil servants to bolster its votes in the elections.

The stance indicated the possibility that the election would be far from the spirit of reform and demands for democratization. (edt/aan)