Golkar sticks to guns on civil servants in politics
Golkar sticks to guns on civil servants in politics
JAKARTA (JP): The ruling Golkar is holding out for the right
of the country's four million public servants to join political
parties, turning its back on mounting calls for the bureaucracy's
neutrality in elections.
Golkar deputy chairman Marzuki Darusman said on Monday that
barring civil servants from becoming members or executives of
political parties would create "problems".
He added that "the (civil and political) rights of citizens is
stipulated in the Convention of the International Labor
Organization ... the rights must not be curtailed".
The chairman of the Indonesian Civil Servants Corps, Feisal
Tamin, proposed that civil servants should retire if they wished
to join political parties.
"A civil servant must choose whether to be a civil servant or
to be a politician," said Tamin, who is also the secretary-
general of the Ministry of Home Affairs.
At the core of the debate is whether the new law on political
parties -- passed by the House of Representatives (DPR) sooner
than the Jan. 28 deadline -- should bar civil servants from
joining political parties.
The government originally wanted to impose the ban as a
guarantee of the bureaucracy's neutrality. But it later bowed to
Golkar's wish by proposing an additional clause providing an
avenue for civil servants to enter politics.
A civil servant wishing to become a political party member or
executive must "take leave without the state's stipend".
Other factions -- the Indonesian Democratic Party, the United
Development Party and the Armed Forces -- ultimately agreed to
the new proposal, but a final decision has yet to be reached.
Tamin even proposed that civil servants wishing to join
political parties seek "early retirement" instead of "just taking
leave".
Golkar legislator Yasril A. Baharuddin attacked such move as
the "killing" of the civil servants' economic rights.
"Golkar wants civil servants to be neutral, that civil
servants not be allowed to become members of executive of
political parties but, if they wish to, they must (only) take
temporary leave," he said.
"Because they might want to resume as civil servants."
Andi Mattalatta, Golkar faction chairman at the DPR, seconded
the argument.
"Golkar will fight for civil servants rights as citizens.
"As a well-educated component of the nation, civil servants
will be able to help improve the performance of political parties
(as members) ...and this doesn't refer to Golkar only."
Andi conceded the problem was how to ensure that civil
servants, especially those in high-ranking positions, did not
abuse state facilities for the interests of their own parties.
Marzuki proposed that preventative measures be regulated
through other laws.
"In the United States, Australia and Japan, civil servants are
allowed to wear two hats," said Marzuki, who is also chairman of
the National Commission on Human Rights.
Endorsement
Despite the debate, factions deliberating draft laws on
elections, political parties and status of the legislatures
expressed their commitment that the bill on political parties be
passed before the Jan. 28 deadline.
Four issues requiring further deliberation are civil servants'
political rights, the nonelected seats to be allotted to the
Armed Forces, the state ideology Pancasila, and on adjustment to
the proportional representation voting system.
Legislator Budi Harsono, who chairs the deliberation on
elections bill, said all factions were still waiting for
"guidance and instructions" from their respective leaders in the
faction central boards.
But Budi said the debate regarding ABRI seats and the
structure and position of the People's Consultative Assembly
(MPR), DPR and regional DPR would conclude by Friday.
"I'm still optimistic we can solve (outstanding problems)."
On Monday's deliberation, Budi said the matter discussed
concerned which of the 300 societal groups would be selected to
have representatives in the MPR.
"We are discussing how to reduce the number to under 100," he
said. (aan)