Golkar's arrogance
Golkar's arrogance
From Merdeka
Observing the recent polemics, particularly Sarwono Kusumaatmadja's comments in Merdeka on Nov. 5, 1998, on a difference of opinion between Marzuki Darusman and Akbar Tandjung, chairman of Golkar, I would like to express the following opinions:
1. I fully agree with Pak Sarwono and company, and I would also like to take my hat off to Marzuki Darusman for being able to accommodate popular aspirations. At the same time, I deplore the attitude assumed by Bung Akbar and company for being arrogant and unresponsive to social dynamism.
2. Deep in my heart an idea strikes me why Golkar, which was the dominant power during the New Order era, an era which threatened the nation with disintegration and has thrown the people into poverty and made them faithless, has refused to apologize: there may be fear among Golkar officials that offering an apology will mean being held accountable before a people's tribunal for all the sins committed by Golkar. They fear that if this happens, people will dislike Golkar, and they will end up losing all the sympathy of the people.
3. Golkar should actually realize that it has committed all these sins, and that in six general elections, regardless of whether or not they were held honestly, fairly and transparently, they were able to win the majority of the votes thanks to the support of the government bureaucracy and the Armed Forces. In the future, for the sake of true democracy, the Armed Forces and the government bureaucracy, i.e. the civil servants corps, have announced their impartiality. In the meantime, most people may never be able to forgive Golkar for the national tragedies still fresh in our minds.
4. There are many examples showing that the concept of a single majority is highly prone to disintegration, the former Soviet Union and Yugoslavia are two examples, and is not in tune with the principle of Bhinneka Tunggal Ika (Unity in Diversity). Unfortunately, these examples cannot easily make all of us aware of the danger of adopting such a concept, because many of our leaders are arrogant, indifferent and hypocritical.
Congratulations to Pak Marzuki and company and Pak Sarwono and company. Finally allow me to ask all of our leaders one question: What is this life for unless it is devoted to religious services and to serving as a caliph?
E. ROOSDIAWAN
Jakarta