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