Gus Dur still best choice, say political observers

Gus Dur still best choice, say political observers

JAKARTA (JP): Foreign and local political observers opined
that President Abdurrahman Wahid was still the best choice for
the country and thus deserved space and a chance to complete his
term.

Speaking in separate occasions on Monday, Daniel S. Lev of
University of Washington, Daniel Sparringa of Surabaya-based
Airlangga University, Arbi Sanit of University of Indonesia, J.
Kristiadi of the Center for Strategic and International Studies
(CSIS) and Ichlasul Amal of Yogyakarta-based Gadjah Mada
University suggested that political elites stopped attacking each
other as people are already tired of the relentless bickering.

"President Abdurrahman is still the most available person to
lead this country," Lev told reporters on the sidelines of a
seminar on military held by the Indonesian Institute of Science
(LIPI).

He warned any attempt to change the national leadership would
be at a huge social, economic and political cost.

Lev said if people in the country were prone to dethroning
their leader for minor things or accusations, solutions to the
myriad of problems facing the nation would never be found.

"I think Gus Dur must be given a chance to optimize the
performance of his administration," he remarked.

He further warned that if civilian politicians were busy
waging political conflicts, the democratization process now
underway was feared to stall and this would allow the military to
regain ground.

Lev advised the civilian politicians to regroup instead, as
the country was still negotiating various problems, including
possible U.S. intervention.

"If possible, Gus Dur, Amien and the other political elites
should communicate their ideas everyday to avoid unnecessary
dispute," Lev said referring to the President by his nickname and
the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) Speaker Amien Rais.

Noted sociologist and political observer Daniel Sparringa
shared Lev's view, saying sharp criticisms toward Gus Dur and his
administration had constantly put the government on the hot seat.

"I think Megawati eventually broke her silence in response to
the persistent efforts to topple Gus Dur. She is likely to fight
it out to defend Gus Dur," Daniel, who also attended the seminar,
remarked.

It would be proper for the current government to focus on
concrete issues such as the handling of manpower instead of
constantly being involved in political maneuvering, he suggested.

He insisted the idea to push for an Assembly special session
to unseat Gus Dur would not receive popular support as the wish
House of Representatives (DPR)'s legislators and that of their
constituents were different.

"Even if some factions in DPR push for the special session,
people won't be willing to support it because it's just too risky
and tiring," Daniel said.

Separately, Arbi Sanit urged Gus Dur, Megawati, Amien and
House Speaker Akbar Tandjung to meet once again to formulate the
goals of the reform movement they claimed to bear.

"For the sake of the nation, they should meet. They should
show their statesmanship, instead of acting as mere politicians,"
Arbi said in a seminar on Monday to mark the launching of the
Open Society Institute (OPSI), a study center established by
youths from the country's largest Muslim organization Nahdlatul
Ulama (NU).

He said demanding the resignation of Gus Dur as repeatedly
stated by Amien, would not settle the country's complexities.

He asserted that the four key figures only represented their
own groups.

Kristiadi renewed his call for the leaders to agree on a
"cooling down period" in order to ease the current political
tension and avoid possible clashes at grass roots level.

"They should meet with a clear agenda and come to a consensus
of not attacking each other to avoid possible violence that can
hamper the country's economic activities," he remarked.

Kristiadi had proposed the "cooling down period" prior to the
annual session of MPR in August.

Amal, the rector of Gadjah Mada University, said the demand
for Gus Dur's resignation came from those who are disappointed
with his personal style, not the government's performance in the
economic field.

"So Gus Dur should not answer the criticisms or issue
controversial replies," he remarked.

He said Abdurrahman's resignation would only add problems if
Amien also did not follow suit (resign), on grounds that the two
are linked to the country's largest Muslim organizations.

"The resignation of Abdurrahman and Amien, if it is deemed the
best solution, will avoid clashes between their supporters," he
said.

Abdurrahman formerly chaired NU, while Amien led Muhammadiyah.
(23/edt/jun)