Harmoko must work hard for clean government: Politicians

By Santi WE Soekanto

JAKARTA (JP): Golkar chairman Harmoko may have set himself too ambitious a task when he pledged that the ruling political group will fight for clean government.

While not impossible, Harmoko has taken on a Herculean task, two opposition politicians and a political scientist said in separate interviews with The Jakarta Post.

Fatimah Achmad from the Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI), Sri Bintang Pamungkas from the United Development Party (PPP) and political scientist Arbi Sanit said the current administration is still fraught with abuses of power.

They didn't have to look far for examples.

The ongoing investigation of the illegal $430 million loan at state-owned Bapindo more than serves the purpose. Two former senior government officials, Sudomo and J.B. Sumarlin, have been implicated in the scam.

They all blame the present political system, which prevents effective challenges by Golkar's rivals, as the root of an "unclean" administration.

"The system creates leeway for abuse of power and rights and wrong conduct," Bintang said. "There have been too many cases of abuse of power and rights," he said. "Isn't it a little too late for Harmoko to start talking about clean government?"

Fatimah said Indonesia could only have a clean government by "freeing the bureaucracy from the domination of one political grouping". Government officials from every rank are in practice required to be Golkar members.

Golkar's argument that bureaucratic "mono-loyalty" is necessary should be rejected, she said, as every citizen should only be loyal to the nation.

Harmoko made his commitment to clean administration last week at the end of a Golkar working conference.

He has also acknowledged that the Bapindo scandal has tainted the image of the group, but stressed that this could be used as a turning point for Golkar in the drive for clean government.

"Golkar's image is actually improved with the revelation of the case, because we have to see it in connection with Golkar's intention to build a strong and clean government," Harmoko said.

The Bapindo scandal was first disclosed to the public by A. Baramuli, a Golkar legislator.

Bintang, who is known as a vocal critic of the government, expressed doubts that Golkar under Harmoko's leadership will be able to keep its promise, because the grouping is more committed to keeping its "single majority" position.

"Everybody knows what clean government is, but Golkar cares more about winning elections," he said.

Bintang said Golkar's insistence on winning a "single majority" position is aimed at developing a "super power base" and domination over other political groupings.

As Golkar cannot be separated from the executive branch of power, he said, it also dominates the legislative bodies.

The House of Representatives, he said, is so weak that it is unable to exercise effective control of the government.

The problems of abuse have become pervasive and affect the political, social, economic and cultural aspects of the running of the country, Bintang said. "Too much damage has been done."

The three observers suggested that various improvements be made, including the revision of the system for national leadership selection and the abolition of a number of laws which Bintang considers to be the "tools of political manipulation".

The laws

Bintang was referring to the laws on general elections, social political organizations, and the roles and functions of people's representative bodies, which he said are discriminatory.

Arbi suggested that the House of Representative (DPR) and the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) be "developed and their roles strengthened" in order to become effective checks on executive power.

Fatimah said Harmoko's promise of clean government will remain a mere slogan if Golkar keeps requiring bureaucrats to belong. "Such practices are proof that for Golkar the ends do justify the means," she said.

The three observers said the quest for a clean government should also start with the presidency.

As he has repeatedly done, Bintang proposed that presidents be limited to two terms. "In this way, people would dare to hope that better qualified people would always come," Bintang said. "They would also dare to nominate more than one presidential candidate."

Term limits would also ensure that "succession becomes a process of electing leaders instead of merely building power bases", he said.