Hasty succession can result in a 'bad choice'

JAKARTA (JP): The nation should not seek presidential succession just for the sake of change but must ensure the right person is chosen for the job should succession take place next year, says political observer Nurcholish Madjid.

"Succession, should it happen next year, must be made carefully," Nurcholish said after a discussion on modern state administration systems Friday evening.

He said the election of a different president was a gamble and said the capacity and credibility of the next president should be on a par with that of the incumbent.

"Otherwise, things will never change and we might even develop a worse situation than we have now," he said.

Nurcholish then went on to suggest the nation avoid electing a president through appointment.

"Bai'at (Islamic word for appointment) of a leader should be avoided," he said during the discussion.

"Especially, when the appointee is a relative of the outgoing president."

"Bai'at should be done only with the approval of the majority of the people," he said.

Several analysts have recently said that successful political and economic reform cannot take place without presidential succession.

These calls for radical reform have significantly increased in the past few weeks as the economic turmoil persists in the wake of the rupiah doldrums.

When asked what reforms he would like to see, Nurcholish said freedom of assembly, freedom of speech, transparency and consistent law enforcement and certainty were among the most essential.

"Political freedom, transparency and legal certainty will help enhance the people's productivity, the main ingredient for the economic recovery," he said.

Nurcholish also said a "moral movement" was needed to accelerate political reform.

"A moral movement, through slogans and statements, is still needed to trigger action on reforms," he said.

Opposition

Nurcholish said there was a need for "oppositional" groups or figures to perform the task of socially controlling the government.

"Good governance cannot be established by relying only upon an individual's goodness, ... social control by the people is necessary," he said adding that oppositional groups do not have to be large organizations.

"The most important thing is that oppositional figures have authority among their groups' members," he explained.

Nurcholish also welcomed the Ciganjur Group which was established Tuesday evening at the residence of Abdurrahman Wahid, chairman of the Nahdlatul Ulama organization, which called for solidarity among all groups to help the nation cope with the economic crisis.

The fact that the Group consists of intellectuals and figures from all walks of life and religions was a significant factor as this contributed to making an organization solid, he said.

When asked about the Armed Forces (ABRI) often hard handed "security approach" toward various social movements and groups, Nurcholish urged ABRI to be more careful in its approach.

"The security approach should be regarded like the brakes of an automobile," he said.

"The driver should only hit the brakes in certain conditions, not at every single turn." (imn)