Hesitant reform proposal

All of a sudden (the ruling party) Golkar has broken its silence. Amid the endless roar of demonstrations and mass action, Golkar's chairman, who is concurrently the paramount leader of both the House of Representatives and the People's Consultative Assembly, Harmoko, spoke to the media in a specially convened gathering in Jakarta yesterday (Friday). With all the gusto and oratory flair that are his trademark, Bung Harmoko said Golkar would work toward restricting the terms that a president can serve to just two.

For those who keep no tabs on Golkar's statements and policy directions, Harmoko's stated aspiration may sound like a daring breakthrough for reform. But for those who have observed Golkar's actions and patterns of thought so far, Harmoko's intent is no more than plain rhetoric. It is no exaggeration even to call it a total about-face.

It is still fresh in our minds how Golkar, through Harmoko, declared its outright rejection of proposals made in the People's Consultative Assembly's General Session last March, to limit the number of terms a president could serve. Harmoko even considered such a suggestion unconstitutional. Now, the very same person expresses the wish to limit the number of presidential terms one can serve. This is an about-face of logic that confuses the public.

It may be that Golkar desires to show its reformist spirit by making such a statement. However, the urgency for reform at present actually lies elsewhere. In 2003, Pak Harto (President Soeharto) could not possibly accept the candidate. If it is Golkar's purpose to silence criticism over Pak Harto's terms in office, then our question is: what is wrong with Pak Harto? It was, after all, the wish of Golkar, which, as the absolute winner in general elections held since the establishment of the New Order, that Pak Harto not be replaced.

Thus, the reform proposal enunciated by Golkar this time via Harmoko is, in our view, a hesitant reform proposal. It is certain that in 2003, even without Golkar's prompting, Pak Harto will not wish to extend his term.

Golkar's wish as expressed by Harmoko this time is therefore not important, much less urgent. Golkar will be remembered as a true reformer if it amends, straightaway, the law governing political parties and Golkar, the law on general elections, and withdraws Golkar faction members whose recruitment smacked of nepotism. If all it wants is to limit the presidential term, then, we're sorry, that is nothing sensational. It only shows the superficiality of Golkar's thinking.

-- Media Indonesia, Jakarta