House and the Indosat divestment

House and the Indosat divestment

From Koran Tempo

The Indosat divestment case has drawn public attention and it
remains to be seen how it will end. And now there is another
case: The simultaneous hikes of fuel prices, electricity rates
and telephone tariffs. Rallies have been held everywhere, lashing
out strongly at the government. These rallies are legal and
natural.

The problem now is whether or not these policies -- the
Indosat divestment and the simultaneous price hikes -- are solely
the government's, as is usually alleged in the rallies. Let's
allow the facts to speak for themselves.

The People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) has decided upon
privatization, and Commission IX of the House of Representatives
has also determined which state-owned enterprises must be
privatized. Every year, the Budget Commission of the House
includes privatization as a source of funds for the state budget.
When privatization has been implemented, the House members
themselves have lashed out at it. Observers are no longer
scientifically objective as their observations are colored by
their political leaning.

Strangely, though, all of a sudden, many House members are of
the opinion that the Indosat divestment is the sole affair of
Commission IX and the government. In fact, Commission IX is part
of the House, not of a political party. This commission is
composed of representatives of different factions.

As if to justify this weird situation, protests have been
lodged. Some House members have tried to exercise their right to
interpellate, while others have tried to resort to their right to
inquire. Still others have demanded the establishment of a
special committee. Then, all of a sudden (again), many House
members have found themselves protesting alongside Indosat
employees.

What about the price hikes? Vice President Hamzah Haz has said
that these hikes were the result of a political decision that the
government made jointly with the House.

Given the facts above, is it really fair to say that only the
government has committed a heinous sin, while the House members
are "holy"?. Protesters must see these cases with open eyes and
minds.

SUSI PURWATINI
Jakarta