Hyperactive legislators

Hyperactive legislators

Do people now notice that the House of Representatives (DPR)
has become super-active and that it has taken over the role of
the conscience of the nation from the students?

This is thanks in part to the controversial role played by
President Abdurrahman Wahid in dealing with political issues in
his efforts to comply with democratic principles and in what he
sees as his prerogatives which must be defended at all cost and
by any means.

In the first place, the legislators, notably of the Indonesian
Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan), Functional Group
(Golkar), United Development Party (PPP) and the reformist
faction, as we well know, are questioning the true motives for
the dismissal of two ministers (Jusuf Kalla and Laksamana
Sukardi) by demanding an explanation under the right of
interpellation.

In a political sense Abdurrahman must now say the truth for
otherwise it could lead to a vote of censure. Also he must
account for his policy of allowing the disappearance of State
Logistics Agency (Bulog) funds by his confidants and the
mishandling of a donation from the Sultan of Brunei allegedly to
alleviate the suffering of the Aceh people. It should have been
allocated with the consent of the House.

The "opposition" members of DPR regard this to be a serious
breach of the presidential oath though his supporters in the DPR
do not see any violation of the rule.

In another instance, they have even set up an investigation
committee on what they claim to be abuse of state funds by the
present Speaker of DPR, Akbar Tandjung, when he was minister of
housing in the Soeharto cabinet.

Never before has there been such hectic exchanges of
accusations between the pro-censure factions and the pro-
president group. The President has been requested to appear
before the DPR to respond personally to all the questions.

The whole nation is now waiting to see if the cunning
Abdurrahman Wahid will be able to satisfy the opposition or
invent something to circumvent the truth and rely once again on
his huge numbers of followers for moral assistance. In appearance
the cleric president will remain unperturbed under political
pressure.

But he hid the truth, still worse, if he thinks he can cheat
the public again, the bells are indeed ringing for his
impeachment.

GANDHI SUKARDI

Jakarta