I do it for the people: Outspoken legislator

I do it for the people: Outspoken legislator

JAKARTA (JP): Legislator Alvin Lie of the Reform faction has
emerged as one of the harshest critics of President Abdurrahman
Wahid, but he says strong criticism only mirrors the depth of his
love for his country and the President.

It was Alvin along with Zulfan Lindan of the Indonesian
Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) and Ade Komaruddin
of the Golkar Party who were the initiators of the recent
interpellation motion at the House of Representatives.

"I have been critical of the government because I love
President Abdurrahman Wahid and Vice President Megawati and I
want them to achieve improvements for the people," he told The
Jakarta Post here on Tuesday.

"I will remain critical, regardless of the possible
consequences," he added.

Alvin, representing the National Mandate Party (PAN) from the
Central Java capital of Semarang, has frequently criticized the
government for its failure to stop the prolonged bloody violence
in Aceh, Maluku and North Maluku, to defuse the economic crisis
and for creating political instability.

"I have nothing to loose if I'm recalled. But, so far, my
faction has given moral support to me to remain critical, despite
my different background," he said referring to his Chinese
ethnicity.

"I didn't come here to enrich myself and my family, but to
channel my constituents' hopes," he asserted.

Alvin, whose full name is Alvin Lie Ling Piao, was born in
Semarang on April 21, 1961.

Being a Central Java native, Alvin said he and other
legislators from the province were pushing the central government
and provincial administration to pay more attention to the floods
that hit the provincial capital annually.

The floods, he claimed, were in large part due to excessive
drilling for water and deforestation in mountainous resorts
around the city.

"We are also working to encourage the government to
internationalize the seaports and airports in the province to
make sure they are ready to go international and to help improve
the welfare of the people," he said.

He said that despite being Catholic, he was proud to be a
member of PAN and the Reform faction, which is known by some as
being closer in nature to an Islamic party.

Alvin said his presence in such a party provided a distinct
color to the party and his faction.

"The party has the primary mission of promoting total reform
in all sectors and religious tolerance among its members and
supporters," he added.

Asked to comment on the House's performance, Alvin, a graduate
in international marketing from Strathclyde University in
Scotland, said it had a lot to do as it was only in the early
stages of waking up from over three decades of sleep.

"The House should continually be encouraged to carry out its
function of empowering the people and upholding their
sovereignty."

"I have been considered critical and outspoken because
numerous other legislators are still enjoying their sleep. They
should also wake up to represent the people and help ease their
suffering," he said.

He said that he along with other young legislators were
launching an informal moral movement to encourage the House to
remain critical of the government.

"The informal moral movement started with the recent
interpellation motion ... The next step is the planned
investigation into Buloggate, Bruneigate and the leakages in the
State Logistics Agency's (Bulog) nonbudgetary funds," he said.

Alvin pointed out that his faction and himself were
dissatisfied with the President's behavior and his
administration's poor performance in handling major problems.

"We are worried about the President's capability in running
the government and to defuse the crisis due to his unstable
personality and physical handicaps," he said.

He admitted that this was the reason his faction at the
People's Consultative Assembly had proposed a decree to delegate
power to Vice President Megawati Soekarnoputri in running the
government. (rms)