Keep promises, Soeharto reminds Golkar

JAKARTA (JP): President Soeharto yesterday reminded the ruling political group Golkar to deliver on its 1992 campaign promises in order to maintain people's support.

"People expect that their political choice in the last (1992) general elections be proved correct, and that Golkar ... will continue the national development efforts, and give voice to the public's aspirations," Soeharto said in his capacity as chairman of Golkar's board of patrons.

His speech was read by coordinator of the presidium of the board, Azwar Anas, at the opening of Golkar's annual leadership meeting yesterday.

Soeharto said in the speech that Golkar can only meet the people's expectations by solidifying itself first and improving the quality of its cadre.

He also reminded the organization that it should not develop into an "unresponsive and inert bureaucracy" and abandon its initial form as an "organization of movement".

"It is a challenge for Golkar to develop a strongly committed organization with highly disciplined members, while retaining its flexibility," Soeharto said.

Flexibility is needed in order to encourage creativity and initiative among members, as well as to ensure that democracy thrives within the organization, he said.

Golkar's cadre "is made up of people of leadership who are able to represent and fight for the people's aspirations and interests."

Therefore, "it is not enough for Golkar members to merely be political members struggling for the interests of the organization."

"Golkar members should also be the cadre of development who are always on the ready to translate the people's wishes into real actions," he said.

The three-day leadership meeting is being attended by 690 participants from Golkar branch offices in the 27 provinces, from the mass organizations affiliated to it, as well as representatives from the bureaucracy and the Armed Forces.

The organization will celebrate its 30th anniversary with a gathering to be attended by Soeharto and Mrs. Tien Soeharto on Thursday. A political statement, to be drawn up during the ongoing leadership meeting, will be issued during the event.

History

Also at the opening ceremony, Golkar chairman Harmoko recounted the history of the establishment of Golkar 30 years ago and described its role in fighting communism.

Golkar was founded as a means to combat communism, injustice and wrongdoing, and its members carry out these missions without vested interests. "We don't do this (carry out the missions) because we wish to seek positions, or temporary pleasures," he said.

He called on all members of Golkar, a great number of whom hold various important positions in the administration, to "develop a fighting spirit, while maintaining loyalty and friendship, and refrain from working for the sake of rewards only."

Harmoko, with one year of Golkar chairmanship under his belt, also called on his fellow members to always project the image and identity of "fighters who always put the interests of the nation above their individual interests."

The meeting, which is being held behind closed doors, will discuss the organization's concepts of development. The results of the discussions will be submitted and included in the 1998 Guidelines of State Policies.

The meeting will see discussion of organizational matters, such as membership recruitment.

Several months after his appointment last year, Harmoko vowed that Golkar would fight for the establishment of a clean government. However, observers said they doubted he could fulfill the difficult pledge, because the present political system prevents effective challenges by rivals, providing a fertile ground for corruption in the bureaucracy. (swe)

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