Laksamana-Amien battle may lead to political conflict
Tiarma Siboro, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
The conflict between State Minister for State Enterprises Laksamana Sukardi and People's Consultative Assembly Speaker Amien Rais over the privatization issue may drag their political parties into battle, with some members of both political parties already lining up behind them.
Members of the National Awakening Party (PAN) which Amien chairs and the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) which Laksamana is a member of gave cautious responses on Sunday to Laksamana's move to file legal notification to Amien Rais for the latter's critical comments against him and his policies.
PDI Perjuangan executive Roy BB Janis said Laksamana's move was personal and therefore, the party would not be involved. Nevertheless, he defended Laksamana and said: "Laksamana has strong legal grounds to file a legal complaint against Amien."
However, PAN deputy secretary general Alvin Lie said he believed Amien's critical statements against Laksamana "have a legal basis and are being supported by evidence".
"It is up to Laksamana to take legal action against Pak Amien whom I believe wouldn't say anything without evidence," he was quoted as saying by detik.com.
Fellow PAN legislator Djoko Susilo described Laksamana's legal move as an overreaction and could be counterproductive.
Laksamana's team of lawyers said over the weekend their client had filed a legal notification against Amien.
They said Amien, who lashed out at Laksamana's privatization drive to sell state companies, was tantamount to character assassination.
The lawyers referred to Amien's sharp comments in a recent interview with the local weekly magazine, Forum Keadilan, published on Dec. 1, 2002.
Responding to Forum's question on the man behind the government's decision to exonerate debtors from criminal charges, Amien said: "I don't need to mention a name. However, I see a very dangerous minister in the Gotong Royong Cabinet. I have long been suspicious that this person is actually a foreign agent. I doubt if there is a little nationalism, a feeling of love for the nation in this person."
Laksamana is now demanding that Amien make an apology via the mass media within three days of receiving the notification, said team member, noted lawyer Amir Syamsuddin.
Amien is in Russia until Thursday, Dec. 26.
The lawsuit threat marks the strongest reaction by Laksamana since coming under fire from Amien for months. However, the assembly speaker has not been the only critic of Laksamana's polices. The policies often spark backlashes from local labor unions, market analysts and legislators including a few from his own party.
Within the Cabinet, PDI-Perjuangan member and State Minister for National Development Planning, Kwik Kian Gie is often opposed to Laksamana's policies.
The House's reform faction, in which PAN is a member, is filing a police complaint on the recent sale of telecommunications firm PT Indosat to a Singapore telecommunications company.
Lawyer Amir dismissed the notion that Laksamana's legal threat was meant to get back at the reform faction and PAN.