Laksamana-Amien battle may lead to political conflict

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.