Mega, don't waste public support!
Mega, don't waste public support!
From Media Indonesia
Chairwoman of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle Ibu Megawati Soekarnoputri was unanimously elected in the People's Consultative Assembly Special Session on July 23, 2001 to replace former president Abdurrahman "Gus Dur" Wahid. She has received the mandate to rule the country until 2004 from the People's Consultative Assembly. Must President Megawati give Cabinet positions to the supporting factions in the Special Session as a token of gratitude?
Let us test the sincerity of the President and the other nine factions. What is requested from them is their sacrifice not to sit in the Cabinet for the sake of holding power, but to solve the problems facing the country in the present multi-faceted crisis. They should start thinking about how to end the sufferings that have befallen the people until now. Allow us to call on President Megawati and the other nine factions to thoroughly consider the following simple ideas: 1. Draw up simple but solid working plans and programs, considering the country's and the people's miserable conditions. 2. If necessary, President Megawati should appoint ministers not coming from the nine factions supporting her. The persons appointed should be skillful, highly professional, "clean" and honest.
As a daughter of Bung Karno, the founding father of the Republic of Indonesia, Megawati has proved herself capable of uniting the people, at least within the People's Consultative Assembly, to support her. So, now it is the time for her to try to act like Bung Hatta as a fully-dedicated, honest and clean administrator. Don't let the support that she has enjoyed and the unity she has built be wasted. It's time Megawati and the parties supporting her gave an example of how to make a sacrifice for the sake of the people. And, remember the people are too tired to make any more sacrifices. If Megawati and the parties supporting her give the impression to the people that they are concerned only with power sharing, what difference is there between her administration and the previous one?
JUGIA WAHAB
Jakarta