Megawati censures govt for immature political system

JAKARTA (JP): Megawati Soekarnoputri, in her address commemorating the Indonesian Democratic Party's (PDI) 25th anniversary, censured the government for failing to develop an accountable political system which she said had crippled the growth of other political parties.

"After a quarter of a century in existence, I can candidly say that up to this very second, PDI has yet to mature and grow. Why is this?

"Because the prevailing political system demands and creates it that way. This shows our political system is far from mature, which also means that there has been a failure in the political development of our national leadership," said Megawati, who is the daughter of Indonesia's first president, Sukarno.

"The source of this failure stems from the arrogance and maintenance of a hegemonic power which has destroyed every seam of our state law," charged Megawati.

Her strong remarks were made at a gathering at her residence in South Jakarta Saturday night which was attended by some 2,000 people.

The gathering proceeded without incident even though police had previously warned that it would break up any event which was labeled as a PDI gathering.

Megawati was ousted as PDI's chairwoman during a government- backed congress in June 1996. She was replaced by Soerjadi who held his own PDI celebration on Jl. Denpasar, South Jakarta on Saturday.

PDI was formed in 1973 as the result of a merger of four political parties.

Aside from censuring the government on its failure in political development, Megawati also declared that she would be willing to be nominated for president.

She said she was willing to be nominated because she was concerned that none of the country's best sons or daughters apparently had the "boldness" to openly declare their nomination.

Megawati also urged that President Soeharto, who will be 77 in June, not be renominated for a seventh consecutive term.

"Give him time to rest. Give him time to live again as a regular citizen because I am sure that he doesn't want to be president for life," she remarked.

Debts

In her 50-minute address, Megawati pointed to a lack of transparency, accountability and the death of democracy as reasons for the country's worsening economic crisis.

She said such carelessness toward the people's sovereignty had resulted in the negligent accumulation of foreign debts.

While maintaining that she was not adverse to the procurement of foreign aid, she said its use was often speculative in an environment where unfree economic competition ruled.

"Can they (the government) pay back its debts with the dollar exchange rate doubling like this?

"The lack of transparency has created a closed decision-making process," she lamented.

She said that those in power must be held accountable and urged people to take legal action against corrupt officials and those who had caused the national economy to decay.

While expressing her gratitude to other countries which have extended assistance to Indonesia, Megawati insisted that the loans not be used to bail out conglomerates that had submerged themselves in debt at the expense of the nation.

She urged people to help establish a clean government "willing to be held accountable by law and the people through democratic and legal institutions".

"I think this crisis cannot be overcome without a realization that reform and corrections have to occur," she said.

"Is it not possible for us not to produce new leaders who are more hearty, fresh and willing to listen to the cries of the people?" (imn/mds)