Megawati fails to live up to reform hopes: Experts

Megawati fails to live up to reform hopes: Experts

Kurniawan Hari, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Megawati Sukarnoputri has failed to live up to the spirit of
reform, especially as regards upholding the supremacy of law,
during her first 100 days in office, tempting the public at large
to take the law into their own hands, legal experts say.

"The public no longer trusts our legal system," Harkristuti
Harkrisnowo, a criminologist from the University of Indonesia,
said at a discussion held here on Tuesday to evaluate Megawati's
first 100 days as President.

Harkristuti, who is familiarly known as Tuti, expressed
concern over the fact that disillusionment with the present legal
system had led the public at large to take the law into their own
hands, pointing to the tendency in certain quarters of society to
readily set suspected thieves ablaze.

"And what is more worrying is the fact that none of these
vigilantes have ever been brought to court for trial," she said.

Tuti, however, did not pin the blame for this on police
officers as they received dismally low salaries and inadequate
facilities.

Almost immediately after Megawati took over the leadership of
the country on July 23, after the People's Consultative Assembly
(MPR) had impeached and removed Abdurrahman Wahid for
incompetence and alleged corruption, she promised to increase
salaries for members of the security forces, but a funding crisis
has since forced her to back off her plan.

Meanwhile, constitutional expert and former advisor to ex-
president Abdurrahman Wahid, Harun Al Rasyid, said that Indonesia
did not enforce the supremacy of law but rather that of politics.

The rise of Megawati to the presidency showed that the country
was more accommodative of political interests than law
enforcement, he said.

Harun emphasized that the transfer of power from Abdurrahman
to Megawati on July 23 had no legal basis.

"It clearly shows that the supremacy of politics prevails over
the supremacy of law," he added.

Harun, however, suggested that Megawati be allowed to serve
out her presidential term until 2004.

Fellow University of Indonesia lecturer Topo Santoso concurred
with Harun, saying that Megawati's poor performance in law
enforcement was evident in 'discriminatory legal processes'
against corrupt bankers.

Touching on the Bank Indonesia Liquidity Support (BLBI)
scandal that has caused losses to the state totaling Rp 136
trillion, Topo said all corrupt officials and bankers must be
brought to court.

Referring to a recent survey on law enforcement, Topo said 67
percent of respondents believed that law enforcement was non-
existent.

"And 80 percent of them said that the eradication of
corruption has made no progress," Topo said.

On the economic front, Megawati's performance during the first
100 days has also been criticized as poor.

Chairman of the Indonesian Retail Merchants' Association
Kustarjono Prodjolalito said economic progress under Megawati's
administration was slow.

"Our economy is at its nadir; it's tough to arise from such a
position," he said.

For Megawati to speed up the country's economic recovery, she
should take a more micro approach, including eliminating
inefficiencies at the economic grassroots level, he explained.

Kustarjono said the government should curb unnecessary
spending in local administrations, which could lead to
significant savings.

Milestones of the Megawati administration

- Jul.23, inaugurated as President, replacing Abdurrahman Wahid.

- Aug.8, orders police chief Surojo Bimantoro to arrest the
fugitive Tommy Soeharto.

- Aug.9, announces 32-member rainbow cabinet lineup.

- Aug.14, appoints M.A. Rachman as Attorney General.

- Aug.16, delivers state-of-the-nation address on corruption
eradication and national integrity -- garners praise from
experts.

- Aug.21, begins a week-long ASEAN trip.

- Sept.7, unveils a conservative budget.

- Sept.17, heads for U.S. amid U.S. preparations for war against
terrorism.

- Oct.5, tells military to quit practical politics.

- Oct.14, says violence must not beget violence, in an apparent
message to U.S. that had launched strikes on Afghanistan.

- Oct.17, attends Shanghai APEC Summit.

- Oct.28, gives Youth Pledge Day speech calling for national
unity.