Money politics is 'real threat'

JAKARTA (JP): Emil Salim, one of Indonesia's most respected statesmen, warned on Wednesday that the credibility of next month's general election is facing a "real threat" from money politics.

In an address to a seminar titled "Indonesia Takes Challenges in Multiparty Elections", he referred to the practice of bureaucrats abusing state facilities for their own political gains.

Emil, "Mr. Clean" in Soeharto's New Order technocracy, observed that President B.J. Habibie is doing everything in his power to engineer the upcoming election so that "he can serve longer".

Habibie, who was hand-picked by his long-time patron Soeharto last May, is generally considered a "transitional" president whose main job is to prepare next month's elections.

Emil said that although the Habibie administration claims to be a "reform government", it practices the New Order's politicking tactics.

The National Planning Board's recent revelation that Rp 8 trillion in social safety net funds from foreign donors had been diverted for "a political party", proved this, he said.

"The State Secretary (Akbar Tanjung) busy campaigning for Golkar without him being aware that he had abused government facilities for his party is good proof that it is politics-as- usual," Emil said.

Emil proposed that all the contesting parties should be transparent about the source of their funding and the use of money they solicited from donors and from the state budget.

"The funds have to be audited by the public accountant and announced to the public," he said .

Emil did not name which of the 48 political parties contesting the June 7 elections are engaged in money politics. Some politicians and activists have pointed their fingers at Golkar Party and the People's Sovereignty Party (PDR).

Legislative candidates, Emil said, should announce their private wealth before they assume office, and political parties publicly account for donations they receive.

Donations from corporations, including state-owned ones, should be banned because the companies are accountable to their shareholders, he said.

"Corporate donations for legislative candidates will create a conflict of interest because, if elected, the politicians may defend the businesses instead of the people they represent. (pan)