More realistic stance toward past wrongdoings needed

More realistic stance toward past wrongdoings needed

Forming a strong coalition to sustain the government until
2004 should be the main agenda of this week's scheduled meeting
among political party leaders, says political science lecturer
Pratikno from the Gadjah Mada University in Yogyakarta.

Question: What should be achieved in the meeting among
political party leaders scheduled this week?

Answer: As the biggest political party, I hope the Indonesian
Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) will take the
initiative of setting up a strong coalition to sustain the
government until 2004. This could be a solution to weak
government.

Even if Gus Dur (President Abdurrahman Wahid) resigns and Vice
President Megawati Soekarnoputri takes over the presidency, her
government still needs a strong coalition that would guarantee
political parties' consistency in supporting the government.

We should derive a lesson from Gus Dur's election as
President, after which he was betrayed by the axis force (the
loose coalition of Islamic parties).

But before offering such a coalition, PDI Perjuangan should
ensure that an agreement (outlining power sharing arrangements)
has been reached between Megawati and the President.

Megawati should actively convince Gus Dur that there are now
only two options available to him: that he resign or that he
remain a President without authority to govern.

Without an agenda (of a coalition agreement), the meeting
(among political party leaders) will be useless.

Q: What kind of coalition proposal should be introduced by PDI
Perjuangan to other political parties?

A: The proposal should contain important agenda items that the
administration, possibly under Vice President Megawati, would run
until 2004. And the most important thing is that it also includes
a clear stance by the administration on human rights violations,
corruption cases and any other wrongdoing committed in the past.

One of the mistakes of Gus Dur's administration is its stance
against the past, which has made the old players become too
reactive and defensive because they feel insecure.

Megawati should learn to be more realistic. There are too many
players in the country's economic and political arena who could
be involved in past wrongdoings, therefore we can't treat them as
enemies. The coalition agreement should contain a spirit of
reconciliation with the past.

We have to retreat several steps from Gus Dur's expectations
in dealing with the past, for no matter how dark their record in
the past, the old players remain strong now.

Q: Which political parties would join the coalition?

A: PDI Perjuangan should retain Gus Dur's National Awakening
Party (PKB) in the coalition because it is the party which is
most free from past mistakes. The other members of the coalition
could be any political parties which agree with the coalition
agreement offered by PDI Perjuangan.

Q: What scenarios lie ahead?

A: From a pragmatic point of view, Gus Dur's early resignation
would help Megawati form and run an effective government, but
this could be a mistake if Gus Dur's supporters become angry over
his resignation. Therefore, Gus Dur should remain President
without the authority over daily policy making, which would be
taken over by Megawati. Gus Dur's presidency would only be
symbolic, which could lessen his supporters' discontent.

It would be the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR)'s role to
provide such a political settlement with a legal basis, in the
form of an MPR decree. A presidential decree would not be
adequate because the decree must also stipulate the Vice
President's obligation to accept responsibility for all
government policies during her term, while the President would be
free from such a responsibility because he would no longer have
the right to influence the policy making process.

Q: But President Abdurrahman has so far not been willing to hand
over such authority...

A: This is the best option for him instead of either being
impeached or retaining his post and causing the country to
collapse. Megawati and people around him, particularly from
Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) and PKB, should convince him of this. Gus
Dur must agree with the idea, it is only a matter of time. The
sooner he bows to the compromise the better.

PDI Perjuangan supporters at the grass roots level, the
abangan people (considered casual regarding religion), have
started a new phase of relations with President Abdurrahman
supporters, the rural (pious) santri who are NU followers. This
started several years ago as a result of the good relationship
between Megawati and Abdurrahman. The two groups' future
relations depend on the future relationship between these two
leaders.

Q: What do you suggest?

A: The two groups (of supporters) are those mainly referred to
when politicians speak of "the people". Ironically, they have
been marginalized for years. Therefore, it would be terrible if
the two fight each other. Many young figures and politicians in
NU and PKB, such as Ali Masykur Musa, are likely to understand
what is needed to maintain good relations between the two groups
of supporters.

Even (NU chairman) Hasyim Muzadi is a good leader who can
maintain independence, despite the fact that NU's most popular
figure, Gus Dur, is now the center of state (power).

Regarding PDI Perjuangan's supporters, Megawati remains the
only hope to keep her loyal supporters under control. She will
surely do everything possible to prevent her supporters from
conflicting with those of Gus Dur. However, leaders of the two
groups should maintain vigilance over any developments at the
grass roots level. In this case, the media also plays an
important role in conveying proper information to the public.
(Asip A. Hasani)