New look Golkar faces problem in policy reformation

JAKARTA (JP): The many new faces in the government-backed Golkar faction in the new House of Representatives will be a problem in the political organization's policy reformation, politicians said yesterday.

Only 20 percent of 282 Golkar legislators will keep their seats when the House's five-year term ends Sept. 30.

The few old faces will line up in the 325-strong Golkar faction which is certain to dominate the next legislative body.

The huge number of Golkar debutants has raised public expectations of a different style of faction, mainly because of the party's campaign promises.

"Reformation does not always come from changes in crew membership, but from consistency in launching fresh ideas," outgoing Golkar legislator Didiet Haryadi Priyohutomo said yesterday.

He said the faction would suffer a setback to conservatism if it failed to deliver its major campaign promise of eradicating corruption and collusion from the bureaucracy.

"People wait for nothing but Golkar's successful anti-graft campaign. It is politically complicated because it will pit bureaucrats against fellow Golkar cadres," he said.

Minority parties have repeatedly criticized Golkar for relying on the support of the bureaucracy and the armed forces.

One Golkar legislator who will be back, Slamet Effendy Yusuf, said the party's commitment to clean government was beyond question, but legislators could not carry the burden of fulfilling campaign promises.

"All policies, including the anticorruption campaign, came from Golkar's central board, not the legislators," Slamet said.

He said many legislative candidates joined the chorus of anticorruption calls during the electoral campaign in their capacity as Golkar cadres.

Slamet agreed with Didiet that Golkar's members being predominantly debutants did not guarantee a reformation in the House.

"Efforts to empower the House do not depend solely on each legislator but also on the political environment and the public image of the legislative body," he said.

He said the political system was allowing more people to express their aspirations but that improvement was needed.

"It's naive to compare democratization in Indonesia with that in countries with established democratic traditions. I believe, anyway, that democracy is a matter of time here," he said.

Slamet said Golkar played a key role in the efforts to empower the House.

The House is thinking about amending its internal rules that have been blamed for preventing it from executing its control over the government.

In a bid to do a good job, Golkar has prepared a team of experts to help its legislators.

Another second-term Golkar legislator, Syamsul Mu'arif, said the faction would maintain its traditional stance of criticizing the government without becoming an opposition force.

"It's important for each legislator, therefore, not to shut his or her mouth but to develop improvisation skills. A silent Golkar will cost the House and the nation democratization," he said. (amd)