New Order elements in 'autonomous' regional legislative bodies
New Order elements in 'autonomous' regional legislative bodies
JAKARTA (JP): An environmentalist was aghast upon discovering
that a regent in East Kalimantan has been parceling out lands to
business people, issuing 200 "minor" concessions for protected
forests.
The sad thing is, according to Longgena Ginting of the
Indonesian Environmental Forum (Walhi), the regent was only doing
what will come within his authority anyway when the laws on
regional autonomy and fiscal balance come into effect in January
2001.
"He just decided to put the laws into effect months ahead of
time," Ginting said sarcastically, adding that such abuse of
power may become rampant under the new laws. "Who will control
people like this regent? It should be the local legislative
bodies, but we know how weak our DPRD (local legislative
councils) are."
Do we have able regional watchdogs, politicians and community
leaders? Who are our regional legislators? Do they have the
qualities to act as good watchdogs?
Sadly no, according to a recent study by the Institute for
Policy and Community Studies (IPCOS). The researchers, led by
Benny Subianto, concluded that the changes brought about by the
1998 reform movement have not deeply impinged upon local and
regional political structures.
"The great changes in the administrative and political
institutions have failed to eliminate the New Order's political
behavior and elements," the study said. "The political process
continues in the old pattern, while the roles and functions of
the political institutions such as political parties and DPRD are
still performed in pretty much the same way."
It was a case of muka lama baju baru (old wine in a new
bottle) as regards regional politics throughout the 17 regencies
in 9 provinces (North Sumatra, South Sumatra, West Kalimantan,
South Sulawesi, Irian Jaya or West Papua, West Java, Central
Java, East Java and Jakarta) that were studied. A total of 314
politicians (mostly under 40 years of age, both in and outside of
the DPRD, members of the political parties and Indonesian
Military representatives in the legislative bodies) participated
in the research.
"(Following reform) what we have here is not a change of the
guard but a reordering of the old guard," the study said. "This
means that the old guard of the New Order remains at the center
stage of local politics, some of them remain in their old parties
(Golkar, PPP and PDI) while others have moved to new parties."
The pattern that emerges is for the "old" politicians to
abandon Golkar and move to the PDI Perjuangan or PKP, while those
from the PPP moved to the PKB, PBB or other Islamic parties.
"In short, local reform has only led to a metamorphosis of the
old political elite. They may be wearing new clothes, but their
spirit remains the same," the study said.
As people brought up during Soeharto's years in power, many of
the politicians behave in ways reminiscent of the New Order. For
instance, most of them, especially those in the PDI Perjuangan,
are business people.
"This fact raises the question of how a party that claims to
be the political defender of the "small people", is actually
being supported by the bourgeoisie," the report said.
"Local business people are usually in close contact with the
local elite, especially the bureaucrats. We may assume that most
local politicians are those who have in the past enjoyed or are
still enjoying the patronage of the local elite," it further
said.
Granted that local politics needs the financial support of
local business people, but the disproportionate number of
business people who have become politicians may create conflicts
of interest.
"Will they be able to sacrifice their interests when they
conflict with the interests of their supporters who are mostly
from different classes, such as workers, farmers and fishermen,"
the study said. "This is an unwelcome (development) in our local
politics." (swe)