New parliament, old attitude?

New parliament, old attitude?

Leaders of the House of Representatives have asked the
President to ratify a draft law stipulating the conditions for
declaring a state of emergency. The draft was passed in September
1999 by the legislature during the tenure of the Development
Reform Cabinet. At that time though, it met with fierce
opposition from demonstrators who proclaimed they represented
students and the community.

We were naturally surprised to learn that a legitimate House
of Representatives is now asking that the same draft be ratified.
The consideration for doing so, too, is the same: to provide a
legal basis for anticipating emergencies. Legislators also
consider this draft to be more progressive than the old
antisubversion law.

Should the law be ratified, we have reason to ask whether all
governments are actually the same in their inclination to try to
stay in power. This is not a mere question of consistency, but of
morality.

-- Republika, Jakarta