No-confidence motion against Arifin baseless: Legislator
No-confidence motion against Arifin baseless: Legislator
JAKARTA (JP): Aberson Marle Sihaloho, an outspoken legislator
of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan),
deplores a motion of no confidence being pushed forward by many
members of the PDI Perjuangan faction at the House of
Representatives against Arifin Panigoro.
He described the move as baseless.
"I don't see any rational and substantial reasons for my
fellow legislators to call for the no confidence motion. The
party's executive board is expected to turn down it," he told The
Jakarta Post here on Friday.
He said the executive board's decision would depend not on the
number of members supporting the motion but on the reasons behind
it.
Reliable sources at the faction said many members were
disgruntled at Arifin's chairmanship of the faction because of
his bad temperament and close links with Ginandjar Kartasasmita,
a Golkar Party figure who played an important role in former
president Soeharto's Cabinets during the New Order era.
Aberson said that up to Friday evening, the number of
legislators who had given their support to the motion reached
more than 80. He said he would not participate in the motion.
"Objectively, Arifin's leadership of the faction is far better
than his predecessor, Dimyati Hartono. He is open to all
(faction) members, problems and criticism. He always presides
over faction meetings and has never made any decision by
himself," he said.
Asked to comment on his close relationship with Golkar
figures, including Ginandjar, Aberson said it was normal for a
legislator, and even for Arifin, because besides being chairman
of the PDI Perjuangan faction, he was also a businessman.
"The leadership of a political party is not a matter of like
and dislike or old members and newcomers. Of most importance is
that he is committed to sharing PDI Perjuangan's struggle and
vision. And so far, his close links with Golkar figures has not
influenced party policy," he said. (rms)