Observers blame President for government's poor performance

JAKARTA (JP): Political and legal observers blamed President Abdurrahman Wahid on Tuesday for the government's poor performance, saying the President and his leadership style were the main reason for the country's continued problems.

Affan Gaffar, a political observer from Yogyakarta's Gadjah Mada University, said political instability and the absence of signals of an economic recovery stemmed from the controversies surrounding the President since his election in October 1999.

"The controversies have come from Gus Dur himself. Since his inauguration as President, he has made numerous controversial statements and policies that have damaged the economy and made the political situation unstable," he said during a discussion held here to evaluate the government's performance.

He said Gus Dur also had made numerous promises to uphold democracy and the supremacy of law, but none of these promises were workable.

Affan cited Abdurrahman's proposal to revoke the 1966 Provisional People's Consultative Assembly decree banning the teaching of communism, and his decision to delay the prosecution of the heads of three troubled conglomerates.

"Besides, the President's alleged involvement in the Bulog and Brunei scandals have helped ruin his government's credibility," he said.

Azyumardi Azra, rector of the Jakarta State Institute of Islamic Studies, said Gus Dur was not only part of the problem, but he and the way he led the nation were the main problem.

"The people's hope for improvement has become dim, even skeptical and helpless," he said.

He said Abdurrahman's decision to appoint "incredible" figures to the Cabinet, his controversial meeting with fugitive Hutomo "Tommy" Mandala Putra, the son of former president Soeharto, and the Bulog and Brunei scandals had added to the people's disappointment.

"Gus Dur's government is losing credibility, authority and possibly legitimacy," he said.

Legal observer Kastorius Sinaga noted that law reform was stagnant compared to the progress made by past regimes.

"Law violations in the country have begun from the palace. President Abdurrahman Wahid's involvement in the so-called Bulog and Brunei scandals and his shocking meeting with Tommy at Borobudur Hotel show how poorly the law is being promoted," Kastorius said while addressing a discussion on the government's legal performance during the year.

He said Abdurrahman's administration had been less productive than that of his predecessor B.J. Habibie, which produced 98 bills.

"What the current government is doing is amending Law No. 23/1999 on the independence of the central bank, which turns out to be a political move by the government to take over the function and authority of the bank."

Noted human rights activist Todung Mulya Lubis said he was pessimistic about the administration's ability to cultivate a respect for the law.

"We have lost a golden opportunity for a total reform of our legal system, because the government cannot break with the past where the law was always mixed with momentary political interests."

He said the delay in handling past human rights abuses, including in East Timor and Aceh, could turn into a time bomb which could destroy the people's trust in the legal system.

Todung believes the Attorney General's Office is key to promoting the supremacy of the law, and therefore should be given greater power and independence to perform its duties.

He, however, suggested the Ministry of Justice and Human Rights be dissolved because its duties were being handled by the National Commission of Law.

Legislator and legal expert J.E. Sahetapy said the government had yet to "cleanse" the legal system of corruption, which encompasses prosecutors, police and judges.

"They still do not have the integrity to uphold and promote the law." (rms/bby)