Observers: Parties lack nationalism

Observers: Parties lack nationalism

JAKARTA (JP): Observers lamented on Monday the eroding
nationalism among political parties and politicians, saying they
are being trapped in their conflicting interests while problems
threaten the nation's integrity.

Arbi Sanit, a political expert from the University of
Indonesia, said most political parties that won seats in the
House of Representatives in the 1999 general election have lost
the sympathy of the people because of their failure to settle the
problems faced by the nation and in particular certain regions.

"Political parties have created a distance from their
supporters. They are busy fighting tooth and nail for their own
interests while the majority of people have to survive the
hardship triggered by the economic crisis, massive killings in
Aceh, Maluku and Poso, Central Sulawesi, and injustice and
backwardness in remote areas," Arbi said during a political
discussion here.

The discussion on how to solve national problems was jointly
organized by the mass organization SOKSI and the German Institute
of Konrad Adenauer Stiftung.

Arbi said political parties should revamp themselves and
introduce the district system in the next general election to
bring them closer to their constituents.

"With such a system, political parties should be able to
develop a coalition to win the majority of support from the
parliament to form a strong government," he said.

Leo Batubara, a press industry executive, suggested the
regents, governors and president should be elected directly to
avoid manipulation of people's aspirations by political parties
and their factions in the House.

"It was ironic that the elect president came from the National
Awakening Party (PKB) while the past election's winners were the
Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) and the
Golkar Party. Amateur politicians have taken advantage of this
condition by using money politics in regent and governor
elections," he said.

Maruli Panggabean, a political observer, said the threshold to
contest the general election should be elevated to three percent,
instead of the present two percent, to reduce the number of
political parties to a minimum.

"Ideally, we will have between two and four parties. The great
number of political parties reflects politicians' egoism and
hunger for power," he said.

Oetojo Oesman, SOKSI chairman, said that people have yet to be
confident of decrees issued by the Assembly in its recent Annual
Session as good solutions to the existing problems.

He said all sides, especially the state institutions, should
implement principles of social justice for all and respect the
supremacy of the law in order to improve the quality of
democracy.

University students, who were also invited to the seminar,
regretted that political elites lack nationalism and commitment
to upholding democracy.

Muhammad Choirie, a student activist from the Ambon-based
Islamic University of Darussalam, said people in Maluku and North
Maluku have fallen victim to conflict between local political
elites who have lost their nationalism.

Harris, a student activist from the University of Indonesia,
said most students from the Jakarta-based university were
disappointed with the government and the House for their failure
to stop the prevailing violence, to defuse the crisis and to ease
the political instability.

Heri Achmadi, secretary of the PDI Perjuangan faction of the
House, admitted his party has yet to fully accommodate the
people's aspirations, especially in the amendments to the 1945
Constitution.

"Some of the people are disappointed with PDI Perjuangan but
it is normal in democracy. Major factions are commonly forced to
make compromises to avoid violence among the people," he said.

Syamsul Mu'arif, chairman of the Golkar faction, said the
House and the Assembly should use the transition period to seek a
professional national leader and establish a better political
system to repair the poor condition of the country.

"Golkar is confident the situation will improve if Indonesia
has wise and professional leaders and a better political system,"
he said. (rms)