Only radical reforms can end present crisis, says scholar
Only radical reforms can end present crisis, says scholar
JAKARTA (JP): Political scholar Nurcholish Madjid said
yesterday the nation must be willing to engage in radical
political and economic reforms if it is to lift itself from the
monetary crisis.
Addressing a discussion on good governance, Nurcholish said
the economic crisis was not cyclical but systematic.
"We will be successful in salvaging our economy only if we
take fundamental measures to settle the crisis," he told
participants of the discussion, organized by the Bina Pembangunan
Foundation.
He said the country should abandon the current model of state
leadership, which is under the authority of one person.
"Good governance cannot be established upon a person's
goodwill," he said. "There must be transparency in the
implementation of all policies and also social control by the
people."
Constitutional law expert, Yusril Ihza Mahendra, called for a
reform of the 1945 Constitution.
"The People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) and the House of
Representatives (DPR) are supposed to perform the people's task
as social control.
"Yet, the two legislative councils are still unable to perform
such duties," said Yusril, who joined Nurcholish in the same
discussion session.
He said amendments to the Constitution might be beneficial in
improving the performance of the two legislative councils.
Nurcholish said the state leader should be brilliant and
provide examples of attitude to the people in their daily life.
"State leaders must be long-term oriented," he said.
He also said that state leaders should not be greedy and
opportunistic.
"State leaders now act not only as the state authority but
also businesspeople," he said.
Nurcholish suggested the government guarantee that laws be
applied equally and accordingly.
"Foreign investors will come here if we can guarantee that the
Rule of Law principles be upheld," he said. "Currently, they
doubt investing their money here because the country lacks
political and economic predictability."
Former student activist of the 1966 generation, Siswono
Yudohusodo, called on the nation yesterday to continue efforts to
establish a fair political culture and attitude among the people.
"A fair political culture and attitude is important to
eradicate dissatisfaction and hatred, which can still be found
among some Indonesians," Siswono told a seminar on politics, held
by the Association of the Indonesian Catholic Intellectuals in
Semarang yesterday.
Siswono, who is also the Minister of Transmigration, said that
dissatisfaction and hatred grow prolifically among people or
parties, who have not been exposed to political competition.
(imn/har)
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