Parties dismiss list of 'crooked politicians'

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The publication of the list of roguish politicians would not have an impact on political party performance in the upcoming general elections, some leaders of political parties asserted on Sunday.

They also said that the publication was sensationalized and subjective, and people should question the credibility.

Speaking to The Jakarta Post, deputy chairman of the National Mandate Party (PAN) Abdillah Toha acknowledged that some (five) PAN legislators had been included on the original list of 61, but he argued that it would not affect PAN's image.

The PAN legislators were included on the list, along with other House members from other parties, because they refused to admit that there were violations of human rights in the Trisakti and Semanggi shooting incidents in 1998 and 1999, which claimed the lives of several students.

"The work of the House of Representatives is a collective work, so I don't think that the publication of crooked politicians will severely affect my party," said Abdillah.

Roy B.B. Janis, a key leader of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) with 13 of the 61 crooks, called the publication sensationalized and baseless.

"The NGO activists are merely trying to seek popularity. The public is already mature and they will not believe such a list," he claimed Roy.

The two party leaders were commenting on the list, published on Saturday by a group of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) calling themselves "the National Movement Against Crooked Politicians".

It was the first in a series of three, with the next two expected to appear later this week. The first list has the names of 61 DPR legislators and DPD (Regional Representatives Council) candidates who are running in the April 5 legislative election along with their respective parties, election areas and brief descriptions of their questionable records.

Most of the names, 18, came from the Golkar Party, followed by PDI-P with 13, the United Development Party (PPP) with 10; while the Concern for the Nation Functional Party (PKPB) and PAN have five each.

The remaining are from the National Awakening Party (PKB), the Crescent Star Party (PBB), the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS), the Pioneers' Party and another one who is running for Jakarta's DPD.

Slamet Effendy Yusuf, a legislator and leader of Golkar, warned that the group of NGOs had to be "careful" about including the names of people on the list.

He said that his 18 colleagues were included on the list, only because they fought for a political stance that may not be popular.

"This is not fair. The group has to be careful, otherwise, the inclusion of those names can be considered character assassination," he said, while pointing out the example of the Trisakti and Semanggi massacres.

A legislator whose name was included on the list said, "I think the people know my track record. It is unfair to put me on the list just because I have different opinion of what constitutes a human rights violation."

Separately, a political observer Ikrar Nusa Bakti of the Indonesia Institute of Sciences (LIPI) welcomed the list, saying that the information would be useful for the public, especially would-be voters.

"Most of them have never heard about these candidates, let alone their track records," Ikrar commented.