PDI renews calls for bureaucratic reform

JAKARTA (JP): The government-recognized Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI) marked its 25th anniversary celebration over the weekend with a fresh call for bureaucratic reforms.

PDI chairman Soerjadi said in his speech Saturday highlighting the modest celebration that such reforms are of great significance, particularly when the country is trying to lift itself out of the monetary crisis.

"The ongoing crisis teaches us a lesson that economic ailments cannot be healed by our economic machine alone ... We need an efficient, transparent, rational and law abiding bureaucracy to support economic restoration," he told 100 attendants, including the party's top brass.

A breakaway celebration was held separately by supporters of Megawati Soekarnoputri, who was ousted from the party's leadership in a government-backed congress in June 1996.

PDI has been beleaguered with internal conflict since its establishment as a fusion of tiny Christian and nationalist parties on Jan. 10, 1973.

Soerjadi said Saturday bureaucratic reforms suggested a massive drive to combat corruption which he said resulted in inefficiency and the withering away of public confidence in the government.

"A good bureaucracy will boost economic growth and equal distribution of income and lay a conducive ground for national stability," he said.

Next on the reform agenda was building a professional bureaucracy which does not affiliate itself to a certain political organization, Soerjadi said.

"The inevitable free trade will require us to dissolve those traditional characteristics of our bureaucracy. We believe that a clean government is all that we can rely on when we are facing the present crisis or other adversities that may come in the future," he said.

PDI and fellow minority party, the Moslem-based United Development Party (PPP), have long complained about the bureaucracy's monoloyalty to dominant Golkar, winner of each of the six general elections held under the New Order since 1971.

The party recently delivered a motion on a clean and modern bureaucracy to the People's Consultative Assembly, but it was ruled out.

Elections

Soerjadi said bureaucratic reforms would not proceed without a democratic mechanism which allowed the House of Representatives to control the government.

He blamed the House for failing to effectively control the government on Golkar's all-out efforts to win majority votes in the general elections.

Golkar secured a record 74 percent of votes in the May 29 election last year, which was marred by sporadic riots and vote rigging allegations. The victory earned Golkar 325 seats in the House.

PDI, weakened by an internal split, suffered its worst defeat ever, managing to secure only 11 out of the 425 seats up for grabs.

Soerjadi reiterated Saturday PDI's demand for changes to the election rules to ensure a fair and just poll.

"The present election rules restrict political organizations from reaching their grassroots in villages and taking part in the most important stages of the polls, namely the registration of eligible voters, voting and ballot counting," he said.

PDI and PPP have urged the People's Consultative Assembly to establish decrees which would allow political organizations contesting the polls to play an administrative role in the elections and to set up branches in villages.

The two motions are currently being deliberated in the Assembly, but are facing stiff opposition from Golkar. (amd)