Political reforms not for barter: Observers

Political reforms not for barter: Observers

JAKARTA (JP): Political observers said over the weekend that
there should be no bargaining on the urgency of political reforms
in the country.

Secretary-general of the Association of Indonesian Moslem
Intellectuals (ICMI), Adi Sasono, and the University of
Indonesia's Yusril Ihza Mahendra said separately on Saturday that
any questions over the need for reforms were void.

Adi, also chairman of the Center for Information and
Development Studies (CIDES), an ICMI think tank, sought the
government's willingness to let people share opinions on state
affairs and ideas in times of crisis.

"The forum to absorb the people's aspirations could be a
national dialog, seminars or discussions," he told the media
after moderating a seminar on human resources development, held
by the Sunda Kelapa Moslem Youths.

Adi suggested that influential public figures should be
invited to participate in the national dialog, believing it would
be positive for the public in understanding the government's
policies.

"People will then get the impression that the government is
really willing to listen to their aspirations."

He also said it could help reduce the people's degree of
radicalism.

He cited the chairman of the 28-million strong Muhammadiyah
Moslem organization, Amien Rais, chairman of the 30-million
strong Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) Moslem organization Abdurrahman Wahid
and the ousted leader of the Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI),
Megawati Soekarnoputri, among the public figures who should be
invited.

Adi said organization of the forums should rest mainly with
the government.

Meanwhile, Yusril Ihza Mahendra said the monetary crisis could
not be settled through economic reforms alone.

"We need political rather than economic reforms," he said,
adding that the government now needed to regain the people's
trust.

"The people, including the conglomerates, do not believe the
government anymore," he said. "How could they trust the
government if it continues to provide privileges to certain
individuals?"

He said there should be reforms in the country's political
system, including the bureaucracy, which took the public's
aspirations into account.

He added the government should not conceal the "sickness"
anymore.

"It's completely wrong to say that there has been nothing
wrong with our country," he said.

Adi said the gauge of whether the government would be willing
to implement reforms would later be seen in the final legislation
issued by the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR).

"There shouldn't be any gap between the MPR's products and the
people's aspirations for reforms."

Members of the 1,000-strong MPR will reconvene next March to
elect a president and a vice president, and endorse the 1998/2003
State Policy Guidelines.

Opposition

Adi welcomed the idea of establishing an opposition party in
the country.

"Any political reforms should be aimed at establishing the
'check-and-balance' mechanism in the political system.

"The idea of establishing an opposition party is logical and
in line with the people's increasing political awareness and
global challenges of the 21st century. The system of one
political organization and two political parties might not be
appropriate anymore."

Adi said that establishing an opposition party did not
necessarily mean that there would be only two parties in the
country's political system -- the ruling party and its
opposition.

"The number of political parties, which function as the
controlling parties, can be more than one," he said.

He, however, said that the limitation on the number of
political parties should occur naturally and not be artificially
decided by those in power.

"Give the people's freedom to establish their own political
party according to their political aspirations," he said. (imn)