PPP admits failure in promoting reform

PPP admits failure in promoting reform

DEPOK, West Java (JP): The United Development Party (PPP)
admitted yesterday that it had failed in its campaign for speedy
and sweeping reforms during the recent General Session of the
People's Consultative Assembly (MPR).

PPP executive Jusuf Syakir described in a discussion at the
University of Indonesia how puny its 134 members seemed before
the 850 members of the dominant Golkar, the Armed Forces and the
regional representatives factions in the 1,000-strong Assembly.

The three powerful allies threw their full weight behind the
administration's choice for gradual rather than faster-paced
reform. The remaining 16 seats are occupied by the tiny
Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI).

Jusuf promised, however, the failure would not stop the party
from making further efforts to promote political and economic
reforms.

"We will keep struggling," Jusuf said.

Jusuf also attributed the failure to what he believed was the
loss of courage and outspokenness on the part of the legislative
body.

"Courage is the only way to solve the numbness in the People's
Consultative Assembly," Jusuf said.

Jusuf said further that the party was not satisfied with the
result of the General Session.

The session, which began on March 1 and concluded March 11,
returned Soeharto to his seventh consecutive term in office,
elected B.J. Habibie as vice president and endorsed the Golkar-
sponsored 1998/2003 State Policy Guidelines.

PPP executives were among important newsmakers during the
General Session, especially when the Moslem-based party withheld
its endorsement of President Soeharto's accountability speech.

The party argued that President Soeharto had failed to give a
crystal-clear explanation about issues such as the current
economic crisis, poor law enforcement, corruption in the
bureaucracy and the painfully slow pace of political change.

PPP spokesman Alfian Darmawan said earlier this month that the
party was very surprised to learn that the President did not
provide a complete account about basic issues which his
government had not properly addressed.

He said the government appeared confused about how the
deteriorating economic crisis could be solved.

The rupiah has depreciated more than 70 percent against the
U.S. dollar since the economic turmoil began last July, sending
countless companies to the brink of bankruptcy and pushing prices
sky high.

Skyrocketing prices of essential commodities have sparked food
riots in more than 20 towns and cities across the archipelago
over the past month. (byg)