PPP takes tough stance at the session

JAKARTA (JP): The United Development Party (PPP) left on Wednesday a strong mark during the plenary session by presenting a tough stance on controversial issues such as the probe into Soeharto's wealth, and apologizing to the nation for failure to fight despotism in the past.

The Moslem-based faction's spokesman, Fahri Hamzah, said the special session was a good opportunity for the faction to perform "total correction."

"This is a good opportunity for the faction, in all humility, to offer an apology to the entire nation for its lack of struggle against the very strong despotism of the past," Fahri said during the session where factions aired their general views on the 12 draft decrees.

"We offer this apology, God willing, based on the strong resoluteness of the components of the nation who love the truth and justice, to leave the gloomy past and move toward a bright future," he said.

"I hope this apology may also serve as our repentance to Allah," he said.

He described how the New Order government as the successor of the Old Order government under first president Sukarno, came up with a "Development -- Yes! Politics -- No!" slogan.

Exploiting this stance, the New Order regime had imposed restrictions on various public activities, he said. Consequently, he said, development appeared to become the activity of a handful of the elite and people close to those in power.

The New Order's development strategy eventually gave rise to the creation of a hegemonic government, he added.

The New Order, which originally pledged to implement the state ideology Pancasila and the 1945 Constitution in its pure form, went on to repeat the Old Order's mistakes, exploiting all means to defend its power, he said.

He said the faction was now committed to helping bring about a new era in Indonesia, whose characteristics included the presence of decentralization and wide ranging autonomy, a pious civil society, and the people's sovereignty.

The new Indonesia would see the Armed Forces play an important part in protecting and giving people a sense of security, he said.

The faction reiterated its intention to have a draft decree on the protection of human rights endorsed so that it gives foundation to future laws on human rights.

Fahri also called on the government to continue probing and finding solutions to cases of human rights violations and violence, including those linked to military atrocities in Aceh, and other places.

The other faction spokesman, Ali Taher Parasong, said his faction has proposed the discussion of two more draft decrees during the ongoing special session.

One is concerned with the probe into the alleged hidden wealth of former president Soeharto, his family and cronies and the other is on the freedom of communication and information through the mass media, Parasong said.

He said the faction believes that to provide constitutional, political and moral support to President B.J. Habibie, the special session needs to produce a decree assigning the incumbent president to conduct an investigation of the wealth allegedly amassed by Soeharto and his cronies during his 32 years in power.

"The proposed draft decree is based on the presumption of innocence," he said.

He said if the probe indicates that former and present government officials have enriched themselves through corrupt, collusive and nepotistic practices, they must be brought to court.

"The faction believes that if such a draft decree is passed, acts of defaming one another in society would stop," he said. Parasong further said that Soeharto's New Order government had frequently made use of his office to issue "emergency" regulations that ran counter to the Constitution.

Such "emergency" regulations are beyond the control of the House of Representatives, he noted. (team)