Proreform leaders must learn to compromise
Proreform leaders must learn to compromise
The clock on political reform has been ticking away since the
resignation of president Soeharto on May 21. Hermawan Sulistyo, a
political researcher at the Indonesian Institute of Sciences and
executive director of the Research Institute for Democracy and
Peace, discusses what progress has been made.
Question: Do you think the progress of political reform has
been as fast as expected by students and intellectuals?
Answer: No. The government and the House of Representatives (DPR)
have been trying to meet reformers' demands for the eradication of
corrupt, collusive and nepotistic practices, but they are too
slow in the structural adjustment of the country's political
system, which will include the amendment of political laws, the
organization of a free and fair general election and the holding
of a general session for properly recruited members of the
People's Consultative Assembly (MPR). Deteriorating economic
conditions actually seem unviable for the delay of all these
processes of political structural adjustment until after the end
of this year, but the government and DPR are apparently trying to
slow down the processes.
I am afraid that if the processes... cannot be completed by
December, sporadic rioting and crimes... will increase
throughout the country.
Q: What is impeding the advance of political structural
adjustment?
A: The problem is the government's reluctance to accelerate the
structural adjustment for the reason that it wants to concentrate
more on the improvement of economic conditions.
The real reason is actually the government wants to retain its
power after the structural adjustment. Almost all members of the
current cabinet, except Tanri Abeng and Panangian Siregar, for
example, are trying to collect credit points for public
popularity. Minister of Justice Muladi, for instance, is trying
to obtain popularity by releasing political prisoners and
detainees, Minister of Cooperatives Adi Sasono by allocating
credits for cooperatives and small businesses, Minister of
Manpower Fahmi Idris by allowing the establishment of new trade
unions and Minister of Information Muhammad Yunus by amending
regulations on press licensing.
Political forces outside the current political system are
also trying to use the coming seven months to build up political
strength, so they can take part in the general election...
Q: How do students and intellectuals respond to the slow
progress?
A: Many of them are not content because they actually want the
political reform as a one-stop process of political
transformation to include the replacement of the president and
his cabinet, as well as the adjustment of the political system.
Some are content with the slow progress, realizing that such a
reform process cannot be accomplished in under a year, while some
others are now partisans by supporting certain political
forces...
Q: How do you see the stance of the Armed Forces (ABRI)?
A: ABRI will maintain its wait-and-see stance because it is
really in a very difficult position. If it takes a severe action
against demonstrating students, for example, demonstrations on a
larger scale would certainly erupt in the following days.
Q: How can we settle disputes among proreform activists, whose
comments and sporadic demonstrations have caused political
uncertainty?
A: I think ABRI can play an active role by forcing all the
disputing leaders of proreform activists to gather in a hall for
discussions... ABRI personnel and university students should
guard them... and not allow any of them to quit the discussions
before a consensus is reached. In this way of national
reconciliation, I think disputes can be settled and reform
procedures can be formulated in less than a month.
Q: Do you expect the reform process to proceed even if the
current government retains power after the planned election?
A: I don't think there will be anybody who can stop the rolling
ball of reform... people's interests will be better served.
However, if Habibie maintains power, the reform progress will
slow down and many aspects related to the old (Soeharto) regime
will not be able to be reformed...
Q: How far are you involved in the reform process?
A: I am involved in one of the two major teams currently
formulating recommendations for the amendment of political laws.
One of the teams, led by Mochtar Pabottingi, groups 15 political
researchers of LIPI, while the other, established by the Ministry
of Home Affairs, groups academicians led by Ryaas Rasyid of the
state-run Institute of Administration Sciences.
Q: Do you see any grooming of national leaders?
A: No. Proreform students are even against any effort to appoint
leaders or figures. However, I see many figures having the
potential to become national leaders, such as Ichlasul Amal from
Gadjah Mada University in Yogyakarta. (riz)