PWRI's stance on political bill
PWRI's stance on political bill
From Media Indonesia
In connection with the ongoing deliberations of the political bills in the House of People's Representatives (DPR), the Central Board of the Association of Civil Service Pensioners of the Republic of Indonesia (PWRI), whose membership comprises pensioners from the civil service and state-owned enterprises across the country, along with the leadership of pensioners' organizations in ministries, nonministerial government institutions and the secretariats of the state's high institutions, feel the need to voice our aspirations in order to help make successful a direct, general, free, confidential, honest and fair general election.
We all know that a citizen opting to serve as a civil servant is fully aware of his rights and obligations as well as the restrictions applicable to him in accordance with his position.
On the basis of this fact and with account being taken of the human rights of civil servants, allow us to convey our opinions as follows: 1. Civil servants must not be allowed to be members of political parties and/or members of the executive boards of political parties, in accordance with the principle set forth in the bill on political parties that the government has tabled to the DPR.
This opinion is based on experiences gained during the Old Order era to the effect that civil servants joining political parties as members and/or members of their executive boards were inclined to break the unity of the bureaucratic ranks as they were divided into groups embroiled in various conflicts brought about by political interests. In this way the bureaucratic ranks could neither adopt a neutral stance nor concentrate on public services, of which community members have until now frequently lodged their complaints. This condition makes it more likely that the general election will not be held honestly, fairly or transparently. 2. If civil servants are eager to enter the political arena, they may apply for an unpaid leave. If they decide to return to their jobs, they can simply return to the government agencies they belong to. In this way, they will not have their political rights curtailed. 3. In addition, to guarantee their political and human rights, civil servants should be allowed to freely exercise their franchise in the general election in accordance with their own beliefs.
If Golkar, under various pretexts, persists in its stance of "freely allowing" civil servants to be members of political parties and/or members of executive boards of political parties, and goes so far as preparing to vote on this matter in spite of the fact that it is alone against the other three factions in the House plus the government, this simply means that Golkar will resort to the dictatorship of the majority, an act which it has always pledged to avoid in order to uphold Pancasila-based democracy.
This is the stance adopted by the central governing board of PWRI with respect to the political bills now being deliberated in the DPR.
WARSITO PUSPOYO
General Chairman
HANAFI
Secretary-General
PWRI, Jakarta