'Rational politicians' needed to save the nation
'Rational politicians' needed to save the nation
JAKARTA (JP): An observer opined that "rational politicians"
were needed to save the nation by compromising during the
inevitable People's Consultative Assembly special session.
"The rationality of the political elite is the only condition
needed to realize a welfare state by using their political power
until the end of the current administration in 2004," economic
and political expert Faisal Basri said during a discussion on
Wednesday.
He said that whoever leads the nation, the political elite
should use the time before the next general election to focus on
strengthening political and economic institutions.
"So, even if in the future we have a dopey president it will
not be a problem like the one we are now facing," he remarked.
Faisal, who was the National Mandate Party (PAN) secretary-
general before resigning his post, also suggested a collaboration
among political parties to create a win-win solution to the
current political impasse, which would prevent a setback to the
country's democratization.
He also said there should be a political and social contract
between the executive and legislators to allow the government to
work in peace without being interfered with by the legislature.
The country's political situation heated up following the
House of Representatives' plenary session on Wednesday, in which
most factions called for a special session of the Assembly to
decide the fate of President Abdurrahman Wahid.
The President is accused of violating the Constitution and the
State Policy Guidelines and of involvement in the State Logistics
Agency (Bulog) and Brunei financial scandals, which led the House
to twice censure the President.
Attorney General Marzuki Darusman, however, declared that
there was not enough evidence to implicate Abdurrahman in the two
financial scandals.
A Bandung-based criminal law expert, Pontang Moerad, slammed
the attorney general for a lack of transparency in the
questioning of the President over the two financial scandals.
"Marzuki announced that Gus Dur had been questioned seven days
(after the questioning). This has resulted in speculation," he
said, referring to the President by his nickname.
He also criticized the Attorney General's Office for
announcing that there was insufficient evidence to implicate
Abdurrahman in the two cases days before the House's plenary
session opened.
"Is it a legal or political matter?" he asked. (bby/23/25)