'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)