Setback for the nation

Setback for the nation

From Gatra

The public servants are again becoming the target of political
parties to make them a tool for achieving the parties' goals --
this, after they (public servants) stated a few years ago that
they would be officially neutral in politics.

This is a challenge facing political parties in every general
election. As a ready source of large crowds, public servants
should continue to concentrate on their role to serve the
country, and should be left alone, free from political
interference.

Public servants' involvement in politics will only distract
them, because political parties will obstruct their loyalty to
the nation.

The leader of the Golkar Party, Jusuf Kalla, has appealed to
the public servants to come back into the political arena under
the pretext that it is impossible for parties to recruit people
only from the private sector. This suggests that Golkar still
aspires to play a dominant role in politics -- a comeback of
sorts of the New Order.

Actually, to win a general election, it is not necessary for
Golkar to embrace the public servants. They should look for
other, fairer ways to win people's votes.

YUDHA ADITIA
Jakarta