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