Shadow Cabinet
Everybody knows it. Its correct political term is "Shadow Cabinet", or like the Lady in Waiting, it may be called the Cabinet in Waiting. Shadow Cabinets are in fact present in both Britain and Australia, i.e. the opposition party. Our culture does not need opposition. What are needed here are "partners" of development (the media?) and partners of collusion (business relatives?) But beware, all partners are not to be made your casual companions, or else you may end up with impeachment.
Fearing that the new emerging parties will face a better organized, better financed and more determined (to win at all costs and by all means) Golkar during the coming general election, somebody came up with an original idea; the formation of a shadow Cabinet.
Because its strength and influence is still doubtful, I fear this Cabinet will become a "shadowy" Cabinet; more shadow (uncertainty) than brightness, certainty, such as to be next in power.
Besides, the system of shadow Cabinet only thrives in a country with a least 200 years of democratic tradition and that which is implemented among true democrats, not only in name but especially in spirit, who fight for a victory but gallantly accept defeat in elections; something we have never truly learned to do!
An authoritarian, let alone a dictatorial regime, with a bad past record cannot be expected to produce democrats, only pseudo- democrats eager to win and give others no chances.
Eliminate them forever, if necessary. Officially there are now more than 100 political parties registered at the Ministry of Home Affairs which are eligible to participate in the next general election.
It seems that efforts are being made so that the most influential Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI) under Megawati Soekarnoputri will not be allowed to register with the central election committee for technical reasons.
The Habibie government only recognizes "the other PDI" with a handful of followers. Unless the "Ugly Twin" PDI issue is solved, the election may just be a farcical election exercise. Students are keenly watching this development.
The majority, if not all, members of the present House of Representatives (DPR) and People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) one way or another supported the former corrupt and defunct system.
How easily they shifted allegiance. The election law would, as has been proven, serve the interest of former loyalists to the king. Now they sound more like lawyers instead of statesmen.
In mature democracies with a long tradition, it does not matter much if a party chief acts as prime minister, but here we should learn from the past how power can so easily be abused, with only a few raising their voices in protest.
They survive by just pretending not to remember. Any shadow Cabinet, from which ever quarter it emerges, should now fight for the acceptance of a direct election of a president by the people.
Personally, I believe, that the idea of having a prime minister who is responsible to the House may be a good one. We would then have a president who stands above all parties but is in a position to unite the country and people. Who ensures, however, that everybody has enough to eat with or without a shadow Cabinet. How nice it would be if during the Idul Fitri celebrations, the hungry had enough to eat.
GANDHI SUKARDI
Jakarta