Soeharto opens course for new legislators
JAKARTA (JP): President Soeharto kicked off a crash course for prospective members of the House of Representatives yesterday intended to equip them with basic knowledge of state affairs before starting their term on Oct. 1.
All but 12 of the 500 prospective House members were present at the opening of the unprecedented course.
The two minority political parties initially expressed skepticism about the course, stressing that their legislators had already undergone various screening procedures before they could run in the May general election.
There were also fears that the course would be seen by the public as indoctrination, which would further undermine the already battered image of the House of Representatives.
Soeharto firmly denied the accusation that the course was intended to mellow potentially outspoken legislators.
The course should be seen as providing new House members with some basic necessities before they begin their task, he said.
"Before embarking on a long journey or on a difficult assignment, it is normal for our loved ones to give their moral support and advice to strengthen us," Soeharto said.
The course is also intended to bolster the ability of House members in view of the growing demand and expectation placed by the public upon them, he said.
"In the past three years, especially during the 1997 general election, we have heard many criticisms that the executive body is too dominant compared with the legislative body," he said.
The opening ceremony was followed by a 90-minute closed-door meeting with the President.
"The President emphasized the importance of national unity. He described how a very small country like the Netherlands could colonize Indonesia for centuries because we were divided," Minister/State Secretary Moerdiono said after the meeting.
Participants in the six-week course are divided into five groups of 100. The first group's course starts today. The other groups will follow later.
In the May election, the dominant Golkar grabbed 325 of the 425 contested seats, the United Development Party (PPP) won 96 seats while the Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI) won 11. The Armed Forces, whose members do not vote, has been allocated 75 seats.
The government has insisted the course is not compulsory.
But it became obvious yesterday that all four factions were sending their representatives to the course.
The 12 who were absent yesterday were either sick or abroad and were expected to join, said Alwi Dahlan, the Head of the State Ideology Pancasila Propagation Agency (BP7), which is helping to run the course.
The course is being coordinated by Harmoko, who was reassigned in June from his old job as information minister to become state minister of special assignments.
Harmoko, the Golkar chairman who was also elected in the May election, said the course was aimed at empowering legislators and not to weaken them as some people have suggested.
"These people fear that the government would use this course as an attempt to force, dictate and even harass the legislative body," he said.
The fear is groundless, said Harmoko, who is widely tipped to become the next House speaker.
There were no dissenting voices from the participants at the ceremony yesterday.
PPP Chairman Ismail Hasan Metareum, who was reelected in May, said the course is more like a discussion forum.
"We are not suspicious of the course," Ismail said, adding that all PPP legislators were free to chose whether to take part or not.
Rhoma Irama, the dangdut star elected to represent Golkar, said the course was ideally suited for a political novice like himself.
Lt. Gen. Syarwan Hamid, the Armed Forces Chief of Sociopolitical Affairs, also looked forward to the course.
"This is a forum for an in-depth discussion, where we have the chance to deepen our knowledge," said Syarwan, one of the military appointees.
Fatimah Achmad of the PDI faction said the party had ordered all its 11 legislators to attend.
"One of us was absent because his child was baptized last night," Fatimah said. (prb)