Soeharto opens course for new legislators

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)