Starting a new era

Starting a new era

When President Abdurrahman Wahid announced the lineup of his
National Unity Cabinet at the end of last month, many circles
here were concerned that the House of Representatives would not
be able to carry out its check-and-balance task because all
political powers are represented in the administration. "Can
someone unveil the dirtiness of his or her own household?" some
people wondered. So, in such a helpless situation, many pinned
hopes on the newly liberated media to take over the job.

However, the fear evaporated on Thursday as soon as
Abdurrahman, also known as Gus Dur, started his speech before a
House plenary session. In a down-to-earth manner the President
expressed happiness at House Speaker Akbar Tandjung's courage in
attacking his policy on Aceh, the restive province where people
are demanding a referendum to decide their future. Abdurrahman
had earlier voiced support for the controversial demand.

The President not only surprised the legislators with his
open-mindedness but also invited them to censure his policies
when necessary. He reminded them that in today's Indonesia, the
words of a president are no longer law.

It is not hard to guess that the President was referring to
the style of president Soeharto, who ruled Indonesia with an iron
fist and made the House a rubber stamp for his repeated
reelection over three decades, until he was forced to step down
by the chaotic situation last year.

Abdurrahman said Akbar's open attack on his policy on Aceh was
a sign of the country's advance into a new era, one of dialog
between the executive and the legislative branch of government.
This, he said, would lead to the process of making sound national
policies instead of the emasculation of democracy.

At Thursday's meeting, which was called to seek the
President's clarification on his decision to scrap the ministries
of information and social affairs, the legislators also
criticized the controversial step, his policy on Aceh and the
idea to open trade relations with Israel.

In this first meeting with the administration, the House
members clearly demonstrated, in their own way, that they are not
carbon copies of representatives of the Soeharto era.

But we also saw how the President used intellect and style to
outwit the House members. Some of them acted like lightweight
politicians who could not possibly last long.

However, reviewing their backgrounds, the imbalance is
understandable. And being optimistic, we consider the show a
positive push for the nation in its march toward democracy. The
day may come when the legislators gain enough knowledge and
experience to finally become a power to reckon with, and shed the
label of kindergartners that Abdurrahman jokingly bestowed upon
them. Hopefully they will soon be able to speak with deep
philosophical meaning and implement a democratic system not
unlike those in advanced countries.

With the House's power getting stronger, the presidency could
find it not so easy to get its plans endorsed since the House
will be ready to block policies it finds unworkable or
detrimental to public interest. The best example of this is the
government's plan to open trade relations with Israel. There has
been strong protest among the Muslim community against the idea.

An ideal balance of power in a democratic society is a strong
administration and an equally strong legislative body. A too
strong executive branch leads to an authoritarian rule, and a too
strong legislative branch curbs the administration from moving
anywhere.

We sincerely hope the debate between the President and the
House members on Thursday will serve as a good lesson for the
nation.