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.