Syarwan, Akbar split over civil servants

JAKARTA (JP): There is neutral, and then there is neutral when it comes to the role of civil servants in politics. Two ministers were split on Tuesday over President B.J. Habibie's instruction that the state's 4.1 million civil servants stay out of politics.

Minister of Home Affairs Syarwan Hamid and Minister/State Secretary Akbar Tandjung aired conflicting opinions over President B.J. Habibie's instruction that the bureaucracy and the Armed Forces "stay neutral, impartial and maintain the same distance" from all poll contestants.

Habibie made the remark when he unveiled the 1999/2000 state budget at the House of Representatives plenary session.

"... we must dispel the existing mistrust among components of the nation, particularly among sociopolitical powers, and toward the government," Habibie said, pledging his intention to make the June 7 general election a success.

Syarwan underscored the neutrality of the bureaucracy and the military as "the capital" for a free and fair poll.

"We must restore confidence in the administration," he said. Thus, civil servants must "truly be professional public servants", he added.

During former president Soeharto's New Order regime, members of the Civil Servants Corps were obliged to vote for Golkar, the political organization Soeharto used to perpetuate his power.

Akbar, who is also Golkar's chairman, argued neutrality did not mean that civil servants must be barred from exercising their political rights as citizens.

"Why can't they (be professional) ... and serve the public while also acting as members or executives of a political party?" Akbar asked.

The dominant Golkar is the sole House faction resisting the government's motion to bar public servants from becoming members of political parties. The other factions (the Armed Forces, the United Development Party and the Indonesian Democratic Party) have supported the proposal.

Syarwan insisted that civil servants be barred from entering politics.

Akbar, however, said that Golkar could not support this proposal.

"It is the political rights of civil servants as citizens to vote and be elected and serve as members or executives of political parties," Akbar argued.

In earlier debates, Golkar had invoked the question of human rights to support its stance. Golkar deputy chairman Marzuki Darusman said preventing public servants from entering politics would be a violation of their rights.

Mule

Separately on Tuesday, leaders of the newly established National Awakening Party and National Mandate Party (PAN) blasted Golkar's stance.

"Someone please tell Golkar not to act like a mule," said Muhaimin Iskandar of PAN. "The public is losing its sympathy for Golkar."

The respected Indonesian Legal Aid Foundation questioned Golkar's sincerity in arguing for the civil servants' human rights, accusing Golkar of "double standards".

In a statement signed by chairman Bambang Widjojanto, the foundation also questioned Golkar's defense of the allocation of nonelected seats in the House to the Armed Forces (ABRI).

By allowing ABRI nonelected seats, Golkar has already discriminated against people's political rights, he said.

"We doubt Golkar's insistence (on fighting in the name of human rights)," the foundation said, adding that it suspected Golkar's insistence on the issue had to do with protecting its political interests.

To fight for human rights, there must be consistency, which means not allocating seats in the House to ABRI, it said.

The foundation, instead, proposed that the House annul all regulations obliging civil servants to become members of organizations that are run by political parties, such as the Indonesian Civil Servants Corps.

On the question of ABRI's presence in the House, the government proposed ABRI be given 55 nonelected seats.

This number is not, however, final because the issue is still awaiting further deliberation in the House.

ABRI recently pledged to remain neutral, a political move one expert hailed as "smart" given the upcoming multiparty poll that ensures no single majority winner -- making a coalition inevitable.

"It is smart of ABRI not to put all its eggs in one basket... so it can move in any direction (after the poll)," political expert Andi A. Mallarangeng said.

Under the political laws introduced during Soeharto's rule, Golkar was always guaranteed a victory through polls that many people alleged were rigged with the active support of ABRI.

The present government, which initiated the political bills on elections, political parties and the status of the House and the People's Consultative Assembly currently being deliberated in the House, has said it wants to amend the undemocratic laws.

However, Syarwan warned that allowing civil servants to exercise their political rights could harm "the larger interests of the nation".

"It could trigger conflicts within the bureaucracy itself... it could invite suspicions... that the political rights (if allowed) would be abused and manipulated," he argued.

Syarwan also warned of a "disaster" should the upcoming election be rigged. "We will keep trying to convince Golkar of this," he added. (imn/aan/swe/anr)