The balanced sheet

The student inspired social movement for total political reform has caused immeasurable human suffering, such as the death of four Trisakti university students. The deep psychological stigma left among a number of women raped by mobs during the riots is indelible.

Surprisingly, however, even with the fall of the king from his throne, the Functional Group (Golkar), although heavily battered, does not feel beaten. Any sensible person would have expected Golkar to dissolve itself first before putting on a new attire and selecting a new chief.

It must detach itself from any spiritual let alone political alliance with the government and government persons or institution. And yet what we hear has been the old battle cry of aspiring to become the single majority again in the political arena.

In line with repeated international appeals, the new Golkar's main agenda must be to initiate national reconciliation in the most broadest sense. For until and unless such is brought about, the nation will still be far from political stability and political justice. How could Golkar's leaders demonstrate such a tragic/political intransigence while time is running out for economic recovery.

How illegal it sounds to an onlooker, like myself, that the new "party" chief wants to keep his strategic government post while at the same time propagating to cut links with the officialdom henceforth.

Are we to see a repetition of history in the making? Then all sacrifices would be rendered futile by some greedy politicians. The new Golkar's executives should not overlook the fact that the new leadership is not a new mandate from the people. Its position must still be contested in the planned and revised general election. Why is it so sure that it will regain its overwhelming majority it once held almost as a monopoly? Why also rescinding the name "party"?

What omen does it bring? Golkar should advise the President to recall all People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) members, instead of replacing them with new unelected sympathizers which is the political consequence of the fall of former president Soeharto. Then the Supreme Advisory Council should be trimmed too, say to half its size. For an advisory body it looks too cumbersome to be able to act swiftly. There is indeed little practical use to stick to the number 45, which is the year the Republic was proclaimed. How superstitious!

The new Golkar's leaders should be imbued by the new spirit of reform that its noble mission is to help provide equal political and economic opportunity to others and cease to initiate corruption, collusion and nepotism. It is also essential that Golkar's advisors to the President should not allow the First Executive to create the impression that he is already on a campaign trail accompanied by the First Lady by visiting various places in the glare of the camera.

Personally, I do not like to hear or read that the old king -- legally still a free citizen and protected by his former subordinates -- is still pulling strings behind the scene.

GANDHI SUKARDI

Jakarta