To interrupt or stay silent, that is the crucial question

To interrupt or stay silent, that is the crucial question

By Imanuddin

JAKARTA (JP): The 1988 and 1993 general sessions were both
marked with interruptions -- a detestable action according to the
political elite.

Faction leaders at the People's Consultative Assembly,
therefore, have over the past few weeks taken various measures to
make sure that this General Session runs smoothly and without any
signs of dissent.

Regarding the election of the president and vice president,
for instance, the ruling Golkar organization stipulated that all
members had to sign their support for the nomination of Soeharto
and B.J. Habibie before the session began. Other faction leaders
threatened to dismiss members who dared to vote against Habibie.

While the interruptions in the 1988 and 1993 sessions occurred
without warning, it seemed that this year's precautions were
driven by the threat of dissension which had been felt for some
weeks.

The so-called threat became most clearly manifest in the form
of individual Assembly members supporting the unofficial vice
presidential campaign of senior economist Emil Salim.

The Golkar faction has virtually closed its door in Emil's
face, followed by its allies the regional representatives and
Armed Forces factions. It is unlikely that the other factions
would even consider Emil as a nominee to run against Habibie.

However, there was considerable speculation that individual
members might disagree and interrupt the session in order to air
their own views on the subject.

Whether they do so or whether they don't, the picture that
emerges is that the current Assembly leaders are so intolerant of
differences in opinion that they are ready to crush any sign of
dissent.

The Assembly's internal rules allow an interruption on matters
of technicality. For instance, a member may interrupt proceedings
in order to seek clarification, to correct an improper
implementation of procedures, or to call for a break.

The last interruption occurred in the 1993 General Session,
when Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI) legislator Sabam Sirait
protested to then Assembly speaker Wahono because the latter
failed to include PDI-sponsored debates on electoral reform on
the meeting's agenda.

The interruption was dismissed, however, as Wahono had banged
the gavel before Sirait managed to approach the podium.

In 1988, Brig. Gen. Ibrahim Saleh of the Armed Forces faction
interrupted the General Session to air his opposition to the
nomination of Sudharmono for the vice presidency.

Sudharmono was duly elected vice president, while Ibrahim was
later dismissed from the faction.

Doom

Despite its increasing momentum, Emil's campaign is considered
doomed to fail. Two Golkar members -- Albert Hasibuan and Indra
Bambang Utoyo, have both stated support for Emil.

However, not many people believe there would be any Assembly
members brave enough to interrupt a session and go against their
party's line.

Golkar chairman Harmoko, Armed Forces faction leader Lt. Gen.
Hari Sabarno and United Development Party (PPP) Secretary-General
Tosari Wijaya have all said interruptions are unwanted and
unnecessary as the Assembly's five factions have agreed on all
issues to be endorsed during the General Session.

"I have repeatedly said that we, Golkar, have renominated
President Soeharto and chosen B.J. Habibie. There are no other
names, and I believe all Golkar cadres will comply with the
organization's line," Harmoko said.

He denied that such a warning would discourage
democratization, saying that Pancasila (the state ideology)
democracy placed the deliberation to reach an agreement as its
top priority.

"Different opinions are welcomed, but once a decision is
taken, everybody has to comply with it," he said.

"What's an interruption for when it is clear that a faction
has already reached a decision. It (an interruption) will only be
an undisciplined action," Hari Sabarno said, adding that the
Armed Forces (ABRI) headquarters might consider punishing any
dissenting legislators in its faction.

The PPP's MPR faction chief Jusuf Syakir and his PDI
counterpart, Buttu R. Hutapea, were also confident their members
would throw their full weight behind Habibie.

The leaders of the two minority factions said opposition to
the decision to support Habibie would be considered a violation
of the statutes of the respective political parties.

Jusuf and Buttu also played down the possibility that any of
their team members would interrupt the Assembly's proceedings.

The chairman of Golkar's business wing Kosgoro, Bambang W.
Soeharto, said that he had instructed all the organization's 80
Assembly members not to plow their own furrows during the General
Session.

"We are not crazy enough to go against Golkar's decision on
the vice presidential nomination," Bambang recently told a media
conference.

Indra Bambang Utoyo and his PPP counterpart, Khofifah Indar,
Parawansa said it would be impossible for the legislators to
interrupt the proceedings in the Assembly.

Indra, who has been widely described as one of Golkar's
potential dissenting legislators, said: "It's impossible to
interrupt something that has been decided so solidly."

"Golkar legislators are selected cadres, who completely
understand the organization's regulations," he said, adding that
he previously supported Emil's vice presidential nomination, but
changed his mind after Golkar formally named Habibie.