Upholding the rule of law

Upholding the rule of law

In Indonesia we follow and honor the legal principles of
equality before the law and the presumption of innocence. As
those are accepted principles, we should honor them, irrespective
of who is the target.

The first democratically elected President was a member of the
National Awakening Party (PKB). I was surprised to read an
article published in The Jakarta Post on March 9, 2002 calling
for the removal of Akbar Tandjung from his position as speaker of
the House of Representatives (DPR).

The PKB's call for the immediate replacement of Akbar Tandjung
as the House speaker is rather strange, considering that the
PKB's leaders are politically experienced.

According to PKB member Effendi Choirie, one of the reasons
for Akbar's removal from his post seems to be the fact that the
DPR, as one of the highest institutions in the country, needs to
clean up its increasingly tarnished image. On top of that, Akbar
is accused of a crime. If the DPR's reputation was intact then
there would be no need for the PKB to propose Akbar's
resignation. But this proposal has fallen on deaf ears.

There are other things that can be done to improve the
tarnished image of the DPR, without violating the law. For
instance, the conspicuously poor turnout of members. The daily
newspaper Merdeka printed a picture of the DPR recently in
session showing rows of empty seats and members sleeping, yawning
or eating snacks. Why did Choirie not mention this?

Coordinating Minister for People's Welfare Jusuf Kalla, also a
member of the Golkar party, has set a good example by saying that
the detention of Akbar is a good start to upholding the law.
Demonstrations to support Akbar Tandjung are a waste of energy.
Akbar Tandjung is being detained as an individual and certainly
not as the chairman of Golkar party.

SOEGIH ARTO

Jakarta