Veterans slam ABRI for meddling in Golkar

JAKARTA (JP): A group of 13 retired generals from the 1945 and Post-1945 Generations yesterday lashed out at the Armed Forces (ABRI) Headquarters and the government for interfering in Golkar's recent extraordinary congress.

The generals said in a statement signed by Lt. Gen. (ret.) A. Kemal Idris that they were disappointed with and deeply regretted the Armed Forces stance during the congress.

"The involvement of the Armed Forces Headquarters' in the election ran contrary to the statement issued earlier by the Minister of Defense and Security/Armed Forces Commander which promised that ABRI would remain neutral and not intervene in Golkar's extraordinary congress," said the statement, copies of which were made available to the media yesterday.

Other signatories included former Army chief of staff Gen. (ret) Rudini, former chief of the Army's Special Force (Kopassus) Lt. Gen. (ret) Leo Lopulisa, former Marine Corps chief of staff and Jakarta governor Ali Sadikin, former secretary of development supervision and operations Lt. Gen. (ret) Solichin G.P. and former Armed Forces chief of sociopolitical affairs Lt. Gen. (ret.) Harsudiyono Hartas.

The retired generals also accused officials from the Ministry of Home Affairs and several cabinet ministers of influencing the proceedings of the congress.

"The Armed Forces and government interference was contrary to the aim and spirit of the reform movement," it said.

"The extraordinary congress which was expected to democratically shape an independent and open Golkar has been tainted by the arrogant and base undertakings of certain groups," it added.

Golkar's three day extraordinary congress which ended on Saturday elected Minister/State Secretary Akbar Tandjung as the new chairman, replacing Harmoko.

Rumors were rife on the second and third days of the congress that Assistant to the Armed Forces Chief of Sociopolitical Affairs Maj. Gen. Mardiyanto had telephoned regional military commanders to instruct them to influence Golkar chapters in the areas under their jurisdiction to vote for Akbar. The rumors suggested that Mardiyanto was acting on the instructions of Armed Forces Commander Gen. Wiranto, Director-General of Sociopolitical Affairs Dunidja and Minister of Home Affairs Syarwan Hamid.

Delegates said that Wiranto also met with the chairmen of 17 Golkar regional chapters at the Shangri-La Hotel in Central Jakarta on Saturday morning, a few hours before the election started, to discuss their support for Akbar.

Elsewhere in the statement the retired generals condemned the inclusion of cabinet ministers in Golkar's new leadership.

"The ministers' presence has opened the way to the possibility of political and economic collusion and deprived Golkar of its independence," it said.

"Their presence also runs contrary to the aims of political reform," it added.

In the final part of the statement, the retired generals dismissed allegations that Gen. (ret) Edi Sudradjat, Akbar's main rival in the election, was a Soeharto lackey.

"That is not true. In fact, Gen. Sudradjat is a man who upheld truth and social justice in the midst of a corrupt system and the irregularities of the Soeharto regime."

"A man of high integrity such as Edi Sudradjat could have become a transitional figure capable of ushering Golkar into the reformation era of the nation's life," they said.

Akbar was known to be backed by President B.J. Habibie and Armed Forces Commander Gen. Wiranto, while Edi was supported by retired senior generals.

Clean

Separately, Golkar's coordinator for membership and cadres, Krissantono, suggested yesterday that bureaucrats and officials with poor records and current members of the government should be removed from the new Golkar lineup.

"Cabinet ministers should not sit on Golkar's executive board," he told reporters after joining a delegation of the Coordinating Body for National Unity (Bakom PKB) in a meeting with Minister of Home Affairs Syarwan Hamid.

He said the presence of current cabinet ministers would hamper Golkar's ability to counterbalance the government.

Besides Akbar, the executive board also includes State Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports Agung Laksono, State Minister of Public Housing and Settlement Theo L. Sambuaga, Minister of Manpower Fahmi Idris and Minister of Cooperatives and Small Enterprises Adi Sasono.

Krissantono, who is also a researcher at the Center for International and Strategic Studies (CSIS), then went on to say that Golkar should be cleansed of "contaminated" officials.

He declined to mention names, but when asked whether deputy Golkar chairman Abdul Gafur was included in this category, he replied: "You (journalists) would know better".

He also suggested that chairman Akbar Tandjung should make the 138 member executive board smaller.

"Accommodating all elements in Golkar is good. But to have a smaller and more efficient executive board would be even better," he said. (imn)