Wahono scolds officials

Wahono scolds officials

JAKARTA (JP): Speaker of the House of Representatives Wahono
expressed concern yesterday over what he sees as inconsistencies
between what some government officials say and do.

He warned that the national discipline drive will never be a
success as long as officials fail to set good examples in the
paternalistic Indonesian society.

"Many government officials are yet to put what they say into
practice," said the former lieutenant general who once lead the
ruling Golkar party.

"What this country's leaders should give to the public in the
first place is good examples. That's my simple tip," he told
journalists.

Consistency, he said, is a major challenge facing mushrooming
mass organizations, which generally promise anything from
democratization to aid for the oppressed.

Wahono made the remarks as he gave his views on the recent
establishment of mass organizations, such as the Indonesian
National Unity, the National Brotherhood Foundation, and
Intellectuals for Pancasila Development.

Most controversial are religious-based groups, such as the
Associations of Moslem Intellectuals and Association of Christian
Intelligentsia.

Pessimists see the trend as the re-emergence of sectarian
politics which can threaten the people's unity.

Criticism of inconsistencies between what officials say and do
also came, surprisingly, from State Minister for Environment
Sarwono Kusumaatmadja on Saturday.

When addressing a meeting of Kosgoro, an organization
affiliated to Golkar, Sarwono said that some government officials
had not only confused but had also irritated the public with
their flimsy statements.

He argued that the emergence of new organizations and the
officials' repeated warnings on the danger of anti-government
"formless" organizations are evidence that the Indonesian public
is "losing its common sense".

Wahono said yesterday he believes the mushrooming mass
organizations pose no threat to national unity or to the
establishment.

He pointed out that the organizations were set up with one
thing in common, namely to develop the nation without undermining
the state ideology Pancasila and the 1945 Constitution.

Separately, deputy House speaker from the United Development
Party Ismail Hasan Metareum predicted that more mass
organizations would come into being.

He rejected the theory that the establishment of such
organizations shows that existing political organizations have
failed to accommodate people's interests.

"Those people (who found the organizations) like showing off
their activities," he said, pointing out that most of the
founding figures are also members of other institutions. (pan)

Editorial -- Page 4