Watch out! Golkar maneuver

Watch out! Golkar maneuver

We all agree that we have made a great mistake letting the New
Era abuse power and control this country for more than 32 years
and yet again we nearly get trapped by a maneuver. New Functional
Group (Golkar), as its new slogan, is trying to use new
opportunists, confuse people and maintain old practices including
money politics in order to turn down the reform movement.

Recently, United Development Party's (PPP) chairman, Hamzah
Haz, expressed hope that all Muslim members of the People's
Consultative Assembly (MPR) would elect a Muslim man as
president. To my understanding, he did not express a wise view as
a leader. It is merely for the benefit of Golkar which is in
favor of the New Era or Habibie. The New Era regime is either
afraid of or prefers Habibie to Megawati Soekarnoputri. The
election results show that the Indonesian Democratic Party of
Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) is leading and predicted to be the
winner. Controversially, some Muslim organizations have supported
Megawati to be president.

State Minister of Women's Affairs Tuty Alawiah stated that she
was upset with women's participation in Indonesia and expected
more legislative women members in the House due to the greater
number of women voters (50 percent more) than men in the June 7
election. But confusingly, she said it was not time yet for a
woman to be president. The minister has honestly discriminated
against equality rights which is a setback of several hundred
years. She should have pioneered equity rights for what she is
for.

What we should actually do is face the reality, respect
people's aspirations, not manipulate the facts and be honest and
gentle. Remember, Indonesians have made up their mind to
eradicate corruption, collusion and nepotism and abuse of human
rights.

PARLINDUNGAN SIBARANI

Jakarta