When legislators grumble

When legislators grumble

From Koran Tempo

The recent hearing between President Megawati Soekarnoputri
and the House of Representatives has disappointed the House
members.

The President was reluctant to hold a direct dialog with the
House members, instead she left soon after she read her report.

Why should the House members be disgruntled and grumbling?
This kind of an informal meeting, including meetings with Cabinet
ministers, is something new, which is very good.

Why didn't they officially convey that their written ideas and
concepts could be discussed institutionally?

The President's reluctance to hold a dialog relates to the
current political situation.

A dialog between the House and the president turned out to a
prolonged dispute during the administration of Abdurrahman Wahid
(Gus Dur), which resulted in the unresolved national agenda.

Political dialog is, in fact, nonsense, because politics have
been improperly exploited by the parties.

Abdurrahman once criticized that House members had acted like
kindergarten pupils. After that the House members entered a phase
where they loved political jargons and unending polemics.

It is time now for House members to behave more maturely with
clear programs.

HASAN PATRIO, Cirebon, West Java