Wide gap blamed for govt's indifference to public opinion

Muhammad Nafik, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Analysts blamed on Friday the widening political gap between the powerholders and their constituents for the government's seeming disregard for public opinion and the what the people really wanted.

They said President Megawati Soekarnoputri had maintained the outdated leadership style and attitude to democracy that characterized former authoritarian president Soeharto's New Order regime.

"The old leadership style is still alive and well along with the New Order's tradition of a closed government culture," political analyst Denny J.A. told The Jakarta Post.

Megawati's government and her Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) have been staunchly criticized for opting for unpopular policies that are often at odds with public opinion on numerous contentious issues.

Such unpopular policies include Megawati's order to her party's legislators to reject an inquiry by the House of Representatives into a Rp 40 billion scandal in the National Logistics Agency (Bulog) that implicates House Speaker and Golkar Chairman Akbar Tandjung.

Megawati also sparked strong criticism when she ordered her party to support the reelection of Jakarta's Governor Sutiyoso for a second term. Sutiyoso has been implicated in the July 27, 1996, violent takeover of the PDI Headquarters in Jakarta from Megawati's supporters.

Another example of Megawati's apparent indifference to public opinion is her government's plan to impose a state of civil emergency, or even martial law, in restive Aceh.

Local people, including the province's governor, Muslim clerics and human rights activists, have opposed the plan, demanding instead that the government revive its plans for all- inclusive talks with the Acehnese to end decades of separatist fighting.

Deny said the government's indifference stemmed from the increasing gap between the members of the political elite and their constituents.

"So far they (the elite) feel secure in their positions as they have never been punished by public opinion," he explained.

He said that to change the unscrupulous behavior of the elite would take several general elections in which the public could punish the politicians by voting against them.

"So far they are still not aware of the importance public opinion will have in the future," he added.

Noted sociologist Imam Prasodjo concurred and said that the government's disregard for public opinion should encourage the nation to reconsider the political selection system so as to tilt it in favor of the public at large.

He called for a review of the system in a bid to ensure that the political elite would listen to their constituents' views.

"The current political structure does not permit the cultivation of figures who are sensitive and responsive to what has been happening within society," he told the Post separately.

"Apart from that, the current powerholders are not figures who are familiar with democracy," he added.

Imam said the communications mechanism between politicians and their constituents should also be further developed to intensify public dialog.

"The President, ministers and other government officials must not evade journalists wanting to interview them, and must be comfortable in facing the press," he said.

He told legislators to emulate the United States' town meeting approach so as to keep in touch with constituents at the grassroots level, even when the legislature was in recess.