LAKSAMANA.Net, September 6, 2004 12:56 AM
Review - Politics: Death of a Hero
Laksamana.Net - The death last Sunday (30/8/04) of retired four-star general
Leonardus Benyamin Murdani at the age of 74 saw the passing of a remarkable man
and genuine military hero who led the invasions of West Papua and East Timor and
forged close ties with the US military.
Murdani, a Javanese Catholic, entered the military soon after Indonesia's 1945-49 war
of independence against the Dutch and joined Kopassus, the army's elite parachute
battalion.
In 1962, by then a major, Murdani parachuted with 120 men into the Dutch colony of
West Papua during Indonesia's effort to occupy the region. Dutch marines
overwhelmed his unit, but the brief conflict ended with the United Nations handing the
vast territory to Indonesia.
Murdani emerged as a hero and received the country's highest medal from then
President Sukarno. He was dispatched to Thailand to organize covert intelligence
operations against Malaysia, which Sukarno attempted to subvert until his overthrow
by Suharto in 1966.
Murdani later became a trusted member of Suharto's inner circle and in 1975 planned
and oversaw the invasion of the former Portuguese colony of East Timor that triggered
a 24-year war of liberation in which 200,000 civilians and 10,000 Indonesian soldiers
lost their lives.
Critics later accused Murdani of establishing a military monopoly that ran East
Timor's coffee exports during Indonesian rule, which ended after a UN-sponsored
independence referendum in 1999.
In 1983, Suharto appointed Murdani - by then a four-star general - as commander in
chief of the Armed Forces (TNI).
In the late 1980s Murdani broke ranks with Suharto over the former president's family's
growing corruption. He was removed as military chief in 1988, but retained his post as
Minister of Defense and Security until 1993.
Suharto paid a final visit to Murdani at Jakarta's Gatot Subroto military hospital the
day before he died from complications following a stroke, media reports said.
Singapore leaders were quick to send condolences to the family. Writing to his
widow, Hartini, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong on Monday (30/8/04) called the late
general a good friend of Singapore, who contributed greatly to helping the two
countries overcome the legacy of Konfrontasi.
Senior Minister Lee Kuan Yew called Murdani one of the region's legendary leaders,
and credited him for bringing a generation of soldiers from Singapore and Indonesia
closer together during his tenure as armed forces chief.
Hamzah Bows Out
In a little over two weeks, Hamzah Haz, outgoing Vice President and leader of the
United Development Party (PPP), will leave politics for good.
Speaking at a ceremony on Friday (3/9/04) to mark the inauguration of an Islamic
boarding school in his North Jakarta constituency, Haz, one of the country's senior
politicians, revealed that he was planning to spend more time with his grandchildren
after he quits politics following the presidential election runoff on September 20.
This marks the end of the political career of a man who, though being involved in
regional legislatures and the House of Representatives (DPR) for almost three
decades, has made precious little impression in the political arena since being
elected leader of the PPP in 1998. He won a second five-year term as PPP leader last
year. He did not say whether he will also relinquish his post in the party but said "I
have stopped my political activities, and closed a chapter in my life."
Despite three years of serving Megawati as her vice president, she decided on
Nahdlatul Ulama chairman Hasyim Muzadi as her running mate in the presidential
election.
Haz, supported by PPP, which finished fourth in the April legislative election, ran in
the presidential race in July with former transport minister Agum Gumelar as his
running mate. They finished last in the first round.
The party has pledged to support Megawati and has joined the Golkar-led National
Coalition to help Megawati win the presidency, despite resistance from some of its
members.
Golkar Rift Hurts Megawati
A rift in the Golkar party threatens the grand coalition just two weeks before Megawati
seeks a second term. Front-runner Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's campaign was
boosted by a series of defections from Golkar.
A group of the party's top executives broke ranks on Tuesday (31/8/04) to voice
opposition to the party's decision to back Megawati in the presidential race. A day
earlier, 52 legislators from rival parties, including her own Indonesian Democratic
Party of Struggle (PDI-P), announced they would be backing her rival.
Golkar legal chief and former Attorney General Marzuki Darusman said top officials
had created a forum to question the decision by the party, which won the legislative
polls in April, to announce block support for Megawati and her running mate through
Golkar's official Nationhood Coalition.
The coalition ties the three biggest parties in the next parliament - Golkar, PDI-P, and
the Muslim-oriented United Development Party (PPP) - and a few minor parties in a
group that accounts for 60% of the 550-seat house.
Yudhoyono's Democrat Party, the fourth strongest party in the parliament with 56
seats, has received backing from three smaller parties, which only offer another 57
seats.
According to Darusman, about 150 Golkar party members including executives signed
up to the 'Open Forum for Renewal' at a meeting also attended by Yusuf Kalla, a
Golkar member and Yudhoyono's running mate.
"Through this forum we call on people, especially the Golkar family wherever they are,
to make use of their political rights and the voice of their conscience in the second
round of the presidential elections," a statement by the group said.
Another group of Golkar rebels broke with the coalition to back Yudhoyono on
Monday (30/8/04). "We concluded that to improve the people's condition, the current
government must be replaced. So, this stance is consistent to what Golkar has set
from the beginning," said rebel Fahmi Idris, one of Golkar's 15 deputy chairmen and a
former Labor Minister.
Darursman was equally honest, conceding pragmatically that the forum was
anticipating the defeat of Megawati, and Golkar would survive only by joining the
winning team.
Tanjung Threatens Kalla
Golkar Party leader Akbar Tanjung on Thursday (2/9/04) threatened to dismiss Jusuf
Kalla as a party member for acts and statements that he considered detrimental to
party unity. Tanjung said party executives would discuss Kalla's possible dismissal.
"I am concerned about Kalla's recent acts and statements. He has interfered in the
internal affairs of Golkar, therefore it is possible that we will dismiss him," Tanjung
said during a visit to Manado in North Sulawesi.
Separately, Kalla said he was ready to resign from Golkar should it be proven that he
had violated the party's statute.
"It is natural that some Golkar members have asked the party to axe me, but it was
Akbar who approved my decision to run with the Democrat Party's candidate," Kalla
shot back.
Yudhoyono Slams Funding Rumor
Yudhoyono had troubles of his own throughout the week. On Tuesday (31/8/04) he
rejected rumors that he and his party have received foreign funding.
"Accusations against me and my Democrat party of receiving foreign funding - around
$50 million - have prompted the circulation of pamphlets saying `Don't vote for SBY
because he is funded by the US'. I assure you that it's a big zero," Yudhoyono told
reporters after a mandatory visit to the anti-graft commission (KPK) to declare his
personal wealth this year of Rp4.5 billion ($482,300).
"There has been no aid from abroad like what they accuse of coming from the US ... I
can account for my campaign funds," he said.
Though Megawati earns a presidential salary of only Rp50 million ($5,500) a month,
her wealth grew significantly during her three years as president, the KPK said
Thursday.
The announcement could hurt Megawati's bid to remain in office in the runoff
elections, adding to perceptions that she's used her position to enrich herself.
The reported value of Megawati's holdings stood at Rp75 billion ($8.3 million), up $1.5
million since 2000, said KPK member Amin Sunaryadi.
Cash for Newcomers
Further down the pecking order in the corridor of power, ordinary legislators who were
elected in the April 5 legislative polls will be pleased to know that the House of
Representatives (DPR) has allocated at least Rp123 billion ($13 million) for expenses
connected to their imminent arrival.
The money is being spent on the construction of 51 official residences for new
lawmakers, a four-story office building and furnishings, House secretary general Faisal
Djamal said Wednesday (1/9/04).
Current House speaker Akbar Tanjung would inaugurate the office building being
constructed at the national legislative complex in Central Jakarta.
Djamal disclosed that the construction of the building would cost Rp66 billion, with an
additional Rp25 billion going on its furnishing and elevators.
The new House will have 550 members elected in the April 5 legislative election. 495
of these will be given houses, for as long as they retain their seats in the House, in
the residential complex in Kalibata, South Jakarta.
Under the new legislation, there will be only one House speaker and three deputies.
These four will be assigned official residences at the Widya Chandra complex in
Kuningan, Central Jakarta, while the 51 additional members will get new houses in
Permata Mediterania, an upmarket private complex in South Jakarta at a cost to the
government of Rp32 billion.
The 500 outgoing legislators will get a modest package of books and certificates and
a 10-gram gold ring each to help them remember their services to the country.
Israel Move?
Yudhoyono dived in at the deep end by saying publicly that he would consider
establishing diplomatic relations with Israel if he is elected.
Efforts by some moderate Muslim leaders, including former President Abdurrahman
Wahid, to improve ties between the two countries have sparked anger among the
Muslims.
Koran Tempo daily quoted Yudhoyono as saying that since being a president is to
fight to achieve the people's aspirations, he would "think over" the government policy
of not establishing a formal relationship with Israel to show solidarity with Palestinian
people. He added that he does not want to make the issue a political one.
He made the remarks in response to a proposal from a participant in a seminar of 400
church leaders in the East Java provincial capital of Surabaya on Monday (30/8/04)
that Indonesia open diplomatic ties with Israel if he is elected president.
The participant argued the multidimensional crisis in Indonesia was caused by the
Indonesian government's hatred of Israel, which he called "a country chosen by God".
Israel extended full recognition of Indonesia in 1950, but the two countries have had
very limited contacts and no formal relations have been established.
Close Call
Though Yudhoyono remains ahead in popularity according to two opinion polls
released Wednesday (1/9/04), President Megawati Sukarnoputri's popularity rating
jumped nearly 7% from a month earlier in a study by the Indonesian Survey Institute.
The survey follows a major publicity drive by the once media-shy Megawati. A second
study by independent pollsters, the Sugeng Sarjadi Syndicate, also put Yudhoyono
ahead of Megawati but by a smaller margin.
"Megawati's camp can still reverse the situation, especially if the coalition can work
effectively," the syndicate said in a statement.
In the Indonesian Survey Institute poll of 1,200 respondents, 61% preferred
Yudhoyono to 30.3% for Megawati. A July survey by the same body showed 23% for
Megawati and 68% for her rival. The institute said respondents cited perceived
"personality qualities" of Yudhoyono, including honesty, charisma, firmness, attention
and intelligence.
In the Sugeng Sarjadi Syndicate survey, 5,000 respondents said 41.3% favored
Yudhoyono compared to 34.7% who preferred Megawati.
The survey said 43.2% of respondents believed that Yudhoyono would make a better
president. Only 31.76% believed Megawati would be able to improve her presidential
skills.
Despite finding Yudhoyono far ahead, the Survey Institute said: "The Nationhood
Coalition (KK) is formidable because if they can herd all voters who backed the parties
in KK, Megawati is certain to win."
The sixth strongest party in the next parliament, the National Awakening Party (PKB),
concluded a convention on Wednesday and said it would stay neutral and let
supporters freely vote for the candidate of their choice.
PKB said that was in line with what its patron, former president Abdurrahman Wahid
envisioned.
No 'One-on-one' Debate
Megawati has refused her opponent's offer for a televised debate on issues confronting
the country.
Yudhoyono challenged Megawati on Monday (30/8/04) to confront him in a General
Election Commission (KPU) dialog. He said that to facilitate the debate, the KPU
should set up a stage where he and Megawati could communicate openly with the
public.
"Rather than spending much time straying from the objectives of delving more into our
political platforms, we hope that the KPU can set up a forum where the President and
I can communicate with the public in the broadest possible sense," he said after a
meeting with women activists.
Instead, Megawati and her opponent will appear beside each other and answer
scripted questions in three television appearances. But they will not be allowed to grill
each other, warned election commission spokesman Sinta Satriana.
The two candidates and their running mates are to make their first appearances on
September 14 to speak at length about their programs on political, legal and human
rights issues. The following day, they are to speak on economics policies and social
welfare issues, while the last day of campaigning will focus on social, cultural and
religious issues.
Megawati campaign team member Pramono Anung said the President was simply
complying with the rule that no presidential debate would be held in the run-off.
Wahid, Kiemas in Hospital
Abdurrahman Wahid, after opening an executive meeting of the PKB to determine its
stance in the election runoff on Tuesday (31/8/04), was rushed to Cipto
Mangunkusumo General Hospital in Central Jakarta due to an increase in his blood
sugar level.
Wahid, or Gus Dur as he is universally known, has suffered two strokes in the past
and his health problems have been compounded by diabetes, with his blood sugar
repeatedly rising to dangerous levels.
The former president was transferred on Wednesday (1/9/04) to the stroke treatment
wing at the RSCM, chief of the team of doctors, Yusuf Misbach said. "Gus Dur has to
undergo a series of tests," he said.
Also on Tuesday evening, Megawati's husband Taufik Kiemas, a top member of the
Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), was admitted to the Harapan Kita
cardiac hospital.
He was discharged the next day but flew off on Thursday for further treatment at a
cardiac hospital in Penang, Malaysia. He underwent a by-pass operation in Australia
in 2000 but has been frequently hospitalized ever since.
Bali Bomber Out on the Town
Police were forced to defend their decision to take Ali Imron, one of the key Bali
bombers, out for an evening at a Starbucks Cafe in a Jakarta mall as "a normal way to
develop a case" after sightings of the man jailed for life over the Bali bombing
prompted widespread media coverage.
On his way out of Starbucks, Imron said to reporters: "I'm going out with Pak Gores,
it's pretty normal." He was referring to the country's top terrorism investigator, Brig.
Gen. Gories Mere who spent three hours on Wednesday night (1/9/04) with Imron.
National police spokesman General Paiman said Thursday there was nothing unusual
about the trip to Starbucks, and later in the evening to the nearby Hard Rock Cafe,
where police were trying to get information from a witness. "There's no problem, as
long as there's no violation of procedure and there's adequate security," he said.
Paiman said there was no risk of Ali Imron escaping because the group was
"surrounded by plain-clothes police officers inside and outside the building".
Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer said after hearing reports of the
meeting he had checked to ensure Ali Imron was still in detention and serving his
sentence. He declined to criticize.
"Different things are done in different countries in different ways, but we certainly don't
want him to be released," Downer said.
Imron was a vital witness in the prosecution of the Bali bombers and gave evidence
against his brothers, Amrozi and Ali Ghufron, both of whom have been sentenced to
death for their parts in the attacks.
Police in April moved him from prison in Denpasar, Bali, to Jakarta police
headquarters to help their investigations into the Jemaah Islamiah (JI) group that
carried out the attack.
The Detik news website quoted Imron's lawyer, Suyatno, as saying the meeting with
police had been to discuss "preparation to transfer him to the prison in East Java", but
Qadar Faisal, a lawyer for the alleged spiritual head of JI, Abu Bakar Ba'asyir, put a
different spin on the incredible news.
"From that meeting we suspect there's a conspiracy between Ali Imron and the
police. The target is obviously Ba'asyir because that's the police focus and priority,"
he told Detik.
Imron gave evidence in Ba'asyir's trial last year and the 66-year-old cleric is a step
closer to court after a prosecutor was appointed for his looming trial on terrorism
charges.
Police Ask Court to Drop lawsuit
Police have rejected a legal bid to have Ba'asyir released for wrongfully arrest and
detaining the cleric on a warrant linking him to the October 2002 Bali bombings.
He has stoutly denied involvement in terrorism and claims he is being persecuted
because of western pressure and because he campaigns for strict Islamic law in
Indonesia.
The April 30 arrest, made as Ba'asyir stepped out of jail having served time on other
charges, was made prior to a ruling by the Constitutional Court outlawing the
retroactive use of a new anti-terror law to cover the Bali attacks.
But following last month's Constitutional Court ruling, police amended the charge
sheet, principally tying him to an August 2003 attack on Jakarta's Marriott hotel that
left 12 dead.
Police lawyer Syitono told a pre-trial hearing in Jakarta that Bashir was also linked to
the discovery of a haul of weapons in Semarang in Central Java.
"Based on the result of expanded investigation, the plaintiff is not only linked with the
Bali bombings but he is also connected with the Marriott bombings and the discovery
of weapons and explosive in Semarang," he said.
Prosecutors have confirmed that Ba'asyir will appear in court charged with the Marriott
attack under the tough new anti-terror law, which carries a possible death sentence.
The legal challenge by Ba'asyir 's lawyers, on which judges will rule on Monday
(6/9/08), is the latest hitch in the battle to bring the militant cleric to court, but few
expect it to succeed.
10 Years for Hotel Attack
A court sentenced a Muslim militant to 10 years in jail on Thursday (2/9/04) after
finding him guilty of involvement in last year's J.W. Marriott hotel bombing in Jakarta.
Masrizal bin Ali Umar, alias Tohir, was found guilty of buying the truck used in the
August 5, 2003, attack and transporting 100 kg of explosives. He was acquitted on a
separate charge of helping plan the attack, which has been blamed on the Jemaah
Islamiyah terror network.
He is the 15th person convicted by courts in the attack that killed 12 people, including
the suicide bomber.
"The defendant has been proven guilty of committing a terrorist act, which has caused
the loss of lives and property,'' said Judge Sri Mulyani, "but he has not been proven to
be involved in the planning because he was only following orders.''
During the trial, Umar admitted that he had surveyed several possible targets and had
transported the chemicals that were used to build the bomb.
The two alleged masterminds of the attack, Malaysians Noordin and Azahari bin
Husin, are still at large and are believed to be hiding in Indonesia.
US Warns Americans in Indonesia
The US embassy in Jakarta said in a statement Friday (3/9/04) that it continues to
receive reports that terrorist organizations may attempt to carry out attacks against
identifiably American or other Western facilities or businesses in Indonesia.
The statement reminded American nationals in Indonesia to remain aware of the
continued potential for terrorist attacks and of the need to observe vigilant personal
security precautions.
US government travelers have been told, "to avoid identifiably Western hotels".
Terrorists could strike a wide range of targets, the statement added, suggesting
Americans "keep a low profile while in public" and "vary their daily routines".
The US embassy has issued a number of previous warnings to residents and
would-be visitors, as have some other embassies.
Although Jakarta has criticized the warnings and says the country is as safe as many
others, police have also warned about continuing or fresh threats, including possible
attacks related to the forthcoming run-off presidential election.
Unity, Cohesion at Risk
Also on Friday, Army chief Gen. Ryamizard Ryacudu expressed concern over the
'alarming level' of foreign intelligence activities in the country, which he said, had put
the country's unity and cohesion at stake.
"There have been so many foreign intelligence officers here. They have created an
unstable condition under all kinds of pretexts," he said.
Ryacudu said uprisings in Aceh and Papua bore hallmarks of outside interference, as
did communal conflict in the district of Poso and on Maluku Island.
He also claimed foreign intelligence operatives have donated substantial funds to rebel
movements in various parts of the country to create internal conflicts.
'Must Do' List
Fighting corruption tops the list of things that the next president must do in the first
100 days in office, if he or she want to gain the people's confidence and support, the
Partnership for Governance Reform says.
On Friday (3/9/04) the group, formed from representatives of the government, civil
society, the business world and the international donor community, officially launched
a list of 20 items it said must be prioritized by the new president in order to gain the
support necessary to govern effectively for the next five years.
"The 20 programs for reform ... if implemented, can lead to the establishment of a
clean and good government," the partnership said in a statement. "These are
programs that carry low political risks and are doable, but still mobilize widespread
public support for the new administration, because of their `quick-win' nature."
Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, a retired Army general and the front-runner ahead of the
September 20 election run-off, has already endorsed the proposal as a reference for
his administration should he be elected, said the partnership's executive director, H.S.
Dillon.
Incumbent President Megawati Sukarnoputri, the other contender, has agreed to meet
with members of the partnership to discuss the list on September 17, Dillon added.
The new president must also give the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) full
authority and the necessary resources, including personnel and funding, and remove
all bureaucratic obstacles to allow the authorities to effectively deal with corruption
cases, the group said.
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