LAKSAMANA.Net, June 6, 2004 10:57 PM
Review - Politics: Prepared to Lose
Laksamana.Net - Official campaigning for Indonesia's first ever direct presidential
election kicked off Tuesday (1/6/04) amid tight security after police warnings that
militants might launch attacks to coincide with the polls.
An opinion poll released on the same day shows Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono with
41% compared to 11.2% for incumbent President Megawati Sukarnoputri and 10% for
Wiranto, the Golkar candidate.
Also running are Hamzah Haz, Megawati's Vice President, and Amien Rais, a former
head of Muhammadiyah, Indonesia's second largest Islamic organization and Speaker
of the People's Consultative Assembly. Neither is seen as likely to make the second
round.
The five candidates and their deputies, cheered on by hundreds of supporters, stood
side-by-side to officially start the campaign for the July 5 ballot. A huge plaque
bearing the words: "We are prepared to win, but we are also prepared to lose," hung
above their heads.
Whether Megawati, who trails badly in opinion polls, is prepared to lose remains to be
seen but she stole a march on her four rivals by launching her re-election bid on
Monday (31/5/04).
Struggling to keep her job at the helm of the world's largest Muslim nation, Megawati,
at her first ever full press conference since taking office, unveiled a six-page manifesto
that promised to create 12.7 million new jobs, halve the poverty rate and appoint half a
million new teachers over the next five years.
The policies also include plans for new roads, an expansion of the railway
infrastructure, better irrigation, rice and fuel subsidies, improved family planning and
local medical clinics, and a pledge to raise civil servants' salaries by 15% every year
for the next five years.
Doing it our way
It was left to Hasyim Muzadi, Megawati's new vice presidential candidate, to explain
that Indonesia was dealing with terrorism in line with existing laws and will handle the
threat of terrorism "its own way". The US should not interfere in this process, Muzadi
said at the press conference.
"The US has to let Indonesia deal with terrorism its own way, and trust that the people
and the government of Indonesia are all anti-terrorism," Muzadi said, pointing out that
perpetrators of terrorist acts in the country have been brought to justice, including the
key players in the October 12, 2002, bombings in Bali.
"The terrorism cases in Indonesia will proceed according to due process. I'm sure that
will be much better than in other countries," Muzadi said.
Siswono slams bonus
Later in the day the government announced it plans to pay an extra month's salary
and pension entitlements to civil servants, pensioners, and military and police
personnel.
The windfall, which will cost Rp7.098 trillion ($771.5 million), will be paid out this
month along with regular salaries and pensions, prompting Siswono Yudhohusodo,
vice presidential candidate from the National Mandate Party (PAN), to slam the
decision as a vote-buying gimmick on the part of Megawati.
"I'm convinced that the public will be fully aware that this sort of thing is not
becoming," Siswono said.
Siswono also deplored the President's instruction to governors, regents and mayors
throughout the country to help ensure the "success" of the presidential election by
working for her reelection.
"An instruction to ensure the success of the presidential election is good, but not one
that favors a particular candidate," he said.
Rights Groups Under Fire
A group of national figures criticized the government for intimidating and terrorizing
non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and individuals campaigning for human rights
and democracy.
On the government's "watch list" are ELSHAM, a leading human rights group in
Papua, Australian left-wing academic Max Lane, and ELSAM, a Jakarta-based
research institute and human rights advocacy group.
Lane, an Australian Social Democrat Party activist and also the first translator of
Pramoedya Ananta Toer's works into English, was branded in a confidential report by
the National Intelligence Agency (BIN) as a "possible threat to disturb national
security".
"Strengthening the spirit of democracy, promoting transparency, and upholding human
rights and freedom of expression are things that make us proud to be Indonesians.
We should not allow these to be derailed," Muslim scholar Nurcholish Madjid said
Tuesday (1/6/04).
A joint statement signed, among others, by noted lawyer Todung Mulya Lubis,
journalist Goenawan Mohamad and Tempo news magazine's chief editor Bambang
Harymurti, called on the government, legislators and law enforcers to adhere to the
goals of reform.
The statement followed the government's threats against a number of NGOs accused
of selling out the country through their reports, which the government claims discredit
it. Among the NGOs was the Brussels-based International Crisis Group (ICG).
Todung, who is also a director of ICG, said he met National Intelligence Agency (BIN)
director A.M. Hendropriyono to ask for clarification over the issue of the work permit of
ICG Southeast Asia director, Sidney Jones.
However, late Monday night, Jakarta's decision to expel Jones, 52, and fellow analyst
Francesca Lawe-Davies, was confirmed. The pair left Jakarta Sunday (6/6/04).
Jakarta's decision to expel Jones sparked criticism from the US State Department
and a rangeof human rights organizations .
Former security minister Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, the front-runner in the
presidential race, urged the government to explain its reasons. "If it does not, it will
become a problem for democracy," he said Wednesday.
National assembly speaker Amien Rais said Thursday the expulsion "will have a
negative impact because Sidney Jones has an international reputation."
Human rights group Amnesty International said the decision was a "serious blow to
freedom of expression in Indonesia and the right of the public to access information."
Jones has written extensively on Abu Bakar Ba'asyir, currently under investigation for
links with the Indonesian-based Jamaah Islamiyah (JI) terrorist group, which is blamed
for the Bali bombings on October 2002 that sparked a crackdown on Muslim militants
in Indonesia.
Followers of Ba'asyir, now a confirmed terrorist suspect, expressed delight
Wednesday at the decision, calling on the government to revoke the anti-terrorism
law, "because the law was enacted with input from Sidney Jones".
Indonesia enacted anti-terrorism laws - making death the maximum penalty for a
terrorist act - weeks after the Bali blasts that killed at least 202 people, mostly foreign
visitors.
Three Muslim militants, self-confessed members of the al-Qaeda-linked regional terror
group Jamaah Islamiyah (JI), have been sentenced to death for their pivotal roles in
the Bali bombings, while nearly 30 others were convicted of prison terms ranging from
three years to life.
"We call on the government to have Sidney Jones apologize to Abu Bakar Ba'asyir,"
said Fauzan Al Anshari, spokesman for the Indonesian Mujahidin Council (MMI), an
organization set up by Ba'asyir several years ago. "The anti-terrorism campaign in
Indonesia has been influenced by the writings of Sidney Jones," said Anshari.
Neutral Military
Military (TNI) chief Gen. Endriartono Sutarto told commanders in the field to prevent
soldiers from getting involved in politics before, during, and after the poll or be ready to
face stern sanctions.
Speaking at a meeting of top brass Monday, the four-star general also urged retired
military officers contesting the election not to mobilize active military members.
"I was serious about keeping TNI neutral during the general elections. And as the
direct presidential election approaches, I reiterate the call, urging soldiers to remain
neutral," Sutarto told the generals.
He warned senior military officers intent on joining campaign teams not to undermine
TNI's structure.
Wiranto's 'Unfinished Business'
Retired general Wiranto, running for the presidency, is unlikely to have neutral feelings
towards one of his former aides, Maj. Gen. (ret) Kivlan Zein, after the latter announced
Wiranto played a key role in the controversial deployment of 30,000 civilian guards
(PAM Swakarsa) during the Special Session of the People's Consultative Assembly
(MPR) in November 1998.
The MPR endorsed the appointment of B.J Habibie as president, formally replacing
Suharto, who had stepped down six months earlier but clashes erupted between the
guards, who were armed with sharpened bamboos, and demonstrating students.
"I've already told Wiranto several times that we have unsettled business. He cannot
just contest the presidency," Kivlan said, claiming that Wiranto said it was a secret
operation and asked him to cover the expenses himself.
Wiranto's top campaign strategist Lt. Gen. (ret) Suaidi Marasabessy denied the
accusation and slammed it as another attempt at character assassination of Wiranto.
Kivlan claimed the operation cost him around Rp5 billion ($543,000) and he has had to
sell his two houses and cars to pay the debts, as he had never been reimbursed.
Marasabessy said his team was considering a lawsuit against Kivlan.
Wahid Opts Out
Though his National Awakening Party (PKB) is backing Wiranto, former President
Abdurrahman Wahid told a Singapore seminar Thursday (3/6/04) that he would not do
so personally.
Students, intellectuals and others did not want a leader with a military past, he said.
He also gave a low rating to front-runner Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono because of his
military past.
Megawati, he said, had little chance of winning another term as her party has
insufficient funds. Hamzah Haz had little chance for the same reasons.
He was more scathing about Amien Rais. “In the morning Amien Rais is a soya
bean, in the evening he's already bean curd,” Wahid was quoted as saying.
NU Clerics Issue 'Fatwa'
In Wahid's heartland of support, East Java, several influential clerics from the local
branch of Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), the country's largest Muslim organization, issued an
edict stating that it is forbidden for a woman to be president.
The edict, issued on Thursday (3/6/04) in the East Java regency of Pasuruan, fully
supports the decision of the National Awakening Party (PKB) to endorse the
candidacy of presidential and vice presidential candidates under the banner of the
Golkar Party, Wiranto and Solahuddin Wahid.
It stressed that members should not abstain from voting in the July 5 election and that
Muslims were prohibited under Islamic law, or shariah, from choosing a woman
leader, except in an emergency.
The Executive Board of the Islamic Students Association (HMI) on Friday (4/6/04)
refused to accept the edict.
"We deplore the negative campaigning tendency, which is becoming more and more
pronounced," HMI chairman Hasanuddin told journalists.
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