“ An Alternative Road

to National Salvation”

Curent Conditions

 
It must be conceded that the reformation that began in 1998 has produced some positive results as witnessed by a number of changes in state and national life.

Democratization has fueled an appetite for voicing aspirations and has emboldened the people to challenge all manifestations of injustice, dishonesty and arrogance apparent among officers of state administration. 

Press freedom has also encouraged people from all social strata to fearlessly express their consciences and exercise effective social control – a contrast to the days when this freedom was suppressed and expression of conscience was inhibited.

Regional autonomy has change the way government operates from a centralized system to a decentralized one allowing wide autonomy for regions to regulate themselves in line with local aspirations, interests and available natural resources.

Even so, we must also admit that there have been negative side effects of the reformation that have left the nation in significant difficulty. These excessed have been fueled by a euphoria that has distorted the meaning of reform, democracy and freedom for a wide section of the community. This is regrettable. Excessive euphoria surrounding reformation has reached a point of seriousness. The economic crisis has blown out into a crisis of politics and of trust and ultimately a crisis of national morality. National life has increasingly broken down.

If  we look closely at this situation, and then make honest conclusions about our observations, we can clearly see where the core problem lies. At the root we find a political format and system in confusion, weak economic foundations, and national defense and security exposed to various threats and potential threats to the national interests.

Several phenomena reveal tendencies that do not augus well for the future.

1.                    The Political Field

The exercise of freedom and democracy has deviated to a point of domination by the legislative over the executive and the judiciary. This has come in the absence of a common consensus and clear understanding of the essence ot the reform process itself.

The reformation has introduced a system that gives significant authority and power to the people through the legilature (DPR/Parliament) to instill the system with checks and balances. However, because the people’s representatives within the legislature are strongly influenced by partisan group interests, the legislative products generated are being rejected by the people represented.

The reformation has also heralded a multi-party political system. The reality, however, is that system has inclined to the electionof a weak national leadership. The weakness come from constant maneuvering and power plays among the political forces represented in parliament.

The rifts that have occurred in the major political parties and the emergence of hundreds of new ones indicated that there will be friction and clashes between party constituents in the 2004 elections – where no party will win the much-needed clear majority needed to guarantee national security.

Trust in the political leaders has reached its lowest ebb. Community resistance to the policies of government has indicted this. Moreover, the people are now bold enough to openly reject the presence of their leaders-even to a point of anarchy.

2. The Economic Sphere 
   An exodus of investors is witnessed by declining number and value of PMA and PMDN (foreign and local investment) approvals. New foreign investors are not brave to venture in. Installed capital is being packed up and redirected to countries where political conditions to countries where political conditions are not in such disarray, legal uncertainties less common, economic policies not so inconsistent, security better guaranteed, labor more predictable, illegal levies not so blatant, and where nationally produced goods are not beaten off their home markets by competiton from smuggled imports.
   
   The nation’s internal and international debt has swollen to a point where interest repayments have become a significant drain on the annual budgets. There are few funds left over development investment hardly enough for proper maintenance. Privatization, devestment and subsidy cut measures have created a new problem by evolving into political commodities. Ourtop non-oil and gas commodity exports have been in steady decline.
   
   Low economic growth with consequent rising unemployment and poverty levels has reached a critical level and has even generated rising unemployment among the educated. Economic growth that has occurred has relied on consumption – not investment – whereby its sustainability becomes a moot point.
   
   In the mids of all this there has been significant leakage of government funds. Corruption, collusion, nepotism and bribery are increasingly rampant-not just within the executive but are spreading increasingly through the legislative and judiciary.
   
   It is truly ironic that Indonesia, with its vast and fertile lands, blessed by a temperate climate, its listed as the world’s biggest importer of rice. Indonesia remains heavily dependent on imports to fulfillment its people’s most basic needs, note import figures for sugar, salt, wheat, soybeans, corn, medicinal raw materials and fruit.
   
   Implementation of regional autonomy has tended to deviate from the basic concept of the Indonesian Unitary Republic (NKRI) because it has tended to take an exclusive focus on the regions alone. Its implementation has thereby tended to broaden the welfare gap between wealthy regions and poorer ones in a manner that frustrates efforts to promote the general welfare of the Indonesian people.
    
   
3. Defense and Security
   The have been vertical upheavals in Aceh, Papua and Maluku associated with calls for independence a break from the NKRI Republic. Horizontal conflict in Maluku, Poso, Sambas and Sampit with roots in issues of race, religion, regional fanaticism other narrow primordial interests, remains to be completely resolved.
   
   Rhe relinquish of East Timor and the Sipidan and Ligitan islands has been bitter pills to swallow. These incidents are a warning to our policy formulators, including or defense and security forces, to increase their vigilance, especially on matters linked with our national boundaries.
   
   Divisive and apathetic attitudes have influenced military and police personnel to a point of reluctance to take action in the absence of regulations setting out how the assisting the police. Details of conditions, timing, and the mechanism for rendering this assistance remain to spelt out.
   
   The community is increasingly fearful of their lives and property in the face of soaring crime rates and of the level of violence associated with these crimes.
   
   The moral attributes and professionalism of defense and security apparatus remains low – as does their level of remuneration.
   
   Law and human rights enforcement is still weak. On the other hand, there has been a politicization of the law from a sector of the public indicated by dragging members of the elite and state apparatus before the courts.
   
   Responding to the drastic conditions of the state and the uncertainties of daily life, the Lemhannas Alumni (IKAL) with its 3000 members scattered through virtually all institutions, whether central or regional government, or private institutions, is morally obliged to provide a solution to the situation.
   
   While adhering firmly to the national “vision and mission” as set out in preamble to the national constitution of 1945, (Paragraphs 3 and 4), and in the spirit of reform, IKAL offers some key pointers to improve and restructure political, economic and defense and security life. These keys constitute a Rescue Program and Strategic Steps that together offer an “ALTERNATIVE ROAD TO NATIONAL SALVATION”.
   
   The IKAL rescue program and strategic steps are hoped to become an action blueprint directing every IKAL member, officer of the state, political or community leader, and other components of the state. It should also reach all policies, strategies and measures within their fields of influence in a wider context of building this nation into a great one.
   
   Through socializing this program and implementing it as an alternative for national salvation we may hope that the people can be relieved of the constant stress of pressure from various political interests, that they can be adequately housed and fed and that they can live in security, peace and justice.
   
   To mae this rescue program and its strategic steps visible, applicable and workable in a broader context of buildig our nation into a great one there needs to be strong national leadership. This leader must be a solidarity builder, a good administrator, clean and bold enough to make hard decisions, have a vision for the future, and have a widely respected and accepted public charisma.

THE RESCUE PROGRAM AND ITS STRATEGIC ELEMENTS

General  

Nothing disharmony between the legislative and executive in the absence of consensus over the understanding of reform, and disarray wrought through  euphoric excesses, the first thing that we need to do is synchronize our perceptions and tone to determine that the essentials of reformation which are:

First: To do away with, and henceforth studiously avoid, all past errors of action and attitude marked by dishonesty, injustice, arrogance, corrupt practices, bribery ad nepotism that have crippled the state and nation;

Second: To defend, strengthen and build further on various positive achievements of the past by the Indonesian nation and state;

Third : To face the future together with a new mutually agreed paradigm.

 
Aside from this, we also need a common understanding of democratization as being the freedom to hold differing points of view but that this freedom is based on accepting conclusions and decisions mutually agreed and mutually binding.

 
In practise, democratization has its borders and rules of play to be respected by all, demarcation lines include that democatization remain within the corridor of a nationalist spirit, obey existing laws and regulations, respect basic human rights, and be willing to accept the opinions of others. Equally important, whatever decision are reached, these are to be obeyed and implemented together.

 
In observing analyzing and mapping out the current national conditions we must be honest, forthight and dispassionately void of vested interest in order to determine the best course for the rescue package and the strategic steps associated with it. If we faid to be honest, in the sense that we allow something that is not fit and proper or reject something that is, it is tantamount to pushing this nation to the brink of destruction.

An evaluation of current conditions indicates that a majority of the people still wish to support and maintain the concept of an Indonesian Unitary Republic (NKRI) while only a minority seek to see common meeting ground of these groups is a desire to see a breakdown and disintegration of the NKRI.

 
Facing this, alertness is needed because this minority is both clever and cunning, and very capable of exploiting any opportunity. Witness the way in which they have exploited the mass media and press to manipulate public opinion in their favor. This phenomena needs to be closely followed by the press and media operators to ensure that, in accommodating the democratic freedoms and opinions of these minorities, they never lose sight of the wider impact of this on the contiuity of the Indonesian state and nation.

After bringing together our perceptions and tone regarding and understanding of reform and democratization, and getting a clear understanding national and state life based on evidence of current conditions, the rescue program and strategic steps that we offer are as follows:

1.                   In The Political Sphere

RESCUE PROGRAM

a.            The multi-party political system has resulted in the formation of numerous small parties. Infact there are now more than 250 of these and these need to be trimmed whereby a major vote winner may be able to emerge capable of guaranteeing stability in the political and security spheres.

b.           The current political format that currently entertaints 11 fractions within the DPR and Parliament needs to be simplified to allow speedier and more accountable passage of legislation that are acceptable to the general populace and that directly address the real problems of the nation.

c.             Dirty politics and pressure exerted through money politics must be stopped, especially the model and system used for election of governors, Bupati (District Heads) and the election of other leaders-until now, handled by regional assemblies and the national assemble (DPRD & DPR) –must be stopped through until 2004.

d.             Social distrust which sees the community rejecting their leaders-even to the point of anarchy-must be the object of a rescue. This rescue can use a system to generate national leaders who are the legitimate products of the people’s will expressed through political parties, and who are equipped with a career education that has come from the lowest levels.

e.              Indonesia’s image and pride that has been in decline –if not completely lost-these days must be restored through strict implementation of the concepts of national resilience (Ketahanan Nasional) and the timeless values of Pancasila through all levels of society whereby any efforts to brea away from the NKRI unitary republic, egoistic attitudes and mass violence that justifies and methods to achieve an end can be prevented. This will allow the people to regain an understanding of their own essence as members of the Indonesian state living in a sovereign national republic.

STRATEGIC TEPS

a.        To assist advancement of the political system as regards the number of parties, strategic steps need to be taken to bring together parties with a common base and regulate restrictions on the number of political parties. In line with this, political Parties, elections, and governing the DPR & DPRD must be reorganized. Thereafter, in order to bring stability to political, economic and security affairs, there should be strong support to ensure that a single party emerges with a majority in the 2004 elections.

b.       The political format, in terms of the number of fracntions, needs to brought into conformity with the number of political parties. This asidem in order to accelerate and generally improve the decision making process, there must be a shared vision among political parties of the national interests.

c.        To back up the policy to place a temporary constraint on election of leading officials by the DPR, and that of Governors and Bupatis by the DPRD, strategis steps must be taken to stop money politics or the more subtle use of illicit pressure in this process. In such a condition, the national leader can directly appoint caretaker officers to serve until after the 2004 elections, after which direct elections by the people can take place. This step must be further backed by enforcement of legal sanctions imposed on those who break its provision.

d.       Towards finding an appropriate political leader, chosen by the people through the political parties, fit and proper preselection testing must be conducted on all prospective senior officials/leaders at all levels according to clear and fixed criteria.

e.        To support socialization and implementation of the concept of national resilience, and the timeless values of Pancasila, strategic steps need to be adopted to re-ignite the national pride of all Indonesians and to develop the distinctive character of Indonesia as a sovereign nation. These steps may be channeled through education facilities, residential agencies and through the workplace by deployment of all information media.

2. The Economic Sphere
    RESCUE PROGRAM
   Developing an economic strategy that can operate in the midst of such no many current uncertainties will be no easy matter. As economies do not operate in a vacuum, political support, defense and security conditions are a “conditio sine qua non” for success.
   
   The multi-faceted crisis that has confronted the nation since 1997 means that the rescue program must receive a “first and foremost” priority incorporating clear, firm and applicable measures to ensure the economy’s survival.
   
   There is a saying that suggests that “Whatever economic decision may be reached, implementation will always remain a political decision”. So too, political stability is able to provide the necessary security whereby an economy can operate.
   
   With this mutual interdependency and interlinkages between politics, economics and security matters, the platform for future economic strategy on which economic growth can be based.
   
   
   
   
   1. Attempting to restore investment confidence calls for several measures: Generate a sense of security, implement policies consistently, strengthen law enforcement, and improve the operation of regional autonomy –especially regarding financialties between central and regional administrations.
   
   

    

   
   
   
   
   2. To rescue the national budget (APBN) from the strain of debt repayments currently accounting for about 30% of its total a policy of total economy must be adopted. In line with this there needs to be a review and a reassessment of Indonesia;s plans to promptly terminate the IMF program a t the end of 2003, and thereafter to set a gradual course for a return to balanced budgets.
   
   

    

   
   
   
   
   3. Towards more effective management of state finances, there must be policies that constrain leakage, eliminate corruption collusion and nepotism, and address unemployment through revitalizing manpower systems and conditions. In this context, budgetary allocations are to be directed to labor intensive projects that can boots employment –particularly in areas of high population density.
   
   

    

   
   
   
   
   4. Recalling that the majority of the people rely on the agriculture sector, the issue of food sustainability and resilience is central. Policies must  be adopted that look to national agriculture providing enough food for all the nation’s people in a phased approach that includes gradual reductions of imported food supplies.
   
   

    

   
   
   
   
   5. Addressing problems associated with implementation of regional autonomy calls for policies that reorganize and improve current laws governing regional autonomy and the financial relations between central and regional authorities.
    
   

   STRATEGIC STEPS

a.              In order to attract investors back we must promptly:

1)             Provide incentives and easy terms for investment

2)             Create political stability, legal certainty, consistant economic policy, conducive security conditions and clear labor laws as well as the removal of various illegal levies.

b.             Recalling the central role of the national budget (APBN) in state and national life, the government needs to pursue all possible measures to maintain the continuity of these budgets. This calls for the following measures to be adopted:

1)             Planned, transparent  and regular reductions of subsidies whereby these will not overly burden the general community.

2)             Privatization is not solely in the interests of strengthening government finances. It’s main purpose is to boost innovation and efficiency within the industries concerned whereby they become better able to contribute to national development.

3)             Politicizing of measures to rescue the budget, with their background in group and factional interests, must end and end quickly but without reducing effective control over these measures.

4)             Efforts must be made to reduce national debt. This should involve a process of identification and classification of various international loans to determine which are to be rescheduled and which can be absolved.

3. In the area of management of national finances, strategic measures must be determined to ensure that the state budget (APBN) be subjected to the strictest economies regarding all expenditures. This will involve a review of DAU allocations, travel expenses, import of luxury goods, and the construction of capital and infrastructure that is not urgently needed.

4. To support the policy of food selfreliance and to put a constraint on the import of basic necessities, a strategic inventory and consolidation of land resources need to be undertaken and idleland must be restored to its regional function of agriculture. In line with this, there must also be measures that promote and facilitate imports that boost agricultural productivity.

Other measures should be directed to development of agrobusinesses, maritime exploitation and micro, small and medium scale industries.

5. Towards improvements of the regional autonomy, strategic steps should concentrate on several areas that been problem areas to date. These include the links between rights, responsibilities and authority in dealings between central and regional/sub-regional authorities, and the financial balances, along with transparency in their operations, fixed these authorities. This should also encompass the hierarchy of control authorities overseeing these operations.

 3. The Defense and Security Sphere

a.        Defense

RESCUE PROGRAM

1)       To address the issue of Aceh, Papua, and Maluku seeking to separate from the NKRI, firm and appropriate action must be taken based on a declaration from the national leadership (Keputusan Kepemimpinan Nasional) that the Aceh independence movement, GAM, and the Papuan independence movement, GPM, and the South Maluku republican movement, RMS, are all armed separatist movements, rebel movements and that they should be put down.

The national leadership should also mae it clear that putting down separatist movements and armed rebellions that challenge the national sovereignty and integrity of the scope of national defense and will essentially be the work of the Indonesian national armed forced, TNI.

2)       To strengthen national defense apparatus, currently in decline through weaponry shortages and the aging of current armaments, the TNI must rapidly acquire modern defense armaments to be put in the hands of professional and loyal Indonesian soldiers.

3)       To break apathy and hesitation to act among TNI soldiers and members of the Police in the defense of nation and state, new regulations must be issued to define legal aspects of army involvement with the police forces. These must clarify the nature, timing, and the mechanisms involved in undertaking this cooperation.

4)       To address readjustment of state boundaries at a time of border shuffling on both land and seam and especially of the borders of East Timor, Sipadan and Ligitan, a new law on state boundaries needs to be issued.

5)       To further integrate the military and policy with the general community in execution responsibilities concerning national security, a new law on national security is called for.

6)       To muffle the noisy controversies over understanding, criteria for, and norms associated with “a compelling situation” (keadaan yang mendesak) as mentioned in Article 19 of the Draft law on TNI, regulations that spells out these matters should be promptly issued. Alternatively a separate glossary explanation of this article should be included in the UU Pertahanan.

 
RESCUE PROGRAM

1)       To guarantee that community life is not constantly disrupted by fear and insecurity of life and property, measures fixing a reward and punishment system for security officials must be set in place to promote law enforcement according to the letter of the law.

2)       To dress the rampant smuggling and the… of natural resources (Sumber Kekayaan Alam “SKA) and the consequent heavy losses to the state, a special security operation needs to be conducted backed by firm authority for field operations. Maximal penalties must be applied to offenders.

3)       To prevent and put down terrorism, an anti-terrorism law must be introduced to replace the current “Perpu” on anti terrorism. Maximal penalties must also be enforced against agents of terror.

4)       To reign in the current rampant drug trade and related crimes and special integrated operation must be undertaken involving the police, the armed services and community elements; a group equipped with clear authority to act in the field and with back-up of strict penalities enforced against offenders.

5)       To improve the moral and mental characted and the professionalism of security personnel and law enforcement officers there must be a system of rewards and punishments introduced in conjuction with closer attention to the welfare of these personnel. Law enforcement capital and infrastructure needs must also receive closer attention.

6)       To ensure further progress towards settlement of horizontal conflict in Maluku, Poso, Sambas and Sampit the government must provide a special budget for regional development, promote a national outlook and to resolve the refugee issue. The apparatus must be willing to take firm action.

STRATEGIC STEPS

1)             To support human rights and their policies strictly to the letter whereby to remove constant community fears over the safety of their person and property, there must be a system of rewards and punishments; rewards for those who support and contribute to these and strict penalisties against officers and officials who breach these. The collusive chains that connect criminals with law enforcement officers must be broken, and a system of Self-sufficient Local Environs Security (Keamanan Lingkungan Swakarsa) should be established right down to district and village level.

2)             To support special integrated security operations between the military, the police and the community, and to ensure the harshest criminal penalties against smugglers and thieves of national resources (SKA) that bring losses of foreign currency and state finances, prompt steps must be taken to improve cooperation with neighboring nations and to boost the community’s role in detecting and providing information concerning these thefts and smuggling operations. There must be an associated upgrading of equipement needed to curtail smuggling and boost security. Special courts should be established to try crimes involving theft and smuggling of national resources.

3)             In support of anti-terrorist legislation to replace the current Perpu on anti-terrorism, strategic procurement of modern anti-terror equipment and a pust for imposition of maximal penalties on agents of terror operating in Indonesia are needed.

4)             To support integrated action by police, the military and the community to wipe out drugs, and to provide maximal penalties against drug officers and the general community, there must be an on going anti-drug operation conducted that involves the general community in detecting and informing in a manner that will support this ongoing operation. These steps must be accompanied by others to breakup drug networks, provide more information on the dangers of drugs through government agencies and the mass media, and enforce maximal penalties against drug offenders through the operations of a special court.

5)             To support policy promulgating strict sanctions and penalties against disciplinary breaches linked to declining morality and professionalism among the security forces and law enforcement apparatus, strict penalties must be enforced against such professional breaches. In line with this, the welfare of these officers must receive more serious attention and they should receive higher training to direct them to more specialist skills and duties.

6)             In support of a policy of providing a special budget and non-discriminatory law enforcement in bringing justice to the horizontal conflict in Maluku, Poso, Sambas and Sampit, a greater effort towards community reconciliation and reconstruction of broken infrastructure must be made. In this context measures are needed to solve the problems of displaced refugees whose origins are in these regions.