Parliament Holds Dialogue With Dissident Group

=== [PDF page 1] === Parliament Holds Dialogue With Dissident Group BK0907094791 Jakarta THE JAKARTA POST in English 5 Jul 91 pl [Text] Jakarta (JP}—The DPR (House of Representatives) and a dissident group seem to share the same view on problems facing the nation but differ on their approach to them. The group, led by former health minister Dr. Azis Saleh, advocated a “quick remedy” approach while the House members preferred a more conventional approach, as reflected in a hearing with Commission II, whose area of responsibility includes home affairs, and Commission III, in charge of legal affairs, of the DPR here yesterday. In a breach of usual protocol, Deputy Speaker of the House of Representative/People’s Consultative Assembly (DPR/ MPR) Maj. Gen. (ret.) [retired] Saiful Sulun himself fetched the 18 members of the dissident group from the waiting room at!0 a.m. sharp, and escorted them to the meeting hall. As the dissidents entered the hall and sat down, the House members gazed at them with awe while journalists’ flashes sparkled for several minutes. The event was attended by hundreds of reporters and observers who packed both the meeting hall and the balcony. Many others stood near the door and sat on the floor. Outside the hall and in the yard of the DPR building, police and security officers stood guard. === [PDF page 2] === Among the dissidents attending the hearing were former ASEAN secretary general Lt. Gen. (ret.) Hartono Rekso Dharsono, former national police chief Gen, (ret.) Hugeng Imam Santoso, former governor of Jakarta Marine Lt. Gen. (ret.) Ali Sadikin, former minister of mines Slamet Bratanata and Surasti Karma Trimurti, a 79-year-old woman freedom fighter. The hearing was opened by Sulun and chaired by Maj. Gen. R.K. Sembiring Meliala, chairman of Commission II. Interestingly, both of them used to be Dharsono’s subordinates. In response to the group's presentation, a DPR member from the Armed Forces (ABRI) faction, Mrs. Rukmini, said that Indonesia had seen successful development on a macro scale. ‘The problem is how to follow it with similar success in a micro scale," she said, She said that like the group, the DPR was also concerned about the case and had been analysing whether the political and economic systems were in accordance with the Constitution. Commission II had also discussed why reforms proposed by the House in the past often ended in failure, she said. Rukmini was apparently referring to her faction’s bid for more political openness, which was aired a couple of years ago. Another DPR member supported the statement, saying that the political and economic systems needed improvement, but not in a radical way. The dissident group also complained about what it called an unlawful act against them as to how the government had been treating them since the group came into existence in 1980, The group comprised about 50 people who signed a letter to the DPR, asking for a clarification of two presidential speeches they considered irrelevant. Rukmini also said that she agreed with the group’s stance which viewed the “1980 event” as a closed case. The group raised questions whether or not the DPR shares the group's view that all accusations made against the group were baseless and that on the other hand the group felt it had been slandered; whether or not the House agreed that restrictions accorded them without the due process of law was a serious legal violation. Among the restrictions were that the group members were not allowed to obtain loans from banks, to attend meetings attended by the president and the vice president, and to travel abroad. The government had also restricted the press from exposing them. “In connection with the two aforementioned questions, do you share our view that we have adequate legal basis to ask for the government’s accountability?” Chris Siner Key Timu, a junior member of the group, asked. The hearing yesterday was the second major event for the group after its meeting with Coordinating Minister for Political Affairs and Security Sudomo in May. The meeting ended with Sudomo asking the group to make an === [PDF page 3] === apology to the president. Ali Sadikin, however, said yesterday that the group would never make an apology as it was confident that what the group was doing was a ‘a form of religious duty’ (ibadah),