I am tempted to write the maneuver conducted by Golkar in regards with its courage to have a heated argument with the Democrat Party (PD) on the issue over the parliamentary inquiry committee on the Bank Century bailout case. Unlike a long held assumption from inside and outside the party that argues that Golkar has only experienced to be a ruling party and, thus, has no capacity to be an opposition, the current antagonism between Golkar and PD shows that the assumption is found to be unsupported. Indeed, Golkar can play a role as a smart opposition that will mark the unprecedented political configuration they country may ever have. If this antagonism is well managed, not only will Golkar appear to be the only party (at least now) that has a capacity to fulfill the role as the opposition party considering its size and experienced personnel, but also it will later on ripe for attracting swing voters, particularly those dissatisfied with PD, in the incoming election.
Brilliant Maneuver
First of all, Golkar is smart to take a momentum. Unlike the PD which seems to be a goal keeper who wait for the ball to catch, Golkar is a sort of a striker who seeks the ball to kick off. The active involvement of Golkar in the parliamentary inquiry committee on the Bank Century bailout case can be seen as an attempt to show off its transformed image as a clean and reformed party. No doubt has Golkar tirelessly attempted to disassociate its image from the past as a corrupt party which contributed to bringing the country into a economic and political crisis in 1998. Its firm stance on conveying the fact and independently interpreting the data in the inquiry committee while it is in fact a part of coalition party in the Yudhoyono cabinet has surely attracted some spectators. Let alone, no fiction exists amidst the party elites in that all rally behind their chair to independently investigate the case and arrive at firm conclusion.
No doubt has Golkar involved in the politicization of the case. It needs to be clearly understood, however, that no one can stand without doing politicization while they work in or involved with the politics. The politicization is acceptable as long as it does not overlook the findings and the resulting interpretations are well supported, scientifically proven and coherently argued. In other word, the public is permissive to politicization of the Century case provided that its investigation and conclusion is scientifically proven.
Some see that Golkar is very active in the investigating team because it targets Sri Mulyani, the minister of finance, with whom the Golkar chair has long resisted her reforms. In the interview with the Straits Times, Sri Mulyani acknowledged that she was in quarrel with Ical when she refused to unlisted Ical’s company from the stock exchange due deteriorating value of Bakrie’s share. Currently, Ical’s company is accused of tax dodging by the Tax Directorate of the Finance Minister. This attempt is seen as a deliberate attack against Ical for his party is so active in the investigating team.
It is good to witness that Golkar is not trapped by all this accusation. It does not directly and aggressively respond to this accusation as usually shown by its democrat party counterpart. Despite this accusation, the Golkar elites persistently said that they would judge the case in line with the data even when their judgment was against the party with which they make coalition. Needless to say, they publicly frame their findings, arguments and interpretations within scientific rules albeit they may hide their political agenda.
Second, it has won many allies and spectators. Their smart maneuver in framing their findings and interpretations has so far won many allies. Party like PKS, which is known to take stance against Golkar for its notorious involvement in the undemocratic regime in the past, has come for the first time side by side with it. It is still fresh when the PKS wanted to pull out of the coalition if the Golkar was given a seat in the Yudhoyono cabinet since Golkar did not work at all to win SBY in the 2009 presidential election. The unexpected friendship between the Golkar and the PKS at the elite level at the national parliament right now is a clear symptom that both can be allies due to similar stance toward the Century case the bailout was conducted against the principals and has potential of corruption.
It can be said that Golkar is a key figure in the investigating team which can determine the final conclusion. Its side with the PD will give rise to the conclusion that the bailout is necessary step to avoid the country from global crisis. Whereas its side with the opposition will strengthen the findings that the bailout is instead a wrong policy full of corruption and collusion. Golkar is now at the peak of political configuration. Even though we cannot be sure if it does not have a hidden agenda, we at least can see that so far it has been on the right track by taking side of those who want to see the justice. The fact constructed by government and the PD that the asset of Century bank was “robbed” and then brought overseas by its owners therefore the bank has to be saved by disbursing the bailout to avoid unattended impacts on national economics in general is not of a core issue. The issue has moved from the attempt to save the bank to stabilize the national economics to bias policy by the government, as it did not get consent from the parliament. In addition, the amount of bailout is tremendously ten times larger from its initial prediction. Thus, publics are suspicious to the extent that the bailout fund is as a matter of fact not used to save the bank from crisis but to benefit some elites. So far Golkar along with other parties (PKS, Gerindra and Hanura) has fulfilled the public desire by tentatively concluding that the bailout has potential of corruption.
Third, Golkar command is clear enough. As the top leader of the Golkar, Ical has appeared with an articulate command on the party stance. In a critical situation like the Century case, this effective command will avoid any misunderstanding among the elites and cadres of the party. Ical has been persistent and resolute in the party stance that Century bailout has offended the rules and has potential to corruption amidst the tax dodging rumors directed to him. He is eloquent to send a message to publics that no one can threaten him even at the gunpoint for the Golkar active involvement in the inquiry committee is not to threaten anybody. Therefore, the party elites and cadres have unswerving loyalty to their leader to guide the party amidst the rift the party and the government over the Century case.
Winning spectators
I was among those who disliked the Golkar party when I was an active university student in 1990’s. To me, Golkar did not work as a party but a gang who conspired to sink the country, who supported a series of security approach to any arising problem, who backed up a military and authoritarian regime. I even asked my family not to wear any yellow color shirt or paint anything in yellow for not willing to be identified with the party. I believe there were a number of people who were disoriented and, thus, disappointed with Golkar.
I know it is hard to throw that perception away. But looking at the current development of the party dealing with the Century case, I can ensure that the party has just carried out redevelopment. The party indeed attempts to change its image to be clean and care for the people. It can be said here that the Century case is the experiment of the party. Once it can show its commitment to scientifically prove that the bailout is unnecessary policy despite the increasing pressure from the government, it will win so many spectators. On the contrary, if it is in fact against the publics, the party will lose its constituents.
Looking at the preliminary conclusion publicly announced by the party, it appears that they party will win many spectators. People will start to identify that the party takes side with them. If this truly happens, the Golkar will attract some spectators from the government party. It is likely that these spectators swings to the Golkar in the 2014 election. Therefore, the contest over the Century case is far from end. A new episode will appear soon after the old episode disappears.
Brilliant Maneuver
First of all, Golkar is smart to take a momentum. Unlike the PD which seems to be a goal keeper who wait for the ball to catch, Golkar is a sort of a striker who seeks the ball to kick off. The active involvement of Golkar in the parliamentary inquiry committee on the Bank Century bailout case can be seen as an attempt to show off its transformed image as a clean and reformed party. No doubt has Golkar tirelessly attempted to disassociate its image from the past as a corrupt party which contributed to bringing the country into a economic and political crisis in 1998. Its firm stance on conveying the fact and independently interpreting the data in the inquiry committee while it is in fact a part of coalition party in the Yudhoyono cabinet has surely attracted some spectators. Let alone, no fiction exists amidst the party elites in that all rally behind their chair to independently investigate the case and arrive at firm conclusion.
No doubt has Golkar involved in the politicization of the case. It needs to be clearly understood, however, that no one can stand without doing politicization while they work in or involved with the politics. The politicization is acceptable as long as it does not overlook the findings and the resulting interpretations are well supported, scientifically proven and coherently argued. In other word, the public is permissive to politicization of the Century case provided that its investigation and conclusion is scientifically proven.
Some see that Golkar is very active in the investigating team because it targets Sri Mulyani, the minister of finance, with whom the Golkar chair has long resisted her reforms. In the interview with the Straits Times, Sri Mulyani acknowledged that she was in quarrel with Ical when she refused to unlisted Ical’s company from the stock exchange due deteriorating value of Bakrie’s share. Currently, Ical’s company is accused of tax dodging by the Tax Directorate of the Finance Minister. This attempt is seen as a deliberate attack against Ical for his party is so active in the investigating team.
It is good to witness that Golkar is not trapped by all this accusation. It does not directly and aggressively respond to this accusation as usually shown by its democrat party counterpart. Despite this accusation, the Golkar elites persistently said that they would judge the case in line with the data even when their judgment was against the party with which they make coalition. Needless to say, they publicly frame their findings, arguments and interpretations within scientific rules albeit they may hide their political agenda.
Second, it has won many allies and spectators. Their smart maneuver in framing their findings and interpretations has so far won many allies. Party like PKS, which is known to take stance against Golkar for its notorious involvement in the undemocratic regime in the past, has come for the first time side by side with it. It is still fresh when the PKS wanted to pull out of the coalition if the Golkar was given a seat in the Yudhoyono cabinet since Golkar did not work at all to win SBY in the 2009 presidential election. The unexpected friendship between the Golkar and the PKS at the elite level at the national parliament right now is a clear symptom that both can be allies due to similar stance toward the Century case the bailout was conducted against the principals and has potential of corruption.
It can be said that Golkar is a key figure in the investigating team which can determine the final conclusion. Its side with the PD will give rise to the conclusion that the bailout is necessary step to avoid the country from global crisis. Whereas its side with the opposition will strengthen the findings that the bailout is instead a wrong policy full of corruption and collusion. Golkar is now at the peak of political configuration. Even though we cannot be sure if it does not have a hidden agenda, we at least can see that so far it has been on the right track by taking side of those who want to see the justice. The fact constructed by government and the PD that the asset of Century bank was “robbed” and then brought overseas by its owners therefore the bank has to be saved by disbursing the bailout to avoid unattended impacts on national economics in general is not of a core issue. The issue has moved from the attempt to save the bank to stabilize the national economics to bias policy by the government, as it did not get consent from the parliament. In addition, the amount of bailout is tremendously ten times larger from its initial prediction. Thus, publics are suspicious to the extent that the bailout fund is as a matter of fact not used to save the bank from crisis but to benefit some elites. So far Golkar along with other parties (PKS, Gerindra and Hanura) has fulfilled the public desire by tentatively concluding that the bailout has potential of corruption.
Third, Golkar command is clear enough. As the top leader of the Golkar, Ical has appeared with an articulate command on the party stance. In a critical situation like the Century case, this effective command will avoid any misunderstanding among the elites and cadres of the party. Ical has been persistent and resolute in the party stance that Century bailout has offended the rules and has potential to corruption amidst the tax dodging rumors directed to him. He is eloquent to send a message to publics that no one can threaten him even at the gunpoint for the Golkar active involvement in the inquiry committee is not to threaten anybody. Therefore, the party elites and cadres have unswerving loyalty to their leader to guide the party amidst the rift the party and the government over the Century case.
Winning spectators
I was among those who disliked the Golkar party when I was an active university student in 1990’s. To me, Golkar did not work as a party but a gang who conspired to sink the country, who supported a series of security approach to any arising problem, who backed up a military and authoritarian regime. I even asked my family not to wear any yellow color shirt or paint anything in yellow for not willing to be identified with the party. I believe there were a number of people who were disoriented and, thus, disappointed with Golkar.
I know it is hard to throw that perception away. But looking at the current development of the party dealing with the Century case, I can ensure that the party has just carried out redevelopment. The party indeed attempts to change its image to be clean and care for the people. It can be said here that the Century case is the experiment of the party. Once it can show its commitment to scientifically prove that the bailout is unnecessary policy despite the increasing pressure from the government, it will win so many spectators. On the contrary, if it is in fact against the publics, the party will lose its constituents.
Looking at the preliminary conclusion publicly announced by the party, it appears that they party will win many spectators. People will start to identify that the party takes side with them. If this truly happens, the Golkar will attract some spectators from the government party. It is likely that these spectators swings to the Golkar in the 2014 election. Therefore, the contest over the Century case is far from end. A new episode will appear soon after the old episode disappears.