TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - There’s nothing wrong indeed with the re-appointment of Jusuf Kalla as the chairman of the Indonesian Red Cross (PMI) seen from the legality aspect.
The Articles of Association of the Red Cross was not violated. The election also ran democratically.
Representatives from provinces and regions who were eligible to vote have also made their votes.
However, the election had two flaws: compliance and ethics.
The election, for example, was considered not to comply with the statutes of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), which is the reference of the Red Cross.
Delegation from both the International Red Cross and the International Red Crescent has voiced their objection about the violation through a written statement of the committee of the Red Cross national assembly.
They also said that there are principles of neutrality and independence that were not obeyed.
In those two statutes, it is stated that the Red Cross is an independent humanitarian organization.
Although it supports the government’s policies in the humanitarian field, the organization must also maintain its autonomy and impartiality.
The Indonesian Red Cross for the period of 2014-2019, that appointed a government official as its chairman, is deemed to have clearly violated the basic principles of the International Red Cross Federation.
Kalla is a government official, at the highest level.
He won the voting over Siti Hediyati or Titiek Soeharto with 247 votes against 170 votes.
At least 418 participants of the national assembly took part in the voting.
With the re-election of Kalla, Indonesia is now the only country from 189 countries who join the International Red Cross Federation led by a chairman who’s is also an active government official.
Undeniable, Kalla is considered to have successfully led the Indonesian Red Cross. He, for example, has earned praises when he quickly mobilized volunteers to help victims of the eruption of Mount Merapi in Yogyakarta.
Under his leadership, the Indonesian Red Cross has also managed to update and modernize its equipment such as helicopters, special buses for blood donation, fire resistant cars that quickly reached disaster sites, as well as hospitals with complete medical equipment.
However, the achievement should not have automatically pushed him to be reelected as the chairman.
Then there’s a concern: The Red Cross will very much depend on Kalla. As vice president, he obviously has a big authority in regulating policies that benefits the Red Cross, for example.
On the contrary, his re-election would jeopardize the independence of the Red Cross. Such a conflict of interests is inevitable and will resurface some day.
This is clearly not healthy for the progress of this humanitarian organization.
Although it is allowed by the Articles of Association, reelection of Kalla is not ethical.
As a vice president, does he have to have a double position? His motive has to be questioned, considering that he once expressed his wish to resign from his chairmanship at the Red Cross.
If his motive was indeed to block Titiek Soeharto, he will be accused of dragging the Red Cross to the political arena, something clearly forbidden by the International Red Cross Federation.
Titiek, according to the statues of the International Red Cross, is also not entitled to become chairman of the Red Cross as she is still the Deputy Chairman of the Golkar Party.
Government officials or political party functionalist can drag this humanitarian organization out of its basic principles that upholds humanitarian, voluntarism, impartiality, neutrality, and independence.
It’s neither Kalla nor Titiek.
There are still many candidates with a wealth of experiences in leading organizations - as required by the Articles of Association - who are capable, competent, and neutral and can led this independent organization.
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