TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Indonesian Vice President Jusuf Kalla said that there is no ‘pure’ opposition party in the Indonesian political arena today.
According to Kalla, the so-called political parties in Indonesia tend to criticize the government’s programs.
"It’s different here unlike in the United States. There, the government is always wrong,” he said in Jakarta on Friday (5/2).
Nevertheless, he said that there are always political parties that criticize the government’s policies and those critics are made when there are government’s programs that not considered incorrect.
He also said that political parties that criticize the government’s programs are better than opposition parties in the United States.
“Political parties here want to see this country move forward,” he said, adding that the government does not view the Red and White Coalition as the opposition side.
Yet, he said that if the Red and White Coalition give critics, the government will accept them.
"We are different in technical matters and if you want to criticize the government, please do,” Kalla added.
Regarding political parties of the Red and White Coalition that have jumped ship and demanded ministerial posts, Kalla declined to comment.
For the record, Secretary General of the Great Indonesian Movement (Gerindra) Party Ahmad Muzani announced that the Red and White Coalition have been dismissed.
He said that de fact the parties who joined the coalition have now supported the government.
One of the parties that have joined the government is the National Mandate Party (PAN), while Golkar Party, the second biggest party in the country, has also shown an indication of following PAN’s footstep.
ADITYA BUDIMAN
