Abdul Khalik, Jakarta – As lawmakers continue scoring political points with Muslim voters by slamming the government over Indonesia's support for UN sanctions against Iran, observers are urging the House to focus on problems at home.
Several experts and experienced diplomats agreed that the House of Representatives should focus on crucial domestic problems, such as gas supplies, the Sidoarjo mudflow and rice imports, rather than attempting to gain politically from the issue of Iran.
While a strong domestic reaction to Indonesia's UN vote was understandable, Maarif Institute executive director Raja Juli Antony said the issue was being politicized beyond all reason.
"As the House of Representatives is a political body, we can understand if its members look for political gain. However, they should consider using political maneuvers, such as interpellation, for the benefit of the people," he said.
He said there were numerous domestic problems that needed to be dealt with, such as rice shortages and rampant corruption.
An international relations expert at the University of Indonesia, Haryadi Wirawan, said there was no need for the House to summon and question members of the government, including President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and Foreign Minister Hassan Wirayuda, about Indonesia's support for the UN resolution.
"I am afraid they are merely aiming at getting sympathy from Muslim voters ahead of the 2009 national elections. The Iranian nuclear issue is not that crucial to the public that the lawmakers need to devote their time and energy to it," he said.
Members of the UN Security Council, including Indonesia, unanimously voted on March 24 to impose more sanctions against Iran for its refusal to stop enriching uranium.
Indonesia's decision angered lawmakers and several Islamic organizations, which accused the government of betraying the people here. More than 180 lawmakers from nine factions, excluding the Democrat Party, have signed a petition calling for the House to summon the President over the issue.
Hassan said Indonesia supported the UN resolution because it believed that it prioritized negotiations that would lead to a peaceful resolution of the Iranian nuclear issue.
While dismissing any possible pressure from the US, Hassan said most of the provisions in the resolution, which gives Iran and Western nations room to find a peaceful solution to the standoff, were consistent with Indonesia's position on the issue.
An international relations expert at Padjajaran University in Bandung, Teuku Reza Syah, said the government's decision to support the resolution must have been a tough one. "The decision is in line with our national interests, although I don't know what we obtained from the support as the deal remains a secret," he said.
Former Indonesian ambassador to the UN Sumadi Brotodiningrat said supporting the UN resolution, which accommodated several proposals from Indonesia and was approved by the 14 other UN Security Council members, was the right thing to do.
"If our amendments were included in the resolution then there was no reason for us not to accept it. Besides, all members, including Russia and China, supported the resolution," he said.
However, an international law expert at the University of Indonesia, Hikmahanto Juwana, warned the vote had cost Indonesia its credibility as a mediator in the Middle East as well as the trust of the people at home.
All agreed that Indonesia should now be consistent in working to prevent military action against Iran and resolve this standoff peacefully.