Jakarta – The Golkar Party's initiative to interpellate President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono for his handling of a recent dispute with Malaysia received a cold response from other parties on Tuesday, with suspicions about Golkar's motive for the move.
Leaders of opposing parties said questioning the government was not necessary at this stage, as the public were waiting for results of the peaceful approach Yudhoyono had taken.
Predictably, the harshest reaction came from Yudhoyono's Democratic Party, which demanded Golkar revoke the plan, and said many other avenues were still available for the government to resolve the tension.
"If the government's recent explanation [to the House of Representatives] is deemed inadequate, Indonesia should seek to accelerate a settlement in a substantive and dignified way, which would be to complete bilateral talks on our sea borders," Democratic Party chief Anas Urbaningrum said Tuesday.
Anas said with the interpellation initiative, Golkar had left its coalition with the Democratic Party on shaky ground.
"Logically, a coalition party should not question the government's policies, since this sounds like it is questioning its own policies. What is even more surprising is that the Golkar chairman [Aburizal Bakrie] chairs the coalition parties' joint forum."
Anas said he suspected Golkar had a hidden agenda behind the initiative.
On Monday, Aburizal said he had pushed Golkar lawmakers to champion an interpellation to seek Yudhoyono's clarification on his diplomatic maneuver to resolve the latest border conflict. It was triggered by the arrest by Malaysian authorities of three Indonesian officials in disputed waters off Bintan Island on Aug. 13.
The Golkar initiative also failed to receive backing from two minority Islamic parties, the National Mandate Party (PAN) and the United Development Party (PPP).
"The recent development has yet to compel [other] political parties to interpellate the government," said PAN chairman Hatta Rajasa, a close ally of Yudhoyono, who appointed him as coordinating economic minister.
"The government and House Commission I [on diplomacy and defense] should sit down together to seek solutions," Hatta said.
A similar argument was heard from PPP legislator Ahmad Yani, who said he suspected people were taking advantage of the diplomatic tensions between Malaysia and Indonesia. "What we need is for the government to be tough on this issue," he said.
Meanwhile, Yudhoyono's diplomatic offensive on the border dispute received support from Malang Muhammadiyah rector Muhajir Effendi.
"The measures the government has taken to end the dispute are appropriate," he said as quoted by Antara. "Remember there are millions of Indonesian citizens who make a living in Malaysia, who the government must also consider."