Jakarta – Crescent Star Party (PBB) chairman Yusril Ihza Mahendra has criticized the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) for repeatedly urging the government to making a formal apology over the accusation that former Indonesian president Sukarno supported communism.
"On whether or not the government is ready to apologize to Bung Karno, it is its authority to decide. If the government wants to apologize, just go ahead. It was Megawati who should have apologized to Sukarno, particularly when she was president. Now, it is Jokowi [President Joko 'Jokowi' Widodo] who should do so," said Yusril as quoted by kompas.com on Sunday.
The constitutional law expert said there was something wrong with the attitude of the PDI-P, which had continued to speak up about the need for the government to apologize.
Yusril said the decision to approve or reject the idea was in the hands of the government. The PDI-P's tendency to continuously voice support for an official apology had created a sense that the current administration, which was controlled by the PDI-P, did not know what it had to do as a government, he said.
"The PDI-P is the ruling party, but it continues to act like a party outside the power circle," said Yusril, adding that Jokowi should immediately make a decision on the matter.
Earlier, PDI-P deputy secretary-general Ahmad Basarah said the government must a formal apology for claiming that Sukarno supported the Indonesian Communist Party (PKI).
He said Sukarno was the victim of the 1965 attempted coup. He said the former president had lost power because of the government's claim that he supported the PKI, which was followed by the issuance of the Provisional People's Consultative Assembly (TAP MPRS) Decree No.XXXIII/1967 dated March 12, 1967 on the revocation of his mandate as president. (ebf)