Hans David Tampubolon and Adianto P. Simamora, Jakarta – In spite of the show of friendly atmosphere after heated voting, Democratic Party members say "traitors" must leave the coalition.
The politicians were referring to members of the three coalition parties of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's Democratic Party, who voted in opposition to the Democratic Party over the Rp 6.76 trillion (US$716 million) Bank Century bailout during the plenary session Wednesday.
The Golkar Party, the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) and the United Development Party (PPP) voted the bailout policy was flawed while the government's bloc said otherwise.
Legislator Achsanul Qosasih from the Democratic Party said the action clearly showed their lack of commitment to maintain solidarity.
"A coalition is supposed to walk together. If they want to leave, they should go," he said. "We respect the opposition bloc, they have been consistent and clear from the start. What really hurts is coalition partners who act like thorns into flesh."
Other lawmakers such as Ruhut Sitompul and Syarif Hasan also called for the three parties to leave the coalition. "You started it, so you should end it," deputy secretary-general of Democratic Party, Syarif Hasan, said quoting a lyric of a famous Indonesian song.
Golkar Party's Ade Komarudin and PKS chairman Mustafa Kamal said their parties were not worried if members who had been made ministers were removed as a consequence of their critical stance.
The United Development Party (PPP) said that its loyalty was to constituents. "The PPP exists because of its constituents," PPP deputy secretary-general Muhammad "Romi" Romahurmuziy said. "There was a request from the Democratic Party to align with our stance, but we chose our constituents."
Romi said his party members were prepared to accept the consequences of their critical stance on the Bank Century case. "We should act as gentlemen. We must be willing to take full responsibility for our actions," he said.
The PKS hoped that future political communication could be improved among the coalition to prevent potential conflict, such as in the Bank Century bailout.
"We know [Yudhoyono] is a man who truly respects procedural measures," PKS deputy secretary-general Zulkieflimansyah said. "However, we think that political communication on important issues could have been better conducted."
Yudhoyono officially stated he was responsible for the bailout just one day before the House held a vote on its final recommendations on the case Wednesday.
A Political expert from the University of Indonesia, Maswadi Rauf, predicted that Yudhoyono would not kick the three parties out of the coalition.
"It is not about whether Yudhoyono has the courage to kick the three parties out. He has political considerationS," he said. "The Democratic Party is powerless without them."
Maswadi said that calls from Democratic Party legislators for the "traitors" to leave the coalition did not represent the party. "Such statements comes from emotions. Yudhoyono will not kick the parties out of the coalition."