"I want to urge the president to reject the requirement to repatriate RS as a condition for reconciliation since it can set a bad precedent in the next presidential election," Bara remarked at the Indonesian House of Representatives complex, Jakarta, Friday.
Bara noted that reconciliation and the repatriation of HRS were two different matters, as the RS case was a legal issue that could not be coalesced with political interests.
In the meantime, reconciliation after the 2019 Presidential Election was a political one, considered crucial as a tradition followed in Indonesian democracy after holding the presidential election.
"The 2019 presidential election took place in the midst of raging tensions, causing injuries and polarization in society, for which a symbolic act in the form of political reconciliation was deemed crucial," he explained.
Bara assessed that if the repatriation of RS was a requirement for reconciliation, it was a form of betrayal of the very idea of reconciliation.
He believed that reconciliation would be successful and be carried out if the losing party were to demonstrate magnanimity, and reconciliation should not be based on the fulfillment of conditions put forth by the losing party.
"Prabowo's party has yet to demonstrate its magnanimity. For instance, he has yet to congratulate Jokowi and invite his supporters to set aside differences and forego hostile attitudes," he pointed out.
He reiterated that HRS had been embroiled in a legal issue, and the process had to be handled legally, so it could not be linked to politics.
Bara gauged that if Jokowi gave into the request for repatriation, it would give the impression that the HRS case was part of the political game and that it was not good. Related news: Gerindra wants prisoners arrested during elections released
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Translator: Imam Budilaksono, Eliswan Azly
Editor: Azizah Fitriyanti
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