"The parties outside the government were still unable to effectively function as a force exerting pressures on the government," M Alfian, a political observer, said in an evaluation of the country`s economic and political performance in 2011 at the Akbar Tanjung Institute here Friday.
The Indonesian Democracy Party-Struggle (PDIP) as the largest opposition party failed to perform as an effective opposition force, he said. "I don`t understand why this happened whereas they actually had great potential to deliver," he added.
But he believed PDIP`s failure as an opposition party had something to do with the existence of an internal conflict between Taufik Kiemas who tended to adopt a moderate stance towards the government, and his wife, Megawati Soekarnoputri, the party leader.
As a consequence of the internal conflict, the PDIP created the impression with the public it was acting out its oppositional role only half-heartedly.
The two other parties outside the government - the Gerindra (Greater Indonesia) Party and the Hanura (People`s Conscience) Party - also showed lack-luster performance, Alfian said.
"Gerindra lacked candid drive and did not even call itself an ooposition party, was very moderate, occasionally critical but appeared to be very careful not to upset the government," he said.
The Hanura Party was more consistent in its opposition but unfortunately did not have enough seats in the parliament.
Alfian said if the opposition parties continued to fail functioning effectively in absorbing popular discontent and experting pressures on the government, opposition in the streets would flourish and become an increasing phenomenon.
"Although it will not yet turn into a movement like the Arab spring protests, we may well see more incidents like the recent self-immolation act by college student Sondang," he said. (*)
Editor: Kunto Wibisono
Copyright © ANTARA 2011
