Jakarta – Human rights activist Haris Azhar has scolded Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan and Coordinating Economics Minister Airlangga Hartarto over the oligarchy which according to Azhar is infesting Indonesia at the moment.
Azhar questioned Pandjaitan's capacity asking whether he was a state official or still wished to be a businessperson.
This was conveyed by Azhar when he appeared as a resource person during a public discussion titled, "Trisakti verses the Capitalist Oligarchy", which was held by the Volunteers of Democracy in Struggle (Repdem) on Saturday April 23.
Repdem is an organisation affiliated with the ruling Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P).
Also appearing during the discussion as a resource person was House of Representatives (DPR) lawmaker Masinton Pasaribu from the PDI-P faction.
"Airlangga, ah Airlangga Hartarto, does he want to be a state official or a businessperson. Ah Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan, do you want to be a state official or a businessperson", said Azhar. He also asked the discussion participants to join in by writing these questions on their respective social media accounts.
According to Azhar, when a person becomes a state official they should stop taking care of their private interests. He asked why there are still state officials who are allowed to own businesses in many different economic sectors and places.
"People must stop it if they want to be an official. They shouldn't be allowed to become officials, if they're still involved in taking care of their private space", said the former coordinator of the Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras).
Officials who are still busy taking care of their businesses, according to Azhar, can become a problem because when they become state officials they have access to state policy making.
"How can they (officials) defend society if they're surrounded by people to represent business interests. It appears as if Indonesia has become a field, for the accumulation of capital, the accumulation of profit", said Azhar.
Azhar is a suspect who has been indicted by the Metro Jaya regional police in a legal case involving Pandjaitan.
Azhar once touched on allegations of Pandjaitan's involvement in business interests in Papua. This allegation was made in a YouTube video titled, "There is Lord Luhut behind the Economic Relations-Military Operations in Intan Jaya!! There are also State Intelligence Agency Generals!!".
He was declared a suspect for alleged defamation after Pandjaitan reported him to the police. (mjo/kid)
[Translated by James Balowski. The original title of the article was "Haris Azhar Sentil Dua Menko Jokowi dalam Diskusi Soal Oligarki".]
