Advice for the President<\/p>\n
Too much for ought is good for nought; in other words,
\neverything in good measure. No doubt, this sort of reasoning was
\nin the mind of the Langitan Forum ulemas when they called on
\nPresident Abdurrahman Wahid over the weekend to be more careful
\nand less hasty in making public statements.<\/p>\n
\"Abdurrahman must change his style and pattern of leadership.
\nHe is no longer the chairman of Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), but
\nPresident of Indonesia,\" NU deputy chairman KH Sahal Mahfudz said
\nafter the forum's meeting in Tuban, East Java on Saturday.<\/p>\n
Abdurrahman, also known as Gus Dur, was well-known for making
\nunexpected and controversial statements long before anybody here
\nor abroad ever thought of him becoming the president of this
\ncountry.<\/p>\n
During the height of what was known as the \"ninja killings\" of
\nMuslim leaders in the Banyuwangi area in East Java about a couple
\nof years ago, for example, he made headlines by naming the
\ninitials of a minister of then president Soeharto's Cabinet who
\nhe \"knew\" should be held responsible for the killings.<\/p>\n
It can be imagined that the whole incident must have left a
\ndisagreeable aftertaste for the minister in question.
\nFortunately, the incident ended without any further consequences
\nas the person implicated simply brushed off the whole affair.
\nAbdurrahman, after all, was \"only\" the chairman of the Nahdlatul
\nUlama.<\/p>\n
To be fair, though, it must be said that not all of
\nAbdurrahman's remarks were controversial or lacked restraint.
\nIndeed, most comments and observations he made reflected his deep
\nunderstanding and commitment to the best of mankind's universal
\nvalues, including such fields as morality and religious and
\nintellectual tolerance and democracy.<\/p>\n
It was through his statements, comments and writings that
\nAbdurrahman's qualities as possible presidential material first
\nbecame apparent, even at a time when talking about a presidential
\nsuccession was regarded as subversive. All this considered,
\nIndonesians were willing to understand that, from time to time, a
\nfew less prudent remarks would come forth from a man the caliber
\nof Abdurrahman.<\/p>\n
Things, of course, have since considerably changed. As
\nPresident of the country, it simply cannot be avoided that each
\nand every public statement Abdurrahman makes is weighed and
\ndeliberated for its possible effects and implications.<\/p>\n
A good example was his latest statement implicating three of
\nhis Cabinet ministers in suspected cases of corruption. Although
\nno names (or initials) have been mentioned -- or perhaps because
\nno such details have been given -- the country at present is
\nabuzz with rumors and speculation as to who the President could
\nbe referring to and what further measures can be expected --
\nclearly a situation that does not help to bolster the integrity
\nand efficacy of Abdurrahman's current National Unity Cabinet.<\/p>\n
That no names have so far been officially mentioned no doubt
\nsignals the President's good intention to honor the principle of
\nthe presumption of innocence. Neither is there any doubt about
\nthe President's firm commitment to establishing good and clean
\ngovernance in Indonesia, no matter what the obstacles may be.<\/p>\n
Even so, it can be argued that it would have been even better
\nnot to have made such public statements at all, at least until
\nsufficient proof was obtained to warrant an open investigation
\ninto the affair. As it is, the government owes it to the
\nministers involved and the public to come up with an explanation
\nsoon.<\/p>\n
In the meantime, the President is well-advised to pay good
\nheed to the counsel given him by the Langitan Forum ulemas.
\nStatements such as those regarding pardoning Soeharto, agreeing
\nto a referendum in Aceh and revising the pattern of revenue
\ndistribution between Jakarta and the provinces are much better
\ndiscussed with the legislative bodies before they are disclosed
\nto the public. The time the President had the prerogative to make
\nmajor policy decisions has passed.<\/p>",
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