Ali Sadikin launches new book<\/p>\n
By Johannes Simbolon<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): \"Many happy returns of the day, Bang Ali.\"<\/p>\n
The greeting came from friends and a number of admirers who
\nwere gathered in his 4,000-square-meter home on Jl. Borobudur,
\nCentral Jakarta, on Tuesday to celebrate his birthday.<\/p>\n
Happy? Hold on!<\/p>\n
\"The government needs to clarify the status of the Petisi 50
\npetition group. I've sent letters to four ministers for this
\npurpose. It's not difficult to see that the members of the Petisi
\n50 group are honorable people, is it?\" Bang Ali said in his
\nspeech which was, as usual, rendered in fiery yet humorous
\nrhetorical style.<\/p>\n
Bang Ali, as Ali Sadikin, Jakarta's former governor is
\naffectionately called, has turned 69 years old but he still looks
\nhealthy, and is still as ardent as a young activist. Reaching the
\ntwilight years of his life he is still full of determination,
\nself-respect, self-confidence, candor, humor and -- last but not
\nleast -- anger.<\/p>\n
The Petisi 50 group, in which he has been the de facto leader
\nsince its inception in 1980, was once considered a potential
\nalternative to the current administration. Today, the group has
\nlost its political significance as well as the prospect of
\nbecoming possible future contenders for the national leadership.
\nIn its place many new groups of young Indonesians from a new
\ngeneration have emerged.<\/p>\n
The group may be practically finished politically, but Bang
\nAli is still an interesting subject to talk about. This is not
\nbecause mainly he may quite possibly continue to color the
\nIndonesian political arena for quite some time to come. Rather,
\nit is because Bang Ali is a personality who is very different
\nfrom most of us. His unconventional ideas and singular way of
\nexpressing them often makes him look like a stranger in a strange
\nland. Because of this, too, however, he is credited with having
\nachieved many extraordinary things in the past.<\/p>\n
Few people have the opportunity to get in close touch with him
\npersonally and acquire a first-hand observation of his
\npersonality and emotions. But now the public can to some extent
\nget to know it by reading the book which Ali Sadikin launched on
\nhis birthday and is titled Pers Bertanya, Bang Ali Menjawab (The
\npress questions, Bang Ali answers). Edited by Ramadhan KH, the
\nsame author who wrote his biography during his tenure as
\ngovernor of Jakarta, which was entitled Bang Ali Demi Jakarta
\n1966 - 1977 (Bang Ali for the sake of Jakarta 1966 - 1977), the
\nbook is a compilation of his interviews with many publications
\nhere and abroad spanning between 1980 to the present time. Just
\nbecause it consists of question-and-answer reports, Ali's
\npersonality and emotions are more clearly sensed by the readers.
\nHe looks as if alive in front of the readers.<\/p>\n
\"Interviews with reporters are really different from composing
\na biography. We can make up a biography. In interviews, the
\nreporters come, and immediately look through us. We don't have
\ntime to think 'What is the proper answer' or 'Can I lie to them',
\ncheating myself, which I don't like because it is against my
\nreligion,\" Ali said.<\/p>\n
By his account, Ali never conceals anything from the press.
\nBut to his disappointment the press sometimes fails to publish a
\ncomplete interview, and even \"polishes\" it to the point of
\nchanging the content.<\/p>\n
\"Anyway, I thank those who have published it as it is,\" he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
The 55 interviews compiled in the book are dated from 1980
\nuntil recently. No wonder the events that took place during that
\nperiod dominate the discourses, including the emergence of the
\nPetisi 50 group; the historical visit of the group's members to
\nthe state-owned PAL shipping company in Surabaya at the
\ninvitation of State Minister of Science and Technology BJ Habibie
\nin the middle of 1993; the victory of the banned Tempo magazine
\nat the Jakarta Administrative Court this year, and the
\nimprisonment of top paranormal Permadi on charges of blasphemy,
\nalso this year.<\/p>\n
However, in most cases the press could not restrain itself
\nfrom reminding Bang Ali of his tenure as Jakarta's governor, a
\nperiod which was truly historical and very unforgettable not only
\nfor Jakartans but to all Indonesians. It was then that, for the
\nfirst time, an extreme secularistic policy -- as pursued by Bang
\nAli -- came to a clash with the prevailing traditional and
\nreligious views. And it was that period that caused his
\npopularity to soar to national levels. After Ali, none of the
\nofficials who came after him have thus far dared to emulate him.<\/p>\n
Ali was appointed Jakarta governor by the late President
\nSukarno who, on his inauguration day, told him, \"I place in your
\nheart my dream of Jakarta. Thus, after you leave office, people
\nwill still talk about you.\" The words came true.<\/p>\n
The Jakarta administration, recalled Ali in many interviews,
\nwas in desperate need of money to build the urgently necessary
\ninfrastructures, including hospitals and schools. Ali opened
\ngambling dens and massage parlors which were open round-the-
\nclock. He worked hard during two terms to build a better Jakarta,
\ngive it a clean administration and many great institutions and
\nedifices, including the Taman Ismail Marzuki Art Center, the
\nAncol Recreation Park, the Jakarta Fair, the integrated bus
\nterminal system, the Legal Aid Foundation (YLBHI), etc.<\/p>\n
However, his policies incurred strong protests from many
\nparties, especially from the religious community, who decried the
\nmoney was sinful money and angrily labeled Ali Sadikin the
\n\"Wicked Governor\", or \"Gambling Governor\" or \"Stubborn Governor\".
\nBut Ali went ahead with his controversial programs, saying that
\nsince he had built the roads in Jakarta with sinful money, those
\nwho were not willing to be \"touched\" by sin should go by
\nhelicopter.<\/p>\n
When opening the gambling dens he did not even consult the
\nCity Council so that \"I alone will shoulder the sins\". \"I am
\nready to get my punishment from God,\" he added.<\/p>\n
In contrast with the religious community, students put their
\nweight behind Ali and even nominated him presidential candidate.
\nBut the students' efforts to break the taboo did him no good.<\/p>\n
To make matters worse, several years later, he joined the
\ngroup of 50 prominent citizens, including several retired
\ngenerals, who were critical of the government. After that he and
\nhis group were stripped for many years of many of their rights,
\nincluding those to travel abroad and get banks loans.<\/p>\n
Here and there the interviews also touch on other periods of
\nhis life -- his childhood which was colored with many brawls, and
\nhis service in the navy which was colored by many wars. Because
\nof this the book is tantamount to a biography.<\/p>\n
Obviously, Ali Sadikin is not a perfect man. One of the
\nshortcomings which he himself most deplores is that he easily
\nloses control of his emotions. There are lot of anecdotes in the
\nbook which tell of how he as a governor got off his car and
\nslapped reckless drivers or his subordinates on the spot.<\/p>\n
During the interviews, he sometimes uttered obscene words or
\nangrily pointed a finger at his interviewers if he thought they
\nasked him stupid questions.<\/p>\n
Ali Sadikin has many dreams. One of them is meeting someday
\nwith the President, who he has long criticized. After the former
\nSpeaker of the House of Representatives, Kharis Suhud, several
\nyears ago promised to arrange a meeting, he buy himself a tailor-
\nmade suit. So far the meeting has not materialized.<\/p>\n
\"The new suit still hangs in my bedroom. I won't wear it until
\nI meet the President,\" he said during an interview.<\/p>",
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