Democracy first, but where is prosperity?<\/p>\n
Mohammad Noviz Zakhrisyah, Surabaya<\/p>\n
"I do not care", responded President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono
\nto public criticism of his first 100 days in office. Susilo knows
\nthe rules of the game. He was elected president for five years
\nand people have to swallow what he does during his term. That's
\nit, democracy has designed the powers in this republic.<\/p>\n
At the beginning of the reform era, in the middle of a never-
\nending economic crisis, elections offered a grandiose opportunity
\nfor Indonesia, the biggest democratic archipelago in the world.
\nThrough the elections, Indonesians tried to find a leader capable
\nof bringing the country to the promised land: a country with
\nmonetary stability and prosperity promised by the International
\nMonetary Fund (IMF) through its program of selling state assets.<\/p>\n
More than 200 hundred million people here became patients of
\nthe IMF. They blamed the condition on the Soeharto regime: an
\nauthoritarian government supported by the United States, the
\nsupposed most democratic country on Earth.<\/p>\n
Most people do not understand what a monetary crisis means.
\nThey only understand that the value of the US dollar increases
\nvery high (a condition that even executives in the country did
\nnot pay attention to before). Actually, even mothers and their
\nchildren talk about US dollars to buy American candy like M&Ms or
\nto eat at McDonald's. Finally, the monetary crisis had a positive
\nimpact in opening people's eyes to see how an international issue
\ncan influence their lives.<\/p>\n
Every one in Indonesia welcomed the elections and hoped they
\nwould have a positive impact on their lives, or at least not make
\nthings even worse and prompt George W. Bush to intervene in the
\ncountry to improve the situation, as he promised to do in
\nAfghanistan and Iraq people.<\/p>\n
The elections certainly did give the positive impression that
\npeople are now free to choose their leaders. The international
\ncommunity hoped the elections would educate Indonesians after the
\nSoeharto era and that this new democracy would open the doors to
\nforeign investment.<\/p>\n
A new democracy was born as a new religion, with its
\nchallenges and hopes. Every one admires it and wishes very much
\nto improve their lives. Indonesia is now really democratic and
\nIndonesians are now proud to tell the world that they live in a
\ndemocratic country.<\/p>\n
This democracy is like a cake fresh from the oven, and people
\nhave smelled the aroma (because they heard on TV that Bush said
\ndemocracy could bring prosperity). But smelling is not enough.
\nPeople want to a get a piece of the cake. Democracy has to
\nimprove the country before people get bored with poverty and
\ndecide its time for another authoritarian regime like the
\nSoeharto regime, which did bring prosperity.<\/p>\n
For instance, the process of the elections did bring an
\neconomic effect by increasing expenses. Some people enjoyed this
\neconomic phenomenon. Travel warnings came from the governments of
\nseveral countries, eroding the good image of democracy and the
\nelections.<\/p>\n
Now, 100 days after the inauguration of the new president,
\npeople only smell the aroma, but they do not get a taste of the
\ncake. More severely, the country has been commercialized by the
\nnew government. How? By exploiting materials in the soil and the
\nsea that belong to all Indonesians, and selling these items at a
\ncommercial price to their own people. The IMF is gone but its
\nspirit remains.<\/p>\n
The oil subsidy will be switched to improve health services,
\neducation and other social programs, most directed at the poor.
\nWhoever protests this policy is considered as defending the rich
\nand oppressing the poor.<\/p>\n
On the one hand, the government wants to help the poor by
\ngiving them social safety nets, but on the other hand the
\ngovernment cut the income of the poor by reducing their income
\nbecause of lower demand caused by the multiplier effect of
\ninflation. This is a kind of government circus where one
\ngovernment hand pulls a drowning man out of water, while another
\ngovernment hand pushes the man's head down.<\/p>\n
The government, highly confident, said it had a five-year
\nmandate and could do what it thought was best without any
\ninterruptions from anybody. Democracy ends when the elections are
\nover and people can only wait until the next elections.<\/p>\n
In a country celebrating its graduation from an authoritarian
\nregime to a democratic one, the miracle of democracy bringing
\nprosperity is still a mirage. Democracy is considered the way to
\ntransform our Frankenstein of a country into a paradise of
\nprosperity. While Frankenstein, played by Susilo, is busy with
\nmultidimensional-crisis puzzles, a guest lecturer, called
\ntsunami, came and the lesson was "management and coordination".
\nThe guest lecturer and his assistants, foreign military forces
\nand volunteers, are enthusiastic to give a tutorial to problem
\nstudent, Susilo.<\/p>\n
In the name of economic growth, the government paraded out
\ninternational events such as the infrastructure summit to attract
\ninvestors. Infrastructure development can give prosperity to the
\npeople, said a government official, by providing employment, and
\nto finance the work we all have to accept non-subsidized oil.
\nOnce again, the government found a reason to defend their
\nactions. The aroma of the cake has increased and all the people
\ncan do is smell it.<\/p>\n
Reducing poverty became an issue in the presidential election.
\nBut now the fight against poverty has become a fight against poor
\ndomiciles. Everywhere, the poor have to move from their
\ndomiciles. Poor domiciles are replaced by luxury trade centers
\nbecause this increases economic growth and attracts more
\ninvestors. Darwinian selection continues, the rich are getting
\nricher and the poor are getting poorer.<\/p>\n
There is still time to correct mistakes, but as Confucius
\nsaid: "Whoever makes a mistake and does not correct it is making
\nanother mistake." Or Susilo does not want to listen to public
\nopinion and does not want to change. We still have a last hope.
\nWe pray to God to talk to Susilo and make him listen, work harder
\nand have more ideas and courage. Amen.<\/p>\n
The writer works in Surabaya. He is an industrial engineering
\ngraduate from the Universite Evry in France.<\/p>",
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