Getting back on course<\/p>\n
Whatever her shortcomings, President Megawati Soekarnoputri is
\nnot a person who is easily intimidated. Doubters only have to
\nremember her stubborn defiance of president Soeharto's iron-
\nfisted policies vis-a-vis the dissident faction of the Indonesian
\nDemocratic Party (PDI), which she led from 1993 to 1998 and which
\nlater evolved into the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle
\nPDI Perjuangan). This same characteristic might also explain her
\ninitial refusal to bow to popular demand to annul the recently
\nannounced hikes in fuel prices and electricity and telephone
\nrates.<\/p>\n
The latest, and arguably most notable, illustration of this
\nparticular characteristic was the challenge she threw up earlier
\nthis week to her critics and political opponents to meet her
\n\"face-to-face and like a man\" in free and fair general elections
\nscheduled for next year, rather than trying to unseat her through
\nunderhanded means. The President, of course, was referring to the
\nprolonged and increasingly rowdy street protests against the
\nprice hikes that have been taking place over the past couple of
\nweeks.<\/p>\n
And indeed, distressing as the thought may be, it is difficult
\nto simply dismiss rumors that are currently making their way
\nthrough the grapevine that certain parties are exploiting the
\npopular discontent that has arisen over the price hikes as a
\nvehicle to unseat the government and advance their own interests.
\nIn fact, hints to that effect were made only days ago by the
\ncoordinating minister for political affairs and security, quoting
\nintelligence information.<\/p>\n
That information, of course, may or may not be correct. As far
\nas the general public is concerned, however, one of the things
\nthat tends to lend credibility to those rumors is that the
\nprotests have over the past days clearly shifted their focus --
\nor, to be more exact, have become shattered in their focus.<\/p>\n
In the early days, immediately after the announcement of the
\nprice increases, the demonstrations were centered predominantly
\non protesting the hikes. However, the protests of the past few
\ndays have become more and more focused on trying to bring down
\nthe government of President Megawati Soekarnoputri and Vice
\nPresident Hamzah Haz, ignoring the fact that demands for a
\nrollback in the price hikes have at least in part been met.<\/p>\n
Also ignored is the fact that it is impossible for the
\ngovernment to continue to subsidize fuel prices forever because,
\non the one hand, it lacks the money to do so and on the other it
\nis reluctant to continue borrowing forever, which would only mean
\nshifting the burden of repaying the loans to future generations
\nof Indonesians.<\/p>\n
In view of all this, the question on everybody's lips these
\ndays is what is going on? Toppling the government at this stage
\nand installing a new one would take the nation, once again, back
\nto square one. Clearly, this is something it cannot afford.
\nTherefore there is much to say for President Megawati's challenge
\nto our politicians to fight it out fairly in the upcoming general
\nelections in 2004.<\/p>\n
This, of course, is not to say that the government can ignore
\nthe genuine voice of the people. Protests are a legitimate
\ninstrument of democracy for channeling discontent. Of course,
\nthey can also be used by politicians with hidden agendas. But
\nprotests would be much more difficult for such politicians to
\norganize in the absence of injustices and iniquities, whether
\nreal or perceived.<\/p>\n
This, we are afraid, is where the government of President
\nMegawati and Vice President Hamzah Haz falls short of
\nexpectations. Little is perceived to have been done to combat
\ncorruption. Indeed, the general perception is that corruption has
\nbecome even more entrenched under the present regime than it was
\nin the days of president Soeharto. Injustices, also, are seen as
\nstill being committed, as exemplified in the privileged treatment
\nof wealthy businesspeople.<\/p>\n
Democracy, still in its infancy after almost 57 years of
\nindependence, must be allowed to grow and take its proper course
\nin this country. Falling into the habit of bringing about an
\nundue midterm change of government certainly would not serve this
\nobjective.<\/p>\n
As for the administration of President Megawati and Vice
\nPresident Hamzah Haz, this must not be taken as justification for
\nnot starting to work hard to improve the situation and steer the
\ncountry back toward democratic reform.<\/p>",
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