Healing time in Jakarta<\/p>\n
INDONESIAN president-elect Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has been
\nbusy taking soundings on choices for his Cabinet, which can have
\na more decisive impact on the nation's recovery program than was
\nthe case with previous administrations. But he has at the same
\ntime shown becoming Javanese humility in offering to work with
\nthe defeated Megawati Soekarnoputri.<\/p>\n
For the sake of the country, it is to be hoped she would
\nrespond to his call for reconciliation. The two had split after
\nhe left her Cabinet as coordinating security minister to seek the
\npresidency. After his election victory was formalised on Monday,
\nhe did not make an immediate acceptance speech.<\/p>\n
Partly, it is in the nature of the man not to gloat in
\ntriumphalism. Television images of him project an unforced
\nlikeability, a sincerity, that almost certainly was a factor in
\nhis election success. Partly, it is a cold calculation to secure
\nwhat support he can from parliamentarians of Megawati's PDI-P and
\nthe wider coalition she had formed with Golkar. Together the
\ncoalition holds some 300 of the 550 seats in the House of
\nRepresentatives.<\/p>\n
It is unrealistic to expect that what is now the opposition
\nbloc in the House can be easily swayed. Golkar chairman Akbar
\nTandjung has said that it is the opposition's mission to make the
\ngoing hard for the new president.<\/p>\n
There is scope for some form of cooperation, and the
\npossibility should be explored. 'Whoever is chosen in a
\ndemocratic election has to be accepted because that is a victory
\nfor all of us,' she said at a military observance this week. The
\nremark bore a hint of noblesse oblige which Susilo's aides would
\nwant to pursue.<\/p>\n
Megawati will soon leave office with a record of achievement
\nthat should assuage to an extent her hurt at having been rejected
\nby the voters.<\/p>\n
No one in Susilo's economics team can be under any illusions
\nthat the recovery job will be smooth, but he can be thankful for
\nthe spadework Ms Megawati has done.<\/p>\n
-- The Straits Times, Singapore<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/healing-time-in-jakarta-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }