Indonesia needs to rebuild its self-confidence<\/p>\n
Ahmad Syafii Maarif, Chairman, Muhamamdiyah, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Indonesia is likely the worst of the nations now limping
\ntoward greater control of their own destiny. With a population of
\nabout 220 million, Indonesia, an archipelago comprising about
\n17,000 islands, is really going through a dangerous and
\nphysically tiring phase of its history. Three questions demand
\nproper answers.<\/p>\n
Will Indonesia be able to maintain its respectable position in
\nthe global arena in the near future or will it degenerate into a
\nstate providing cheap labor because of its mediocre human
\nresources? Will the disastrous national disintegration that we
\nhave had for the past few years ever be mended by restoring our
\nposition as the world's fourth-largest nation? What should we do
\nto rebuild optimism in an acutely pessimistic community?<\/p>\n
Our choice is to rise as a respectable nation or remain a
\nnation of unskilled laborers.<\/p>\n
Therefore, we must now change the paradigm of our selfish way
\nof thinking by honestly prioritizing the interests of the nation
\nabove all, now threatened by irresponsible, and short-term
\ninterests, as reflected in the political behavior of certain
\npeople, both at central and regional level.<\/p>\n
Their attention is focused merely on the 2004 general
\nelection, and they do not care about the fate of the fatigued
\nnation, whether it is able to survive or not. This is a very
\nironic tragedy and makes us breathless. And under the mantle of
\ndemocracy some of us become a hidden traitor to the nation. If
\nsuch behavior deteriorates, I am afraid that this nation will
\nmove toward moral and political bankruptcy. In other words, if
\nour egoism remains and if our common sense and conscience are
\nblinded, then the conclusion of the Dutch colonial rulers -- that
\nIndonesians were too stupid and too primitive for higher
\neducation -- will hold water.<\/p>\n
If we sincerely wish to refute the Dutch colonial rulers'
\nconclusion about our nation, we must free ourselves from politi
\ncal sentimentality. We must give up visionless politics.<\/p>\n
Even though official colonialism in physical and military form
\nhave been regarded as uncivilized by modern standards,
\ncolonialism in the form of neo-imperialism remains, where a
\nweaker nation will always do whatever a stronger nation tells it
\nto do because of the formers' great economic and military
\nreliance on the latter.<\/p>\n
Our self-confidence in facing international competition will
\ndepend very much on the quality of our human resources. It is no
\nsecret that, in general, due to the failure of our education, the
\nquality of our human resources is still far below that of our
\ncompetitors.<\/p>\n
The export of Indonesian workers to several countries is an
\nexample. Some of them are successful but many also encounter
\nserious problems, especially female workers. The number of bad
\nexperiences suffered by workers in foreign countries is
\nuncountable; either suicide, rape, or expulsion. In certain
\nplaces they are treated like slaves. How bitter is their fate!<\/p>\n
With unemployment reaching 40 percent of the total workforce,
\nIndonesia is being confronted by serious problems. It is
\nestimated that by 2020 Indonesia's population will have reached
\n250 million people. If everything runs normally, our population
\nwill reach stasis at 350 million people in 2050.<\/p>\n
The urgent question is: If our amoral mentality remains
\nunchanged, can this nation survive as a nation until 2050?. The
\nquestion is very crucial to me, and can only be answered by
\nconcrete action and a convincing change of attitude, not by
\nillusive political rhetoric.<\/p>\n
We must admit that our statesmanlike vision in preparing the
\nfuture is still too weak in this area. Although we have been a
\nfree nation for 57 years, a semifeudalistic culture and an
\nauthoritarian political system are still with us. The habit of
\nwaiting for an instruction from a superior has stunted our
\ncreativity in decision making.<\/p>\n
The leaders we need now are those who can do their best to
\nmaintain the existence of this nation but not those who are fond
\nof money politics.<\/p>\n
We are seeking a leader who is capable of doing his or her
\nbest to maintain the existence of a united nation with dignity,
\nand not a person who likes to indulge in money politics. Such
\nbehavior has ruined our image as a principled and civilized
\nnation.<\/p>\n
With the implementation of regional autonomy since January
\n2001 we hoped that our situation would improve. However, dirty
\npolitics became more widespread and caused great suffering for
\nthe sick nation.<\/p>\n
Therefore it is our duty to jointly carry out jihad against
\ncorruption, although it will be very tiring because jihad
\nrequires our preparedness to work hard to achieve our noble goal.
\nThere is no other way to ensure a good and respectable future of
\nthe nation except to fully eradicate corruption. At this
\njuncture, the government's political will is very much needed.<\/p>\n
As a Muslim who lives in a predominantly Muslim country, I can
\nno longer bear the shame of seeing my country labeled the most
\ncorrupt nation in Asia, although the corrupt are not just
\nMuslims. If only there were a greater correlation between the
\nnumber of those who have performed the haj pilgrimage and the
\nimprovement of the morals and ethics of the nation!<\/p>\n
At this point we must all confess our collective sins to God
\nthe Almighty. This confession is necessary as a purgative.
\nAfterwards we can mend the cracks in our national unity and then
\nconcentrate on educational improvement. For our long-term goals,
\neducation is pivotal, for without a complete overhaul of our
\neducation, we, again, will become only a nation of unskilled
\nlaborers.<\/p>\n
We are in a bad state but are still better than some African
\ncountries. We still have our considerable natural resources as
\nour assets.<\/p>\n
We appeal to the MPR (People's Consultative Assembly) to be
\nsincere and honest in amending the Constitution, that the
\namendment is not based on the short-term interests of certain
\ngroups or parties.Ignorance in handling these fundamental
\nproblems will have a long-term impact on the future and character
\nof the nation. At this point it is also necessary to consider the
\nestablishment of a commission on the Constitution. Amendment of
\nthe 1945 Constitution requires true statesmanship.<\/p>\n
It must be remembered that the amendment of the Constitution
\nmust, on no account, be linked to any narrow interests related to
\nthe 2004 general election. Take, for example, the direct election
\nof the president and vice president. An MPR stipulation on this
\nmatter could be implemented in the 2004 general election but it
\nmust also be followed by another MPR stipulation on the direct
\nelection of governors, regents and municipality heads. Only in
\nthis way can we build a responsible democracy that reflects the
\npeople's sovereignty in its true sense.<\/p>\n
Then the political parties. Many of them pursuing factious
\napproaches for some easily guessed reasons should therefore
\nrealize that their approach will only ruin democracy and court
\nanarchy.<\/p>\n
The article is an excerpt of Syafii Maarif's speech at the
\nRight Path Movement Forum on May 20.<\/p>",
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