Indonesians need to learn how to use power wisely<\/p>\n
By Mochtar Buchori<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): On Oct. 2, 1999 the newly established House of
\nRepresentatives elected its speaker and four deputy speakers.
\nAkbar Tandjung was sworn in as speaker, while Sutardjo
\nSuryoguritno, Tosari Wijaya, Muhaimin Iskandar and A.M. Fatwa
\nwere inducted as deputy speakers.<\/p>\n
In his parting speech the former provisional chairman and
\noldest member of the House, Bapak Abdul Majid, more or less said:
\n"This new legislature is different from the previous ones during
\nthe New Order era. Ours is the product of the people's choice
\nexpressed through a free election. Unlike the former institutions
\nof the past 32 years, this is not a rubber-stamp legislature."<\/p>\n
He went on to say that the House was "very powerful"; all
\ndecisions "can and must be made without consent or approval from
\nthe executive. All decisions must be made solely for public
\ninterest."<\/p>\n
According to the 1945 Constitution, he said the House could
\ninitiate steps that eventually led to the dismissal of a
\npresident, but the president could not dissolve the House.<\/p>\n
Given such power, he said, referring to the speaker and his
\ndeputies, "Use this power wisely!"<\/p>\n
It was a very moving speech with much political weight, being
\ndelivered by a senior politician with rich experience dating back
\nto the Dutch colonial era.<\/p>\n
At the time I did not realize that his words were actually
\nadvice for the entire nation, extending far beyond the new House
\nmembers.<\/p>\n
Amid the solemn atmosphere of the ceremony I forgot that our
\nbudding democracy was still under threat from politicians who had
\nmasterminded the "bulldozer" nature of the preceding political
\nevents. After this speech, I thought, we would all be using our
\nheads and our hearts more responsibly in political deliberations.<\/p>\n
In retrospect such thoughts were very naive. Carried away by
\nthe nation's euphoria, Lord Acton's quote of "Power tends to
\ncorrupt and absolute power corrupts absolutely" was forgotten.<\/p>\n
In a short time friends and acquaintances, who were
\nidealists in the recent past, willing to suffer and sacrifice for
\ntheir idealism, changed into new authorities abusing their power.
\nWitnessing this I felt depressed, sad and demoralized.<\/p>\n
These people may have more faith in William Hazlitt (1778-
\n1830) who once said that "Power is pleasure, and pleasure
\nsweetens pain."<\/p>\n
Thus although such people know that power can easily corrupt
\nour minds, after tasting the sweetness of power they
\ninstantaneously become true believers of the maxim that it is
\nvery pleasant to wield power and that "absolute power is
\nabsolutely delightful". Which brings to mind another saying: "A
\nfriend in power is a friend lost."<\/p>\n
There are signs which strongly suggest that the inability to
\nuse power wisely and responsibly is a shortcoming shared by
\nleaders from all political groups operating at all levels within
\nour political system.<\/p>\n
It is not only political leaders at the national level who are
\nplagued by this cultural disease. Many political leaders at the
\nprovincial and district levels exhibit the same symptoms.<\/p>\n
This is a bitter reality that must be faced honestly and
\ncourageously, and which is useless and self-defeating to deny or
\nconceal.<\/p>\n
How can we emerge from this political and cultural crisis? How
\ncan we revive the notion of "political decency" -- politieke
\nfatsoen as we used to say -- among our present generation of
\npoliticians?<\/p>\n
Good political conduct characterized by wise and responsible
\nexercising of power depends on two things: the quality of the
\npolitical and social systems and the quality of the politicians.<\/p>\n
Good political systems allow, and encourage even, differing
\npolitical groups and prod them to check one another. In this
\nsystem, whoever happens to be in power will be closely watched
\nand systematically checked by those outside.<\/p>\n
On the other hand, in a bad political system, the rise of
\npolitical groups which follow political visions different from
\nthe one adopted by the ruling group is systematically suppressed
\nand dwarfed.<\/p>\n
Presently, our political system lacks the capability to
\ncontrol the behavior of our ruling politicians. And most, if not
\nall, of our ruling politicians lack the personal wisdom that
\nenables them to exercise self-restraint in exercising power.<\/p>\n
Efforts to remedy our political system and to prod and force
\nour politicians to learn to acquire wisdom should start at once.
\nThis is the only way to end the political and cultural crises.<\/p>\n
A political system willing to accept the notion that being the
\nopposition is not dishonorable will be able to effectively
\ncontrol those in power.<\/p>\n
But in a system in which decisions to become an opposition
\nforce is looked upon as disloyalty, subversion and even betrayal,
\nthe social capacity to control, restrain and dismiss a ruling
\ngroup will never materialize.<\/p>\n
It is true that the opposition role is reserved for the
\n"loser". But it is often forgotten that losing a political
\nelection does not imply eternal rejection by the electorate.<\/p>\n
It means that the losing party lacks the ability to win the
\nhearts and trust of the people. A good loser will ask itself why
\n-- and it this kind of political vision that must be encouraged.<\/p>\n
This vision will make the current practice of coopting all
\npolitical parties into the government look myopic, infantile and
\ncowardly.<\/p>\n
The second thing to be learned is to be more "choosy" in
\nscreening and selecting political leaders. Each and every
\npolitician coveting leadership positions in society and
\ngovernment should be selected and scrutinized. We should look for
\nsigns of personal wisdom in every person aspiring after
\nleadership.<\/p>\n
But what is wisdom anyway?<\/p>\n
A brief review of definitions of "wisdom" from five languages
\n-- Javanese, Indonesian, Dutch, English and French -- gives the
\ngeneral picture that a "wise person" exhibits seven
\ncharacteristics: he or she is learned, or has a broad repertoire
\nof knowledge; intelligent; has strong common sense; has deep
\ninsight; is discrete or prudent; has comprehensive understanding
\non norms of truth; and is rich in experience.<\/p>\n
Now is this the image of a living human being or one of an
\nangel?<\/p>\n
Certainly only a few people would meet these standards, but
\nthen leadership positions in any organization or society are
\nalways limited. This limited space should be filled by people who
\nreally deserve to be there, while "social trash" should be left
\nout.<\/p>\n
Only in this way will we ever have leaders who genuinely
\nintend to use their power wisely and responsibly, and are indeed
\ncapable of doing so.<\/p>\n
It may be the historic mission of the next generation of
\npoliticians and political leaders to create a political system
\nthat can accommodate a healthy opposition and to prod aspiring
\nleaders to do their best to be wise.<\/p>\n
The writer is an observer of social and political affairs.<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/indonesians-need-to-learn-how-to-use-power-wisely-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }