Legitimacy on the wane<\/p>\n
For four months, Gus Dur (President Abdurrahman Wahid) and
\nMega (Vice President Megawati Soekarnoputri) have joined hands in
\nrunning the government. Many problems have been resolved, but
\nmany new ones have arisen.<\/p>\n
The problems of Aceh and Maluku have been settled, although
\nnot fully. Among the new problems that have emerged is the lack
\nof coordination among ministers in the Cabinet. While Gus Dur has
\nbeen successful in establishing himself as a democrat and
\nhumanist in the eyes of the international community, at home the
\nissues of coordination and selecting the right priorities have
\nbeen neglected.<\/p>\n
The demonstrations that have occurred in recent weeks are a
\nsignal that the people are beginning to question the legitimacy
\nof the present government. The feeling of distrust is spreading
\nbecause the government appears to have lost its sense of
\npriorities.<\/p>\n
Matters concerning the economy, which should be the focus of
\nthe government's efforts, have lost appeal and political rhetoric
\nis gaining interest. Respect for the law, which should have been
\na major indicator of the public's trust in the government, is
\nbeing increasingly eroded by unresolved cases corruption, which
\nwe are supposed to be fighting.<\/p>\n
The value of the rupiah, which the state budget has set at
\n6000 to the U.S. dollar, is approaching 8000 and expected new
\nforeign investments have failed to come. There seems to be no
\nstrong determination on the part of the government to establish
\nthe supremacy of the law.<\/p>\n
It is not too much to say, then, that the demonstrations of
\nthe past days and weeks are a reflection of the public's lack of
\ntrust. This is a signal that should not be ignored by Gus Dur and
\nMegawati.<\/p>\n
-- Media Indonesia, Jakarta<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/legitimacy-on-the-wane-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }