No more one-man show<\/p>\n
The editorial After the first 100 days which appeared in your
\nJan. 26, 2000 issue was welcomed since it is entirely appropriate
\nat this time for your editorial staff to take stock of
\nperformance of the new government. You also put forth a real
\nsuggestion of sorts, i.e., that Vice President Megawati
\nSoekarnoputri needs an able and professional staff to aid her in
\nperforming her duties. What troubles this reader, however, are
\nyour two concluding thoughts: 1. That every thinking Indonesian
\nshould \"pray for Gus Dur's health\"; and 2. That the only thing we
\ncan do to avoid a national catastrophe is to strongly urge
\nMegawati to strive to improve her capability. First, it strikes
\nme as most strange that The Jakarta Post, presumably a secular-
\noriented newspaper, should be suggesting prayers. More
\nimportantly, you completely miss the point about the democratic
\nform of government now embraced by the Indonesian people. This is
\na participative form of government that rises and falls with the
\ndegree of constructive involvement therein of its citizens. Thus,
\nyou should be urging your readers to strengthen their government;
\nas a whole by participating in building -- from the ground up --
\nnew democratic institutions.<\/p>\n
Your thinking unfortunately shows holdover effects from the
\nera of Pak Harto who ruled, many say, like a Javanese king. The
\npoint is that the Indonesian government should no longer be a
\none-man show.<\/p>\n
Second, while you are certainly correct that Megawati has
\nshown herself to be ineffective, strongly urging her to improve
\nis not, most assuredly, the only thing that can be done to avoid
\na national catastrophe. Rather than put forward here such other
\nthings myself, allow me to suggest that your editors take it upon
\nthemselves to advocate more meaningful ways to build a viable
\nnational polity that will endure even in the face of the
\ndeteriorating health (should such occur) of its chief executive.<\/p>\n
DAVID K.<\/p>\n
Jakarta<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/no-more-one-man-show-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }