Observers warn of possible leadership crisis<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Several political observers over the weekend
\nvoiced their frustration with the "lack of statesmanship and
\nleadership" in society and warned that the condition could lead
\nto a leadership crisis.<\/p>\n
"We lack good leaders at the top layer of society," said
\npolitical scientist Ryaas Rasyid, rector of the Institute of
\nPublic Administration, during a political discussion Saturday.<\/p>\n
Ryaas, human rights campaigner Roekmini Koesoemastoeti and
\npolitician Matori Abdul Djalil identified during the discussion
\nnumerous flaws in the current political system and suggested
\nseveral possible cures.<\/p>\n
The three agreed that the current political elite is not
\nresponsive to the people's aspirations and that it lacks good
\nleaders. They concurred that an "enlightenment" is needed to
\ncorrect the situation.<\/p>\n
Roekmini, a member of the National Commission on Human Rights
\nand former legislator from the Armed Forces faction, pointed out
\nthat many people in the political elite are not aware of the
\npeople's legal and political rights.<\/p>\n
"They're unresponsive toward people's demands. They forget
\nthat the government belongs to the people, not to them," she said
\nin the discussion held by the Forum of Political Journalists.<\/p>\n
"What develops then is a political culture which is similarly
\ninert," she said. "The political format that develops is one that
\nis distant from the people's sovereignty."<\/p>\n
She called for a change in the political system, but one that
\nshould come about peacefully.<\/p>\n
"Through enlightenment the political leaders should be told to
\nsharpen their awareness of the people's political rights," she
\nsaid. "They should be reminded that they can't be the sole
\ninterpreters nor the ones to determine everything."<\/p>\n
Ryaas said that the values underlying political life will have
\nto be changed gradually. "Democracy should not be an enterprise
\nof the political elite, of the intellectuals alone," he said. "An
\nexchange of many views on democracy should take place...It will
\ntake time to build democracy."<\/p>\n
The observers agreed that the press could help "enlighten" the
\npolitical elite. "Write about how a democratic government should
\nbe, how it should respect people's rights," Ryaas suggested.<\/p>\n
One of the things that should be corrected is an
\nadministration which is too centralized, the observers agreed.
\n"Such an administration is a hindrance to the people's
\nsovereignty, because the government regards itself as the most
\npowerful and righteous institution," Ryaas said.<\/p>\n
"In this condition, there's no empowerment of the people. The
\nsovereignty of the people, something guaranteed in the
\nConstitution, is non-existent," said the rector of the Institute
\nfor Public Administration Studies.<\/p>\n
He pointed out that members of the government come from the
\npeople and should first serve the people. "What we need is a
\ngovernment by the people," he said. "A good government is one
\nthat rules the least and meets people's demands even before they
\nare made."<\/p>\n
The three observers also agreed on the need to empower the
\npeople. The process, they said, will start when the influence of
\nthe power holders is reduced along with the people's dependence
\non them.<\/p>\n
"How can you have empowerment if every time you hold a
\ncongress you have to ask the government for financial
\nassistance?" Ryaas said in reference to the procedures that must
\nbe followed by political organizations.<\/p>\n
Matori pointed out that the institutions needed to develop a
\ndemocracy already exist, including the House of Representatives,
\nthe People's Consultative Assembly, political parties and general
\nelections.<\/p>\n
"But they do not function well because the state's power is
\nmuch too domineering," said Matori, the former secretary-general
\nof the Moslem-based United Development Party. "Under these
\nconditions, we can't have democracy." (swe)<\/p>",
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