Politicians told to focus on substance<\/p>\n
Hera Diani, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Drop the expensive suits and the act, and get down to the
\nsubstance of policy, Radhar Panca Dahana, a noted author and
\nartist, told local politicians on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
Radhar said the political culture in the country was
\nalarmingly superficial and expensive, while politicians delivered
\nlittle.<\/p>\n
Politics here did not help to create a more democratic and
\neducated society but instead produced high-profile elites who
\nspent their days fighting over their share of the national pie,
\nhe said.<\/p>\n
\"Other countries provide huge budgets for research and
\neducation. Here, instead of paying attention to research and
\neducation, we pay politicians too much ... for the suits and
\neverything,\" he told the participants of a public lecture hosted
\nby the Soegeng Sarjadi Syndicated political think-tank.<\/p>\n
If there was any concern for the nation left, politicians
\nshould drop what was superficial and focus the substance of their
\nwork, like financing research and education, Radhar said.<\/p>\n
\"Politicians should learn from the arts where interpretation
\nis wide open and the culture is more egalitarian. Most artists
\ndress casually instead of in expensive suits, they are more frank
\nand straightforward, and their work (mostly) gives something to
\nthe people,\" Radhar said.<\/p>\n
Political activist-entrepreneur Soegeng Sarjadi, meanwhile,
\nurged politicians to be graceful losers instead of trying to
\nbring each other down.<\/p>\n
\"I think this must be one of the only countries where defeated
\npolitical party candidates sue the winners,\" he said. High-
\nprofile legal disputes have occurred recently the National
\nAwakening Party (PKB) and the Indonesian Democratic Party of
\nStruggle (PDI-P).<\/p>\n
Soegeng urged politicians to pay attention to detail,
\nespecially important civil society projects like public
\ntransport.<\/p>\n
\"Politics is not a matter of numbers. It's not about (the)
\nGolkar (Party) having millions of members, for instance. But it
\nis about the quality of people's lives,\" Soegeng said.<\/p>\n
Appearing as a keynote speaker in the forum, former House of
\nRepresentatives' speaker and former Golkar chairman Akbar
\nTandjung, meanwhile, suggested fellow politicians should focus
\ntheir energy more on creating leaders and statesmen instead
\nfighting internally.<\/p>\n
The veteran politician said members of political parties had
\nbeen too pragmatic in their quest for power and had forgotten the
\nreal value of politics.<\/p>\n
\"Politics must educate the public about democracy. Political
\nparties must put an emphasis on developing the quality of their
\nmembers, which local parties have yet to do. As a result, we
\nstill lack good members,\" said Akbar, who now runs the Akbar
\nTandjung Institute for political researches.<\/p>",
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