Reform commotion: Where do we go from here?<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): \"Bingo!\", shouted my wife defiantly, raising
\nboth of her fists the way a political campaigner would in front
\nof an audience.<\/p>\n
\"What's that, Mom?\" joked Sulung, my eldest son. \"Has your
\nkitchen cabinet decided to slash fuel prices further?\"<\/p>\n
\"I have eventually come to a conclusion,\" she said, glancing
\nat Sulung dismissively. \"There is another answer to the fall of
\nPak Harto.<\/p>\n
\"Before he was reelected president for the seventh term, he
\ntold the nation to reconsider his candidacy. This means Pak Harto
\nwas hinting his intention to step down from the post he had held
\nfor 32 years.<\/p>\n
\"But some groups of politicians did not want the former
\npresident to go with dignity after all he had done to this
\ncountry. They supported him to go for another term and then
\ncreated the commotion. They wanted Pak Harto to be humiliated and
\nbulldozed from the scene as punishment.\"<\/p>\n
The way she talks, you'd think my wife is a politics expert,
\nin a class with Amien Rais or Jusril Ihza Mahendra. But no, she
\nis just an ordinary housewife who used to think that talking
\nabout politics was something that would only result in air
\npollution, akin to Indonesians' habit of consuming jengkol, (a
\nvegetable that causes seriously bad breath). \"Politics is just
\nrock and roll,\" she used to say.<\/p>\n
But the current situation has turned her (like millions of
\nothers) into an instant political observer. She can spend hours
\nin front of the TV listening to the hot news and to people
\ntalking about reform.<\/p>\n
Not only that, she is also now an economic analyst conducting
\nfrequent discussion among a group of housewives in our kitchen
\n(hence the formation of the kitchen cabinet). Every time a new
\neconomic policy is announced on TV, she is the first to comment.<\/p>\n
\"We don't have to turn to the IMF if we can end the
\ninefficiencies in running this country,\" she would say. \"Just by
\nstopping the 30 percent standard leakage in government spending,
\nwe can save billions of dollars.\"<\/p>\n
\"Standard leakage? How do you prove there is any leakage? Be
\ncareful with your statement. You could be accused of slander and
\nthen be abducted and tortured.\" I tried to get her scared of what
\nmight happen.<\/p>\n
\"Where have you been?\" The other member of the \"cabinet\"
\nlooked at me, square in the eyes. \"You're so old fashioned. That
\nsort of disgusting scheme could only happen in the previous era.
\nThis is an era of reform, for Pete's sake.\"<\/p>\n
\"And talking about proof,\" Mrs. Basa continued hotly, \"it
\ndoesn't take Sherlock Holmes to find out how the taxpayers' money
\nflows to the private companies belonging to Soeharto's children
\nand his cronies who monopolize the importing and distribution of
\ngoods.<\/p>\n
Just by nailing Bulog and Pertamina, and then controlling the
\nimport and distribution of rice, soybeans, and fuel, we will be
\nin good shape. And Michel Cum d'Asu or whatever his name is, can
\ngo fly a kite and Madame Allright can move her 'Mommy Dearest'
\nproject somewhere else.\"<\/p>\n
Coming from either Syahrir or Emil Salim, this analysis could
\nbe just another tidbit. But it sounds surprisingly \"scientific\"
\nas it was uttered by a woman whose normal activities take her
\nfrom the front door to the kitchen; apart from her problem with
\nmemorizing names.<\/p>\n
The commotion of reform has been a learning \"institution\" for
\nmany. There are so many expressions and terms that we never used
\nthat have now become part of our daily vocabulary. Words such as
\ncrony, due diligence, culprit, and the like are now used by
\ncommon people. Wherever you go, people talk about the economy and
\npolitics, not to mention \"official\" rumors.<\/p>\n
\"If this commotion keeps going, I won't have to send my
\ndaughter to the school of economics or politics,\" said Tanto, one
\nof my colleagues. \"Life is itself a school where you can learn
\nanything.\"<\/p>\n
He could be right. The trouble is, our young generation will
\nalso learn bad things from what their predecessors are doing.
\nLook at those prominent political leaders who are at each other's
\nthroats, fighting to get the best possible position in the up-
\ncoming fiesta, that is, jockeying to be in power after the next
\ngeneral election.<\/p>\n
Those who used to suppress any reformist ideas are now
\nenjoying a ride on the movement initiated by students, claiming
\nto be part of the reform campaign. Hypocrisy is at its peak. And
\nwhere does it take our pure, innocent students?<\/p>\n
\"I'm confused,\" said Aryo, a university student active in the
\nreform movement. \"Some friends are now doing a U-turn, supporting
\nthose who are secretly trying to get Soeharto back on the tracks.
\nApparently, they are insinuated by the inconsistency of our
\nprominent leaders.\"<\/p>\n
Talking about learning, I was not surprised when I overheard
\nour maid talking on the phone: \"That's right! We are not going to
\nlet them treat us like we are their relatives and accept whatever
\nthey pay us. We are employees just like other workers. We demand
\nreform of our employment status. I will meet Mr. Pakpahan and
\nthen we will stage a demonstration at the Hall of Assembly.
\nWhenever possible, we will occupy the building ...\"<\/p>\n
She sure has learned a lot from the commotion. Now, where do
\nwe go from here?<\/p>\n
-- Carl Chairul<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/reform-commotion-where-do-we-go-from-here-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }