Reforming attitudes<\/p>\n
Even as Indonesia's newly installed President Habibie swore in
\nhis cabinet over the weekend, pros and cons over his taking over
\nthe reigns of the administration from the departed president
\nSoeharto -- and over the manner in which it was done -- continued
\nto simmer among the ranks of the heretofore seemingly solidly
\nunited proreform activists.<\/p>\n
Rather than let ourselves be overly worried about such a
\ndevelopment, however, it is much better that all parties involved
\nin, and concerned about, the movement -- students, academics and
\nother proreformists as well as the public at large -- recognize
\nthat differences of opinion are a natural phenomenon in any
\ndemocratic environment.<\/p>\n
The problem is how to resolve in a peaceful, amicable manner
\nthose differences which, after all, exist among people who share
\nthe same basic wish: to establish a better, more democratic
\nIndonesia, for themselves and for coming generations of
\nIndonesians. We Indonesians have at this stage only just begun to
\ntake the first step toward building a more open and democratic
\nsociety. A tremendous amount of work still has to be done.<\/p>\n
Unfortunately, after having lived for so long in a mental
\nprison as it were, Indonesians now need to learn, by practice, to
\nlive in an environment of responsible freedom. In many spheres of
\npublic life, Indonesians have for decades been encouraged to
\nconform, to accept without argument the \"truths\" and \"values\" as
\ninterpreted by those in power. Creativity and initiative were
\ntolerated only in as far as they did not transgress the
\nboundaries of acceptability set by the authorities.<\/p>\n
Books by prominent Indonesian authors that have become
\nstandard reading in other countries are banned at home. Stage
\nperformances -- especially those whose general message was a
\ncondemnation of official corruption and abuse of power -- were
\nbanned on the pretext that they would \"upset the public order\".
\nDissenters, even some of the most morally inspired, were shunned
\nor denied leading roles in public and societal life.<\/p>\n
The result of all this can be seen today in the very fact that
\neven though reform has become something of a national motto,
\nlittle has changed in the way most Indonesians conduct and
\nexpress themselves in public life. Many are still averse as ever
\nto candidly say what they think should be said or done as their
\ndeepest conscience dictates. Euphemisms and indirect expressions
\ncontinue to blur the Indonesian language.<\/p>\n
Yet, all of us now realize that all this has helped to create
\nthe kind of societal and political environment that has
\nultimately led to the crash of our currency and economy, and
\nsubsequently to the crisis of confidence that has so seriously
\nravaged our country<\/p>\n
But if the word \"reform\" is to have any meaning, a beginning
\nmust somehow be made with changing this attitude. Somehow, we
\nhave to break out of this mental prison we have occupied for so
\nlong. This effort must be initiated by the people and the
\nauthorities together.<\/p>\n
The media must be able to independently balance freedom and
\nresponsibility through a commonly agreed code of ethics and
\nwithout fear of being muzzled. The freedoms of expression and
\nassociation must be guaranteed by abolishing the policy of
\nexclusive government-sanctioned organizations. To render all this
\neffective, obviously the judiciary must function as it is
\nsupposed to under the Constitution: independently and free from
\nintervention by the executive branch of government.<\/p>\n
All this must be done quickly or not only will all the
\npromises of fundamental reforms lose their credibility, but
\nsociety itself could slide back into the old habit of
\nsubservience to and dependence on those in power.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/reforming-attitudes-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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