Siswono encourages creativity among bureaucrats<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): It was an unusual party. Instead of the expected
\nfestivity, the evening was filled with speeches, poems and songs
\nabout democracy, conscience, grassroots sympathy, and
\ncondemnation of the mushrooming avarice, greed and injustice
\nfound in Indonesia today.<\/p>\n
Had the party taken place at Taman Ismail Marzuki Arts Center,
\nwhere government critics usually protest socio-political ills, it
\nwouldn't have been news.<\/p>\n
Surprisingly the gathering, called Dialog Seni: Indonesia
\nRumah Kita (Art Dialog: Indonesia Our Home) was held at the
\nMinistry of Transmigration and Settlement of Forest Dwellers on
\nJl. Kalibata in South Jakarta and was organized by the ministry's
\nofficials.<\/p>\n
It is rare for government officials to brood over the fate of
\nthe millions of poor in Indonesia. They don't seem to care about
\nthe government's failure to help the poor or bemoan that
\nIndonesia has lost its conscience amidst the greed and avarice.<\/p>\n
But it happened.<\/p>\n
The man behind the gathering, Minister Siswono Yudohusodo,
\nmade the headlines several weeks ago by stating that \"Nowadays,
\nhonesty is identical with stupidity, and dishonesty with
\ncleverness.\" His words were regarded as a perfect description of
\nIndonesian society.<\/p>\n
Accompanied by Romance d'amour on a piano, the minister, clad
\nin a white shirt and black trousers, read his speech like a poet
\nrecites poetry. The speech included a poem entitled Balada Si
\nJelata (The Ballad of the Poor) by Siswono. According to Siswono,
\n\"is was colored by Sitor Situmorang\" who was thrown in jail for
\nbeing involved in the abortive 1965 communist coup.<\/p>\n
Siswono said two young ministry staff members wrote him for
\npermission to stage an arts program to celebrate Indonesia's 50th
\nanniversary. They wanted ministry employees and related agencies
\nto attend.<\/p>\n
\"I agreed and supported the spontaneous intention. The
\ngovernment needs art for their sensitivity and to beautify their
\ncreations and upgrade their works. Sensitivity is needed so that
\nthey take more care about what they may and may not do, about
\nright and wrong, and about the people who need their service and
\nso that their behavior is not sarcastic,\" Siswono explained.<\/p>\n
The exclusive party soon ballooned into an excellent arts
\nfiesta involving several important figures in the Indonesian arts
\nworld. Famous folk singer Leo Kristi, country singer Franky
\nSahilatua, dancer and choreographer Bagong Kussudiardjo, folk
\nsinger-environmentalist Ully Sigar Rusady, poet Darmanto Jatman,
\npoet-philosopher Toety Herati Noerhadi and poet Pertiwi Hasan,
\nwife of timber tycoon Bob Hasan all attended. Director General of
\nCulture of the Ministry of Education and Culture Edy Sediawati,
\nalso an archeologist, read a poem by Rendra. Former minister of
\neducation and culture Fuad Hassan had his poem read by a young
\ngirl.<\/p>\n
The ministry's employees presented a play and sang.<\/p>\n
Franky said he might have rejected the offer to appear if it
\nwere not for Siswono.<\/p>\n
\"I happened to find his touching words in the papers several
\nweeks ago. I then thought of him as a nationalist leader. I love
\nhim. I really hope there is someone like him amidst the current
\nsectarian streams,\" Franky told The Jakarta Post.<\/p>\n
Franky and friends then heartily sang a song which borrowed
\nSiswono's much-quoted, Kejujuran jadi kebodohan\/ kelicikan jadi
\nkepintaran (Nowadays, honesty is identical with stupidity, and
\ndishonesty with cleverness). Franky claimed that he and a friend
\ncomposed the song the morning of the dialogue.<\/p>\n
Siswono had more revelations for his adoring crowd. He asked
\nthe audience to reflect on the meaning of the 50th anniversary,
\n\"at the time when people cannot any longer differentiate right
\nfrom wrong because they cannot understand their own conscience.
\nWhen the thoughts, words and acts of many people go it alone in
\nopposing directions. When cuteness, mischief and evil elegantly
\nwork hand in hand to provide people with staples. When the
\nconscience of many people can no longer reign in on the behavior
\nof the owners. When human stomach, which is actually small, four
\ntimes the span of the fingers, but because their hearts, minds
\nand the existing system cannot take control over it, wants to
\nswallow the world with all its content. When thugs, who have
\nearned the reputation as the unbeatable, are honored, feared,
\nrespected and asked for protection, and then slaughtered after a
\npolice officer fell victim to them, while in fact people had been
\nlong terrorized and extorted by them.\"<\/p>\n
Siswono continued his lament, including the gap between the
\nrich and the poor, the murder of Marsinah, the exploitation of
\nnatural resources for the sake of fast development growth.<\/p>\n
Was he speaking from his heart? Was it just a bureaucratic
\nstep to greater popularity? Is he now feeling estranged in his
\nbureaucratic seat? Has he discovered the long forgotten meaning
\nof civil servant?<\/p>\n
Whatever his motif, Siswono wasn't alone in his gloom. His
\nstaff clearly shared his soul-searching. They made it clear in a
\nshort play staged in the middle of the evening.<\/p>\n
The play, set around the red-and-white flag, strung together
\nsurprisingly biting dialog. Even more surprising because it was
\nuttered by government employees.<\/p>\n
\"If we commit a mistake, we should have the courage to admit
\nit according to Indonesian conscience. And currently, only our
\nconscience can differentiate one thing from another,\" announced
\none actor.<\/p>\n
\"We have to open the democratic doors in our hearts,\" preached
\nanother.<\/p>\n
Siswono had never seen, let alone censored the play.<\/p>\n
\"I always encourage my staff to be democratic and not to be
\nyes men. They should be critical and constructive,\" Siswono told
\nthe press after the party.<\/p>\n
Admitting that there are bureaucrats who don't pay attention
\nto public wants, Siswono said a more a democratic atmosphere will
\nreign in the future and people will be more daring.<\/p>\n
\"Ten years ago, we would not be able to imagine that Tempo,
\nfor example, would win its case against the minister of
\ninformation. But this is a process which should be anticipated by
\neveryone, including bureaucrats,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Siswono's unprecedented evening of arts has illustrated that
\nthe public's yearning for change has reached the authorities.
\n(jsk\/als)<\/p>",
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