The hidden message<\/p>\n
A Western diplomat once complained about Indonesian politics
\nbeing simply mind-boggling. The longer one tried to understand
\nthe situation, the more confused one became, he said.<\/p>\n
In a way, the diplomat was perhaps right. Even for some
\nIndonesians the politics of their country can be confusing,
\nalthough for many it is simple enough: Don't contradict what is
\nwritten in the book, nor what applies in reality.<\/p>\n
The comments of two of our senior officials the other day are
\na case in point. Addressing the House of Representatives, the
\nchairman of the Indonesian Civil Servants Corps (Korpri),
\nSuryatna Subrata, who is also secretary-general of the ministry
\nof home affairs, said that under the law civil servants are free
\nto vote for the political party of their choice.<\/p>\n
Suryatna added that civil servants are also free to join any
\npolitical party, \"subject to approval from their superiors.\" He
\nsaid government employees are expected be loyal to the
\ngovernment, rather than to Golkar, but that the \"mono-loyalty\"
\nconcept has been widely misunderstood to mean that civil servants
\nshould also vote for Golkar in elections.<\/p>\n
Ironically, on the same day, Minister of Home Affairs Moch.
\nYogie S.M. said that, while civil servants are not obliged to
\nsupport Golkar, they are still expected to vote for it. Yogie
\nsuggested that government employees who do not vote for Golkar
\nshould resign from their jobs. \"If I were a member of Korpri, I'd
\nquit and get another job if I didn't want to vote for Golkar,\" he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
A foreigner might say that the two statements contradict one
\nanother and are surely not consistent. But one should remember
\nthat Suryatna was speaking in legal terms, while Yogie, who is
\nSuryatna's superior, was speaking as a cabinet minister and a
\nmember of Golkar's supervisory board, whose duties include
\nstriving for Golkar's victory in the elections. Suryatna was
\nspeaking from the standpoint of the law, which guarantees Korpri
\nmembers' freedom, while Yogie was speaking from the standpoint of
\na political reality in which Korpri members are obliged to back
\nGolkar at the polls.<\/p>\n
Both comments are based on real, hard facts. Hence,
\nunderstandably, Yogie did not feel embarrassed in making the
\nabove-quoted statement since, after all, he did not \"force\" or
\n\"order\" Korpri members to vote for Golkar. He only said they were
\n\"expected to vote\" in a particular way.<\/p>\n
One may even say that Yogie was only doing his job, and what
\nwas expected of him. And everyone here knows the hidden message:
\nAny Korpri member who dares to defy his superior's \"suggestions\"
\nwill have to bear the consequences.<\/p>\n
Thus, Yogie's statement will prevail while Suryatna's words
\nwill be recorded in the book. And Suryatna should not be blamed
\nfor not contradicting Yogie's words. After all, Yogie is his
\nsuperior and in the present political climate wise men never
\nknowingly contradict their superiors.<\/p>\n
There are enough such hidden messages here to fill an
\nIndonesian political dictionary. To \"appeal to\" someone is the
\npolitically-correct way of giving them an order, as in the case
\nof the words \"suggestion\" and \"expectation.\"<\/p>\n
Another example: Last week Army Chief Gen. Hartono said in a
\nspeech that Golkar should secure an absolute victory in the
\ncoming general election. The statement prompted several House
\nmembers to ask Armed Forces Chief Gen. Feisal Tanjung what Gen.
\nHartono's statement meant.<\/p>\n
Some legislators said that, under Indonesian law, the Armed
\nForces (ABRI) should not side with any political grouping.
\nMoreover, Golkar has always won elections by a landslide; that
\nis, by some 70 percent or more.<\/p>\n
\"Does the general mean that Golkar should win 80, 90 or even
\n100 percent of the vote? When will ABRI support the PDI
\n(Indonesian Democratic Party) or the PPP (United Development
\nParty) in the elections?\" one PDI member was reported to have
\nsaid to the laughter of the audience.<\/p>\n
Of course, as a seasoned legislator, the House member knew
\nquite well the answer to his own question. He asked it only to
\nget into the news. The laughter from the audience was evidence
\nthat everyone present knew the hard facts of Indonesian politics.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/the-hidden-message-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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