Time to build on Reformasi<\/p>\n
SL Lim
\nExternal Relations Advisor
\nUnited Nations Support Facility
\nfor Indonesian Recovery
\n(UNSFIR)
\nJakarta<\/p>\n
As Indonesia gears up for an election year which will include
\nthe first-ever direct presidential elections, the country appears
\nto be balanced on a knife's edge. Never have prospects for
\ndeepening and consolidating democracy seemed better. Conversely,
\nnever has there been more cynicism and disillusionment about the
\nstate of democracy in the country.<\/p>\n
The results of a recent survey conducted by the Indonesian
\nSurvey Institute shows that more and more Indonesians are looking
\nbackwards. There's a nostalgia for the "good old days" -- anti-
\nNew Order feeling is ebbing fast and in its place is a longing
\nfor the economic and political stability under that regime.<\/p>\n
Such sentiments have been growing steadily since the fall of
\nthe Soeharto regime. Indonesians are tired of the never-ending
\ntransition, tired of high unemployment, tired of seeing old, old
\nproblems like corruption still spreading and debilitating the
\ncountry, tired of feeling rudderless in a sea of problems. The
\nidealism that inspired thousands to take to the streets years ago
\nand demand reformasi seems to have faded away or gotten lost
\nsomewhere in the complicated labyrinth of transition.<\/p>\n
But while it is extremely tempting to view the past with rose-
\ntinted glasses, it is also a dangerous and misplaced exercise. In
\nlonging to return to the past, it becomes all too easy to forget
\nthat the seeds of krismon (monetary crisis) and some of the
\nproblems today were sown during that regime and because of the
\nway it operated. To go back to the old way of doing things may
\nmerely lay the foundation for another collapse around the corner.<\/p>\n
How to ensure then that Indonesia keeps on its quest towards
\nmore democratization, while trying to achieve a sustainable
\nrecovery? It's a tall order. But a start can be made by focusing
\non efforts to rebuild a sense of national purpose and direction
\nwhich at the same time deepens democracy.<\/p>\n
And one way this can be done is for the government and those
\nit governs to come together in a joint effort to tackle the
\npressing public policy issues facing the country.<\/p>\n
Work is already underway to try to evolve a more efficient,
\nopen and inclusive process when it comes to making decisions
\nabout public policy.<\/p>\n
The Indonesian Public Policy Network or JAJAKI (Jaringan
\nKebijakan Publik Indonesia), among others facilitated by UNSFIR,
\nis just such an initiative which has been gaining ground in the
\npast year. It rests on the idea that there should be close
\nconsultation between those who make the policies and those who
\nare affected by the policies.<\/p>\n
The network is made up of Indonesian institutions from all
\nareas of society, from think tanks to the private sector, from
\ncivil society to the government.<\/p>\n
In the past, policy-makers were hardly falling over themselves
\nto involve the public in their decisions. Everything was carried
\nout behind closed doors and in a highly technocratic manner.
\nNeither was the government looking at public policy issues in a
\ncomprehensive manner or examining interlinkages between different
\nareas.<\/p>\n
The complex nature of Indonesia's transition however means
\nthat public decision-making is now infinitely more complex. The
\ngovernment has to think about how different issues are linked and
\nwhat sort of far-reaching consequences and implications any
\npolicy decision will have.<\/p>\n
Be that as it may, many bottlenecks still exist: Nothing short
\nof a presidential decree is necessary before different
\nministries can start working together and looking at areas of
\ncommon interest. And even where joint committees exist, getting
\neveryone to sit down and hold meetings regularly is a laborious
\nprocess and more often than not, the meetings do not take place.<\/p>\n
Public reaction and support is also something that
\npolicymakers now have to take into account. Today, the government
\nhas to deal with many more players.<\/p>\n
These come into play when the government tries to carry out
\nsomething like privatization. The privatization of Semen Padang
\nis a case in point. Opposition to the deal from workers and other
\nquarters meant that the government had trouble getting things
\ndone, including getting rid of the old management, even though a
\nnew management team had already been appointed.<\/p>\n
More recently in the legislature, a minister complained about
\nhow lawmakers were hampering privatization by asking too many
\nquestions. All this highlights the fact that public scrutiny and
\nsupport are elements that cannot be ignored these days. And that
\nthere is a need to gain wide agreement on policies at grassroots
\nlevel and in the public realm before. Otherwise, it is simply
\nimpossible to implement policies effectively.<\/p>\n
In a democratic environment, the government can only govern
\nwith the support of its constituents. Many governments actively
\nconsult and work together with society to develop new policies
\nand improve existing ones. Governments thus not only give
\ncitizens a say in national public policy -- but legitimize
\nthemselves and their decisions in the eyes of those they govern.<\/p>\n
Thus, in many ways, the consultative process initiated by
\nJAJAKI is timely. It is a constructive way of addressing the
\nfrustrations that many feel. Rather than simply writing off
\nreformasi and opting for a return to the old ways, Indonesia can
\nforge ahead and continue to build on its ideals.<\/p>\n
The process helps build up democracy precisely because it is
\nconsultative and thus gives everyone a chance to have a say in
\ndesigning Indonesia's future. JAJAKI will ensure that policy-
\nmaking is no longer carried out in a vacuum without first gauging
\nthe public response to policy decisions. It will also act an
\ninvaluable testing ground for new directions in policy-making and
\nwill help the country identify key priorities and thus
\nreestablish that lost sense of national direction and purpose.<\/p>\n
The process carried out by JAJAKI will also engender a sense
\nof national ownership -- a feeling that Indonesians are coming up
\nwith their own solutions grounded in Indonesian experience,
\ncontext and history, and therefore will work in Indonesia.<\/p>\n
The network can also act as an informal avenue for the airing
\nof critical policy issues. Not only will it get non-government
\nand government elements to come together, JAJAKI also provides a
\nchannel for intra-government exchange while avoiding time-
\nconsuming red tape.<\/p>\n
Most importantly, JAJAKI's discussions and work will be
\nfocused, results-based and systematic. Rigorous evaluation and
\nnarrowing down of workable policy options for Indonesia will be
\ncarried out. The output will ultimately be channeled in the form
\nof policy recommendations to the government.<\/p>\n
Given a chance, this initiative, a first for the country, can
\ntake root and flower. Indeed, this could be seen as the second
\npractical wave of reformasi, where the ideas and ideals of the
\nmovement are finally translated into active policies. There is
\nstill time and opportunity to seize the day.<\/p>",
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