A cause for concern

The power that has been entrusted by the people to Gus Dur (President Abdurrahman Wahid) has so far produced many paradoxes. The President made every effort not to be unseated during the recent Annual Session of the People's Consultative Assembly. After that was achieved, though, no efforts were made indicating that a sense of crisis exists on the part of the government. In fact, we now have to deal with a new crisis of a more private nature -- concerning the private affairs of a number of high ranking officials.

Gus Dur's travel itinerary meanwhile has become even more busy. Although denied, there was even talk of buying a special Boeing aircraft to make the President's foreign trips still more agreeable.

The initial demilitarization drive, meant to correct the evils of the (Soeharto era) New Order -- either by design or otherwise -- is being replaced by an inclination to use civilians for militaristic ends. While under the New Order power was preserved by the military, now civilian paramilitaries are used for the same ends.

All those paradoxes are reflections of a fundamental nervousness. What, for instance, can the government be proud of when it comes to the eradication of corruption, collusion and nepotism? Is the current regime indeed against corruption, or is it instead flirting with corruptors and thereby opening up new opportunities for corruption?

A government that hesitates to fight corruption is a government that is already infected by corruption. This is a point of common sense that is difficult to refute. And this is what is causing us to become ever more worried.

-- Media Indonesia, Jakarta