Academic laments lack of Indonesian statesmen

Academic laments lack of Indonesian statesmen

JAKARTA (JP): The country has given rise to an abundance of
politicians but few statesmen because of the overwhelming
politicization of public life, State Administration Institute
rector Ryaas Rasyid said yesterday.

Ryaas told reporters after attending an Idul Fitri celebration
held by Minister of Home Affairs Moch. Yogie S.M. that
politicization was affecting all spheres of society because there
was no room for issues other than politics in people's minds.

"There are too many politicians here. Journalists,
bureaucrats, activists of non-governmental organizations and
other people are all politicized," Ryaas was quoted by Antara as
saying.

"People are eager to talk about politics every day because no
sport or economic event can distract their attention from
politics. Political jokes have become their interesting daily
conversation," he added.

Ryaas will be inaugurated as a professor Tuesday at the
institute, which is owned by the Ministry of Home Affairs, where
he is expected to deliver a speech on improving state
administration before the 21st century.

He said politicization was causing society to be conflict
prone and, in turn, causing disintegration and chaos.

"Politicians differentiate friends from enemies. This line of
thinking is absent from statements by those deciding policies for
the sake of public benefit," he said.

For this reason, Ryaas threw his weight behind the
government's floating-mass policy. "Political life needs a
certain arrangement which avoids direct involvement of the masses
in political decision-making processes. Otherwise, there would be
anarchy," he said.

The proper political participation of people in a democratic
society was democracy by representation, not democracy by mass,
Ryaas said.

The 1945 Constitution recognizes indirect political
participation through the House of Representatives. In May's
general election, 427 of the House's 500 seats will be contested,
while the remaining 75 seats will be awarded to members of the
Armed Forces who do not vote.

Ryaas doubted that the huge number of politicians resulted
from successful political education.

"Political education gives people knowledge of decision-making
processes and citizen's rights and obligations. People who know
these do not automatically become politicians," he said. (amd)