Advice for Harmoko

The reform tide has come washing over Golkar at last. All of a sudden, Indonesia's largest political organization, which won each and every general election held under the New Order regime of former president Soeharto, is tottering. Its chairman, Harmoko, who led Golkar to such a sensational victory in the 1997 general election, has suddenly become outmoded and has been asked to resign. Reform hurts. Golkar, which has served as a political vehicle for the New Order and has always proclaimed itself a spearhead of change and democracy, has suddenly become obsolete.

When we think about our sins of the past, Golkar played a major part in committing them. With the commanding majority which it always managed to win in election after election -- in which voting was general and secret but neither honest nor fair -- Golkar became a force for curtailing change.

Golkar is a product of its time. And now that reform has become popular, Golkar, whether it wants to or not, must change lest it will be forced to change. What we are witnessing at present is indeed a forced change because Golkar appears reluctant to change voluntarily. The reform tide is opening people's eyes as to who the real heroes (of reform) are and who are the fakes. It is also teaching Indonesians, and their leaders in particular, to be humble. Those who have come to power must not forget to step down before they are forced to do so.

Si Bung (Harmoko) will do well to heed the voices of those who want him to step down. In our present time, it seems, people no longer want to see (political) actors outstaying their welcome on the stage. For the sake of Golkar and to prevent it from losing all relevance, Harmoko had better step down. And the sooner the better.

-- Media Indonesia, Jakarta