Advice for Harmoko

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