Advice for the President
Advice for the President
Too much for ought is good for nought; in other words,
everything in good measure. No doubt, this sort of reasoning was
in the mind of the Langitan Forum ulemas when they called on
President Abdurrahman Wahid over the weekend to be more careful
and less hasty in making public statements.
"Abdurrahman must change his style and pattern of leadership.
He is no longer the chairman of Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), but
President of Indonesia," NU deputy chairman KH Sahal Mahfudz said
after the forum's meeting in Tuban, East Java on Saturday.
Abdurrahman, also known as Gus Dur, was well-known for making
unexpected and controversial statements long before anybody here
or abroad ever thought of him becoming the president of this
country.
During the height of what was known as the "ninja killings" of
Muslim leaders in the Banyuwangi area in East Java about a couple
of years ago, for example, he made headlines by naming the
initials of a minister of then president Soeharto's Cabinet who
he "knew" should be held responsible for the killings.
It can be imagined that the whole incident must have left a
disagreeable aftertaste for the minister in question.
Fortunately, the incident ended without any further consequences
as the person implicated simply brushed off the whole affair.
Abdurrahman, after all, was "only" the chairman of the Nahdlatul
Ulama.
To be fair, though, it must be said that not all of
Abdurrahman's remarks were controversial or lacked restraint.
Indeed, most comments and observations he made reflected his deep
understanding and commitment to the best of mankind's universal
values, including such fields as morality and religious and
intellectual tolerance and democracy.
It was through his statements, comments and writings that
Abdurrahman's qualities as possible presidential material first
became apparent, even at a time when talking about a presidential
succession was regarded as subversive. All this considered,
Indonesians were willing to understand that, from time to time, a
few less prudent remarks would come forth from a man the caliber
of Abdurrahman.
Things, of course, have since considerably changed. As
President of the country, it simply cannot be avoided that each
and every public statement Abdurrahman makes is weighed and
deliberated for its possible effects and implications.
A good example was his latest statement implicating three of
his Cabinet ministers in suspected cases of corruption. Although
no names (or initials) have been mentioned -- or perhaps because
no such details have been given -- the country at present is
abuzz with rumors and speculation as to who the President could
be referring to and what further measures can be expected --
clearly a situation that does not help to bolster the integrity
and efficacy of Abdurrahman's current National Unity Cabinet.
That no names have so far been officially mentioned no doubt
signals the President's good intention to honor the principle of
the presumption of innocence. Neither is there any doubt about
the President's firm commitment to establishing good and clean
governance in Indonesia, no matter what the obstacles may be.
Even so, it can be argued that it would have been even better
not to have made such public statements at all, at least until
sufficient proof was obtained to warrant an open investigation
into the affair. As it is, the government owes it to the
ministers involved and the public to come up with an explanation
soon.
In the meantime, the President is well-advised to pay good
heed to the counsel given him by the Langitan Forum ulemas.
Statements such as those regarding pardoning Soeharto, agreeing
to a referendum in Aceh and revising the pattern of revenue
distribution between Jakarta and the provinces are much better
discussed with the legislative bodies before they are disclosed
to the public. The time the President had the prerogative to make
major policy decisions has passed.