Are we really a free nation?

From Merdeka

We (albeit not all of us, of course) are an easily satisfied nation with a tendency to be quantitatively oriented. "Tired" of being under the colonial rule of three countries for more than 350 years, we got the feeling that we were fully independent when we proclaimed our independence on Aug. 17, 1945. In fact, without belittling the sacrifices of our heroes, this independence simply meant that "the government is now made up of personnel of our own nation."

Do we still feel that we are "independent" when foreign capitalists have gained increasing freedom to seize our assets and expatriates have taken the places of local employees? From 2003 things will become much worse in this respect.

Our mass associations and social and political organizations are just content with the votes collected during the general election. They have not started to consider the quality of "the manner in which the votes are collected." That's why the additional motto for the general election, jurdil (honest and fair) is still a taboo, while political legitimacy obtained under the principle of "the end justifies the means" continues to be considered valid.

Are our people a nation that take pride in and appreciates "muscles" more than "intellect"? The SEA Games XIX scandal (involving the manipulation of stickers, hotels and the implementation of the event in the midst of a monetary crisis) attests to this. One who can answer the questions on a popular quiz show (which are simple and trivial) can pocket millions of rupiah while the winner and finalists of a quiz on science and general knowledge or a scientific contest take home only a metal cup.

Some people decide to throw a thanksgiving party the moment they are promoted or appointed high-ranking government officials while the euphoria demonstrated by their family members far exceeds the joy of a youngster winning a place in a state-owned university. Positions are still viewed as a pleasure rather than a mandate to act for others. This runs counter to the attitude of the friends of the Prophet Muhammad and his followers, who saw positions as "the mouth of a tiger". They first thought of the responsibility they have to shoulder in their job, and not the pleasures they might enjoy from assuming the job.

We are also a very forgiving nation, so much so that just a word of apology (even said only implicitly) is enough to negate years of wrongdoings committed by one or a number of officials.

We are a nation that finds it extremely difficult to learn. We have extensive seas and forests but we have never had even a single fire-fighting airplane. We also let the same old problems recur every year; the massive exodus of city dwellers who visit their home towns during the Idul Fitri holiday, the haj pilgrimage management, the coming of the dry season, floods, coping with the new academic year etc. have always been a headache.

We (once again, not all of us, of course) also regularly contract "pendulum disease". We give an extreme reaction to an extreme situation. An example of this is that we demand that monopolistic practices should be abolished in such a way that the word monopoly itself has become pejorative. However the market structure of our economy has become so monopolistic that state monopolies are undoubtedly needed with respect to the control of natural resources because these resources affect the livelihoods of the people and must be used to the optimum for the sake of people's welfare.

NURBOWO

Jakarta