Baramuli's views on medals

Baramuli's views on medals

When I read in The Jakarta Post on Aug. 21, page 2, Mr.
Baramuli's statement saying: "Why must you make such a fuss about
these medals. No one would buy them if they came up for sale," I
felt hurt. The only interpretation I can make out of it is that
the medals are just cheap things, and not worth any fuss or
attention. As a recipient of such a medal of which I am proud, I
cannot but wonder why there are people, who, although educated,
can't grasp the existence of moral values in the midst of a
materialistic community.

A soldier fighting on the front line, prepared to kill enemies
he has never met and who have done him no harm, is prepared to
sacrifice his life and when he has accomplished his duty, he gets
a medal for his bravery and dedication, worth perhaps only Rp
10,000. But he accepts it with pride and tears may roll down his
face when his superior pins the medal on his chest. He almost
lost his life and yet he got only Rp 10,000 worth of
appreciation. Suppose the government gave him Rp 15,000 in cash.
I am sure he would feel insulted. I experienced these feelings
when I received the Bintang Gerilya (Guerrilla Medal), worth
almost next to nothing compared to what I went through in those
days of the war for independence.

Certainly, Mr. Baramuli knows the difference between material
values and moral values, because he is a well-educated man, has
lots of experience in society and is politically mature.

I feel that Mr. Baramuli's intention is to defend his
President at all costs, which is his right, but why use such an
argument. In other words, Mr. Baramuli says that the First Lady
was just awarded a cheap thing, which no one would buy if it came
up for sale. What an insult to the First Lady, who received it,
and to the President who awarded the medal.

But then according to what I read in the Post, Mr. Baramuli
contradicted himself when asked whether she really deserved the
medal (which is cheap), he answered that "she must receive state
guests you know and she must be given a respectable position as
the first lady. The cheap thing, as Mr. Baramuli calls it, is
able to give to the wife of the President a respectable position.

I do not really know, but that might be the reason Mr. Gus Dur
and Amien Rais politely refused to accept similar medals, because
the medals are too cheap compared to what they did to legally
bring down the second president and how they continue the fight
for true reform.

We cannot entirely blame the President for awarding the
medals, because it is all done at the recommendation of a team,
chaired by the honorable Coordinating Minister for Political and
Security Affairs Feisal Tanjung, who made sure that he himself
was not omitted from the list of recipients. Well I hope that Mr.
Baramuli still has a place in his heart for true friendship and
dedication, without converting it into dollars or rupiah which is
still floating and uncertain.

SOEGIH ARTO

Jakarta