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