Beware of distractions

Beware of distractions

Some legislators are quite busy these days. They are preparing
to question the President over video conferences he held in the
United States when he was there last week.

More than a dozen legislators from a range of factions,
including the biggest faction, the Golkar Party, are planning to
file a motion to question Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono over the
conferences. This act known as an interpellation motion, requires
17 legislators and the approval of the House of Representatives
(DPR) to go ahead.

The legislators said the distance meeting with ministers in
Jakarta, which cost an estimated Rp 500 million or about
US$50,000, was a waste of public money because there were no
urgent matters to discuss. They also said the conferences were an
insult to Vice President Jusuf Kalla, who acts as the caretaker
head of state when Susilo is away.

We beg to differ.

First, one should examine these long-distance Cabinet meetings
-- we will ignore top officials' claims they were not Cabinet
meetings -- led by Susilo, which were obviously a reflection of
his feelings of responsibility and concern for what was going on
back home. Rather than resenting the video conferences, we should
be thankful to have someone in charge who is connected with his
job so intently.

Susilo must have been well aware that he needed to keep
abreast with a number of issues when he began his one-week trip
to the United States on Sept. 10. Moreover, following issues
closely from one day to another is different from passively
waiting until something serious happens. It is something like
taking precautionary measures and, in fact, a prudent thing to do
in a country like Indonesia, which is besieged by so many
problems.

Second, technology is a fact of life. Video conferences are
only one of the latest innovations, and like other previous
inventions, they will soon become familiar. Examples abound from
telephones to cellphones, from CDs to computer laptops.
Technology is there to be exploited. Making an issue of this
subject amounts to crying foul over a trifle. As Kalla has
rightly said with regard to the video conferences, their benefits
exceeds their costs.

Third, a leader should have the privilege to create his or her
own leadership style. Keeping abreast of whatever is going on in
the country is what constitutes Susilo's style. His style does
not have to be similar to those of other leaders. Speculation
that the video conferences were a reflection of his lack of trust
in Kalla does not help at all, nor it is relevant. Kalla,
himself, has rejected such assumptions.

Susilo, seemingly irritated by the criticism, ordered the
cancellation of the remaining two-out-of-five scheduled video
conferences on the grounds that he was "busy preparing" his
speech for the UN World Summit.

It would be better if the House busied itself with other more
pressing problems than questioning the President over these
conferences. That would be a waste of time and energy. It would
be wiser for legislators to use their precious time to address
other issues, such as finalizing the many overdue draft bills due
for deliberation.

To be fair, criticism leveled at the conferences did not come
only from legislators but also from other parties, including
political observers and the media.

Certain media seemed to be focusing less on the substance of
the visit than the sideline issues.

Judging from the mountain of problems facing the government;
from bird flu to skyrocketing oil prices; from the slow return of
foreign investors to the weakening of the rupiah against other
currencies; it is not a good time for bickering.

The government and the people are bracing for difficult times
ahead. The government has to deal with the likely political
fallout from its tough decision to raise fuel prices, a necessary
action to free the nation from the effects of the hugely
expensive fuel subsidies, while at the same time it must also
ensure that the poor are properly looked after. Some ministers
are also counting down their days, as Susilo is scheduled to
reshuffle the Cabinet on Oct. 20, a promise he made a year ago to
rid the Cabinet of under-performing ministers. And the people,
meanwhile, will have to face the impact of the fuel price hikes
head on.