Bickering among the political elite

Bickering among the political elite

From Koran Tempo

The political elite now are so preoccupied with their own
bickering that they have totally ignored the bigger issues
closely related with developing the economy. They seem to be
really absorbed in defending their own and their party's
interests. They are indifferent to the fate of the poor now
suffering from the pangs of the economic crisis and the price
hikes of daily necessities.

Unfortunately, their bickering is fanned by political
observers or by those purporting to be "observers". And
eventually the people who claim themselves to be leaders are
getting blinder and deafer, acting like a bull in a china shop or
just like a real blind pig.

Initially, the bickering of the leaders really caught the
attention of the general public because the people thought that
it was a result of the reformed democracy they had long waited
for. However, it still remains a dream. Political rows continue;
political figures seem to be fighting with one another in an
match which seems to have no final round. They don't listen to
pleas for peace any more. As a result, the public feels bored to
death.

We fear the present political crisis and chaos will breed a
type of leadership which is a bluff like William Shakespeare's
The Taming of the Shrew, taught in history to school children but
ignored by Indonesian leaders.

If Niccolo lived again in Indonesia and he would whisper to
Prince Lucentio advice such as "If you want to stay in power for
a long period, act like a lion or a fox, but do not imitate the
lion because the beast is incapable of sniffing a trap set by his
enemy. And please don't try to mimic the fox since it will become
easy prey for the wolf. You must be able to pose as a fox so as
not fall into a trap and at the same time behave like a lion to
scare away the fox. You need to bluff to scare off well-armed and
reliable soldiers."

So if Niccolo Machiavelli whispered these words, can you
imagine what Indonesia would be like? Back to the New Order
regime? Heaven only knows!

HADJI HAMDY

Pontianak, West Kalimantan