Biggest sin of leaders

Biggest sin of leaders

From Merdeka

Observing Indonesia's political development and the problems now being faced by Indonesians, who are still very much under the control of Golkar, has thrown me into greater confusion.

Since Soeharto was forced to give up his presidential seat in mid-May by a reform drive spearheaded by university students, a lot of demands have been addressed to the government led by President B.J. Habibie; from the elimination of practices of corruption, collusion and nepotism to an investigation into the wealth of former president Soeharto.

Indeed, Habibie has assigned Attorney General Andi M. Ghalib to track down Soeharto's wealth as demanded by the people but the implementation of this assignment has been really very disappointing.

I began to feel disappointed when Ghalib said with confidence that he really believed what Soeharto said in his statement aired on the private TPI television station that he did not have even one cent in foreign bank accounts.

This disappointment worsened when Ghalib, along with Coordinating Minister for Development Supervision and State Administrative Reforms Hartarto visited Soeharto's residence on Jl. Cendana for clarification. In this respect, it may be safely concluded that this Golkar-led government is still afraid to really meet the people's demands and that what it has done to meet these demands, has just been cosmetic.

In my opinion this is the biggest sin committed by our state officials and national leaders. These officials and leaders are afraid of Soeharto more than they are afraid of God. People's demands constitute the people's mandate to be accounted for by God. These officials and leaders should realize that in their position they simply exercise the people's mandate.

Allow me now, in the context of this matter, to quote the following: "No matter how bad the people of a country are, if their leaders are good, God's help will be forthcoming. But no matter how good the people of a country are, if their leaders are bad/corrupt, God's help won't be forthcoming." Is it perhaps the latter that is applicable to Indonesia today?

It is my hope that our officials and leaders fully realize that they are really responsible for the people's mandate entrusted to them and that they will be accountable for their performance before God.

ASEP S.

Jakarta