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