Bulls gather in Bali

It was agonizingly close to the 11th hour, so to speak, that the Mother of all Bulls (bull being the symbol of the splintered Indonesian Democratic Party) was permitted to speak to her off- spring in a congress in Bali recently. In contrast, the government favored domesticated bulls of the Soerjadi species, usually got their license presented on a silver tray, and some vitamins to cover expenses.

The Mega bulls were repeatedly warned that if they disturbed the island paradise's tranquility or wake up foreign tourists during their siesta, one of their leaders would spend some nights in jail, free of charge.

Inexplicably, nobody broke his neck and bills had been paid for. Cabinet ministers tensely waited for a bomb to explode, Instead, the Mega bulls emerged strengthened and with greater self-confidence in facing the coming general election. But time is not on their side. There is no more need for slogans and battle cries. Enemies are lurking everywhere. The Mega bulls must immediately announce a shadow Cabinet of some kind in coalition if necessary with other contestants. They must announce their action program. Remember that the stomach cannot wait, the economy cannot wait, the foreign debts cannot wait, the sick and the unemployed cannot wait. Only criminals of corruption, collusion and nepotism (KKN) can wait indefinitely. Legality can wait but democracy cannot wait.

Meanwhile, nobody found it surprising that the honor of the presence of the head of state to open the congress fell on the two-footed arrow bearers affiliated to the Indonesian Journalists Association (PWI) in Semarang instead of on the two-horned bulls in Bali.

The journalists emerged from their congress more closely knitted to the establishment. They overlook the fact that their greatest asset is their independent minds with strings attached to the power bearers. Ideally, their independency should only serve the interests of their organization. Morally they should only be loyal to their profession; the pursuit of the naked truth. No self-respecting journalist should still want to serve in a legislative council if he or she is appointed by the regime and not elected by the people. Such an act belongs to the prereform era.

Do we witness here an all-out attempt by the once mighty G- machinery (of course you know what I mean) to mobilize its remaining forces, including journalists who only halfheartedly supported the reformist movement and have succumbed to the beckoning of power and wealth? Perhaps only a senior journalist like Rosihan Anwar, known for his sharp nose and sharp tongue could give an answer.

Once a Dutch anthropologist called the people of Indonesia the most tolerant on Earth (Het zachste volk der aarde). Today we may top the list of being one of the most intolerant democracies on this planet. In my inexperience, I had hoped that the new functional group (Golkar) would change in spirit, repent for its mistakes and feel guilty for the nation's miseries, as the student reformist movement also expected to nimbly and nobly act as facilitator for other parties to achieve the maximum instead of justifying all means to stage a comeback. Personally, I doubt if Heaven will allow Golkar to take part in the next elections.

GANDHI SUKARDI

Jakarta