Constructing the Indonesian presidency

Constructing the Indonesian presidency

Yayan GH Mulyana, Bogor, West Java

Presidency has been defined, among others, as the collective
administrative and governmental entity operating in a
presidential office. Presidency varies from one state to another
and from one period to another in a single country.

Sukarno's presidency differed from Soeharto's, B.J. Habibie's,
Abdurrahman Wahid's and Megawati Soekarnoputri's.

Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's presidency has been projected as a
White House, West-Wing style entity, in which the President is
surrounded by his most trusted aides in a presidential think
tank. A discourse on this presidential entity has emerged
recently.

The President and his inner circle are important elements of
the presidency. He is in a position to color the leadership
style.

In accordance with Preston's categorization of leadership
styles (2001), a president could become a magistrate, having
limited policy experience but in much need for power; a
delegator, having limited policy experience and a low need for
power; a navigator, having extensive policy experience as well as
high complexity; a sentinel, having extensive policy experience,
but low complexity; an observer, having limited policy
experience, yet high complexity; or a maverick, showing both low
complexity and limited policy experience.

Susilo's style of leadership could fall between a navigator
and a sentinel.

His inner circle comprises individuals having direct access to
the President and the power to shape his opinions and positions
on particular issues. How they interact with the President could
be collegial, competitive, triumvirate or hierarchical.

The President has the authority to set the rules of the game
for interacting with his inner circle. The President also could
develop layers within the inner circle in order to prevent a
mind-boggling interface.

No plan has yet been revealed by the new President on how the
inner circle of 10 to 11 individuals and others outside this
group will be accommodated in his presidency. These individuals
have been involved in setting the agenda and in programmatic
discourse since the pre-presidential investiture stage at
Susilo's private residence in Cikeas, or even earlier.

Are they going to be institutionalized under the West-Wing
style presidency, or will they become independent and on-call
counselors to the President? Or are they going to be mandated to
chair presidential commissions or supporting agencies?

Hopefully, a better picture will emerge about these matters
soon.

Since a presidency can grow an epistemic community of its own,
the President and his inner circle could both serve as mentor and
student to each other. Sharing knowledge and experience among
them will be a useful exertion.

Members of the inner circle are expected to help the President
in dealing with the paradox of plenty, especially in the abundant
information to be used as a basis for decision-making. The
presidential leadership should remain in command of such
interaction in order to prevent intrusive exercises from the
inner circle.

A presidency should not be bogged down by details, which
should be tackled by departments and other governmental agencies.
A president devises a grand and strategic design and lets his
ministers tend to the details. Presidential directives are to be
concise, straightforward and clear. Meanwhile, ministers are
required to be responsive and capable of turning the directives
into workable fine points.

A presidency should be guided by moral character. It should
become neither a Hobbesian nor Machiavellian entity.
Professionalism coupled by moral fiber could become a powerful
driving force in the work of the presidency.

It is also important that Susilo's presidency avoids the
possible emergence of the "groupthink" phenomenon coined by
Irving Janis (1972). According to Janis' study, groupthink occurs
if a group assisting the president makes faulty decisions.
Presidential directives affected by groupthink could end in
fiascoes. In the history of the American presidency, the Bay of
Pigs incident and the Vietnam War -- and perhaps the current
Anglo-American invasion in Iraq -- are some examples of
groupthink consequences.

Susilo's Camelot of most trusted aides should be aware of this
phenomenon and its dangers.

While toil is emphasized as a work ethos, it is not sinful if
the Indonesian presidency proceeds steadily from a dutiful
presidency to joyful one. A study of American presidency by Ellis
indicates that in 19th century, the presidency was a duty and
burden, yet these days, the presidency could display fun-in-work.

An earlier study by Barber (1972) demonstrated that a healthy
presidency could be measured by the degree of pleasure that a
president enjoys in exercising their political power.

It is widely known that Susilo is a serious and methodical
individual. Perhaps, in bringing joy amid pressure, Susilo's
presidency could be both dutiful and joyful at the same time.

Constructing a presidency is an unremitting process. It is an
important process that, with endurance and proper cultivation,
could lead to a strong and competent presidency. It is also
important to the foundation of tradition and character in the
Indonesian presidency.

Hopefully, Susilo and his inner circle can contribute to the
construction of a viable Indonesian presidency.

The writer is a Fulbright alumnus. He can be reached at
yanvontsazik@yahoo.com.