Democracy and motorbike elitism

Democracy and motorbike elitism

Motorcycle gangs are a regular feature of Bintaro, in
southwestern Jakarta. They thunder their way along the main
street rending the air with the sound of their small-engine
bikes, particularly on Saturday nights.

However, the other day, at around 3 p.m., I encountered a new
type of motorcycle gang. This one was relatively small with about
25 participants; but, strangely, a police car, lights flashing
and siren wailing, escorted it.

You might think that perhaps this particular motorcycle gang
needed escorting to prevent it becoming a danger to the public --
but not so.

The escort was there to shoo aside motorists in order to allow
the motorcycle gang to pass unhindered. As it swept past, any
motorist not submitting to the shooing was stared down and rudely
gestured at by the riders. Here was a motorcycle gang with
official approbation.

It was evident, however, and not just because of the police
escort, that this was no ordinary motorcycle gang. All the bikes
were large-engine Harley Davidsons, BMWs, Ducatis and the like,
and the riders were clad in imported leather suits from head to
toe. These were rich kids out displaying their expensive toys
under police escort.

In this era of reform and economic hardship, one wonders
whether this -- which smacks of arrogant, elitist, ostentatious
feudalism, with official backing -- is really appropriate.

Furthermore, is it not worrying that Indonesian motorists
simply accept being pushed aside like flies in this way for no
apparent reason?

How can democracy really take root when such attitudes
prevail? Democracy and the rule of law will only come to
Indonesia when the privileged cease to be above the law, and the
underprivileged understand that it is essential they insist on
their rights for the betterment of the nation of which they are
an important part.

While one section of society passively submits and fails to
play a constructive role, all the "free and fair" elections of
the next millennium will do little to foster real democracy in
Indonesia.

Ordinary Indonesians too often see themselves as nothing more
than pawns in the process of creating a nation. They need to take
upon their shoulders individual responsibility for the
constructive development of their society, rather than act as
serfs who passively submit until circumstances conspire to allow
them to vent their anger in a destructive way.

Indonesia over the past three decades has been a product of
the mentality of all its people, just as the Indonesia of
tomorrow will be. It is far too easy to abdicate responsibility
and place the blame on one man. Instead, all Indonesians should
take responsibility for the past and ensure they now have a
decisive hand in molding the future.

Together, decide on what kind of Indonesia you want your
children to live in, and then go out and actively make it happen,
together.

FRANK RICHARDSON

Jakarta