Dramatic praise for Gus Dur

I love and am proud of President Abdurrahman Wahid, better known as Gus Dur. Why? Simply and obviously because Gus Dur loves all who God has created and whom God has always taken care of, even when our Creator knows very well that none is righteous enough to deserve His divine favor. Moreover, Gus Dur also hates what God hates, especially self-centeredness, lawlessness, jealousy and hypocrisy.

Sure, Gus Dur is imperfect just like everyone else and therefore he must never be idolized in any circumstances or for any reasons, let alone for selfish gain or other ulterior motives.

Gus Dur has his personal limitations and shortcomings, but instead of attempting to conceal them he humbly and boldly invites, appreciates and welcomes every well-intended criticism and counsel from everyone, irrespective of race, belief, gender, social status, even when comes from his opponents.

Gus Dur stands out because he dares to stand up for his convictions, integrity and motives. He is driven by his deep sense of duty toward his compassionate Creator and true love for all.

President Abdurrahman is both upright and forthright, completely unlike those dubious dignitaries who, when being interviewed, always tend to equivocate and react in the most typical way, which aptly fits the humorous truism that "tact is thinking twice before saying nothing".

To me, Gus Dur's composure and relaxed way in facing and accepting challenges and in handling grave situations only serve to prove his great capacity for leadership. Mr. Heinrich Seemann stated in The Jakarta Post of Feb. 27, 2000, that "his position as German Ambassador to Indonesia was very challenging, especially during the country's multidimensional crisis". And yet Gus Dur never seems to be overwhelmed by any of these crises. He just keeps on fighting and working to accomplish his goal of eradicating all the causes of these crises and establishing stable and favorable conditions for the wholesome growth of his beloved country.

There are certain individuals who seem to be jealous or offended by his being himself -- the unique, original and engaging Gus Dur. They might let him be anything but himself. Apparently they would rather him copy the way they talk, think, feel, behave, act and react. However, Gus Dur obviously could not comply with the wishful thinking of these self-righteous bigots, because it would inevitably deprive him of his remarkable leadership and rightful prerogative to effectively lead this great, pluralistic nation.

I am proud to have Gus Dur as our president, with his distinguished personality. I strongly believe that Gus Dur is the right man for the right place. He is simply indispensable to this country of ours, especially during his first term in office.

Some of Gus Dur's opponents seem to be restlessly eager to frustrate him and the fulfillment of his duties and responsibilities. They often overdo their criticism and dramatize Gus Dur's occasional slips for their own questionable ends.

PETRUS PRIBADI

Purwokerto, Central Java