Eros Djarot wants to be proud being Indonesian

Eros Djarot wants to be proud being Indonesian

By Stevie Emilia

JAKARTA (JP): Seize the day are simple words for some, but
they pose a challenge to popular composer, film director-producer
and businessman Eros Djarot, gifted with many talents and does
not waste them.

Known for his popular soundtrack songs, like Badai Pasti
Berlalu (The Storm Will Be Gone), or his award-winning movie of
Acehnese heroine Tjoet Nya' Dien, the 49-year-old Sugeng Waluyo
Djarot, his real name, has never stopped or felt satisfied with
his success, or even thought about retiring.

"Ask me the minute before I die," said Eros when asked whether
he feels satisfied with his achievements. "Intellectual
satisfaction will never stop. The measure is not in material
gain, but by achieving our dreams ..."

With that spirit, he ventured on to other things, including
the mass media business. In 1980, he set up the now banned
Surabaya Minggu weekly tabloid before establishing DeTIK in
tabloid format in 1993. It was banned by the New Order ruler in
June 1994, but relaunched last year under a new name, DeTak.

But his closeness to the Indonesian Democratic Party of
Struggle (PDI Perjuangan), made Eros, the weekly tabloid's
general manager and chief editor, decide to step down as chief
editor six months ago to uphold democracy and to ensure the
weekly's objectivity.

"I have to be fair. Since I was getting too close to a certain
political party, I decided to resign as active chief editor ...
that's the consequences of being democratic," said Eros, who
studied film in London and engineering in Germany.

And his wife Dewi Triati Suryanegara and children Banyu Biru
Djarot and Sekar Putih Djarot support him all the way by helping
him cope during the best and the worst of times.

"My children, my wife know everything I am doing. There's no
problem because they see that until now I'm consistent with my
words. What people say is not important to me. The important
things are that my family is proud of me, I fulfill my
commitments, my words, so it's not only power greed," said Eros,
the second of seven children. His oldest brother is noted actor-
director Slamet Rahardjo.

And now, he is flirting with politics, something familiar to
him due to his closeness to the family of the country's first
president, Sukarno, popularly known as Bung Karno, including
Sukarno's daughter Megawati Soekarnoputri, chairwoman of PDI
Perjuangan and now vice president.

At his comfortable office in a business consulting firm in a
third-floor building in Mega Kuningan, South Jakarta, he talks to
The Jakarta Post on Wednesday about himself and the political
situation under the new government. Here are excerpts from the
interview:

Question: It seems like you do many things. Why?

Answer: Previously, those who were close with Bung Karno did
not have an easy life. So we're trying to do what we can. I just
follow the flow of water... Since I was a child, I did not like
to stop at one point... Besides, being useful brings happiness
to me. Being needed by others for the sake of many people is
important. Making others happy is, say, a purpose for living.
This is me. I am trying to see what can be made out of each
situation.

Q: What kind of situation?

A: We were not like this before. Back then, people worshiped
power holders and power... I studied abroad. I know that our
people have potential and are equal to others (people from other
countries). I believe we can do anything. It's that simple. If
you ask me why I'm thinking that way, my main reason is I want to
be proud of being Indonesian.

Q: All this time you were not proud?

A: Because there's no strong reason to be proud of with such
governments. It seemed like there was no (consideration of)
people...

Q: How about now?

A: I'm still not proud now. There are too many things that need
to be realized for the future. Now I'm making a film, but not
with a camera. My eyes are my camera. I record everything.

Q: What is your opinion of the new government?

A: It's a government born out of a certain reaction. It needs
time to find out, they also need time, say, to introspect,
evaluate, understand visions... So it takes time.

One of the main concerns is that there's not much time left
for them to learn. Maybe our history wants us to have a Cabinet
that still needs to learn. Our concern is, at this time, it is
too luxurious even to make a small mistake. So let's say this
Cabinet is a Cabinet of hope. Hopes can come true but sometimes,
they cannot.

Q: How much time do you give?

A: Normally, three months. But I see it more like six months.
It's because it still needs time to learn.

Q: But you were appointed as Megawati's staff?

A: I don't know that. And it's not my authority to answer. I
think it's better to ask the person in charge of appointing
people.

Q: But you helped draft her speech when she was elected vice
president?

A: Who said that? But the point is, it does not matter who helped
draft her speech. According to a code of ethics, no one knows.
And according to the code, not every person, or outsider, should
not know about it. But it's not important who drafted it, whether
it was me or another. The important thing was the speech itself.

Q: What do you think of Megawati?

A: The most important thing that she has is her honesty. She's
clean... If we only focus on one's weakness, it's difficult. I
know there's a tendency to put one in the corner. It's not
positive. The most important thing is to realize the real
situation at the moment and enhance it...

Q: What do you think about the relationship between President
Abdurrahman Wahid, also known as Gus Dur, and Megawati?

A: Personally, maybe they're just fine. But outside a personal
relationship, I think there are other dimensions that are not
easy to be compared with in personal relations. When they become
political figures, political substances and interests will become
more dominant.

Q: What do you think are the biggest challenges faced by the
present government?

A: The most difficult duties are to gain trust, recover the
country's economy and reform our legal system, either
structurally or in its implementation.

Actually, there are many things that should be done by those
who have an ambition to be in certain positions. They will have
no time for other things, not even politicking, and everything
will be about hard work and more hard work. Sometimes I wonder
how those ministers have the guts to be in their position when
there are many others better than them.

Q: So are you saying the present Cabinet composition is not good?

A: If you want to get the best people, it's difficult. The
situation is not ideal. Creating the ideal in an unideal
situation is the same as dreaming. I see that they (the Cabinet
members) are formed to answer to challenges, but (they were
selected) with limited time and options ...

Q: Do you think the Cabinet members have the ability to cope with
the challenges?

A: We can't just judge them only after two weeks. And people
should not have too much hope. They should do something too, and
not completely depend (on the government). In the meantime, we
should also let the government work. Don't stage protests just
because of small dissatisfactions. It's confusing too. Protesting
is all right as long as it's professional and supported by strong
arguments. Then it will work as social control...

I hope that the interaction (between people and government) is
good. The present leaders are expected to be democratic although
maybe the first impression we get, like when the Bagito group had
to apologize, is simply due to wrong public relations. I know Gus
Dur... well, he's not like that ...

Q: Do you plan to be active in politics?

A: Those who are close to me, my friends, know my activities.
They know what I'm doing. I don't like to be seen on the surface
because of my commitments, either to myself or to my group. (He
refused to disclose his commitments.)

But if I'm active formally, my answer is no, but in direct
practices with no formalities, yes.

Q: Then you work behind the scenes?

A: If that's the term being used, it's up to you.

Q: Are you going to stay like that, behind the scenes?

A: That's a matter of time. If there's a need to stop acting
behind the scenes, to surface, why not. For me, it's no problem
whether I am in the front, behind,... (in politics).

And I think it's time to come to the surface. And I feel that
I have fulfilled my commitments. Doing what? Whatever, let's see.