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.