Expert hails officials' biographies

JAKARTA (JP): Government officials promoting their memoirs reflect the desire to establish a favorable image of themselves in the political landscape and the public eye, an Australian professor said yesterday.

Richard Freadman from the La Trobe University School of English said that Indonesian figures are attempting to establish a foothold for posterity in a rapidly changing environment.

"Such attempts can be successful if a particular official has indeed initiated significant changes for Indonesia," he said after a discussion held by the University of Indonesia's American Studies Program.

"Otherwise, their survival prospects to establish a preferred image decline after their deaths. This is natural," he said.

However, "they can re-emerge when social attitudes and intellectual fashions change," he said.

Freadman, who had studied Indonesia for some years, was commenting on the recent flourishing of biographies and memoirs launched by both active and retired senior government officials.

He said that dramatic changes, namely rising democracy and people's more critical outlook, would also alter people's perception of officials.

He cited the biographies of American president John F. Kennedy as an example. Kennedy was much admired during his lifetime but public attention became more critical after his death following the disclosure about his political ambitions, attitude toward women and the Cuban missile crisis.

Freadman said these reassessments emerged because of more information and changing social attitudes.

Biographies recently launched here include those by former vice president Sudharmono, who was in office from 1988 and 1992, with two books titled Sudharmono SH. Pengalaman dalam Masa Pengabdian (Sudharmono SH. Experiences of Service ) and Kesan dan Kenangan dari Teman, 70 Tahun Sudharmono (Friends' Views, Sudharmono SH Turns 70).

The writer Motinggo Busye recently launched a biography called Harmoko dan Golkar (Harmoko and Golkar) to commemorate the 58th birthday on Feb. 7 of Minister of Information Harmoko.

This marks the second book for Harmoko, also Golkar chairman. The first one was published in 1989 with the title 50 Tahun Harmoko: Menatap dengan Mata dan Hati Rakyat (Harmoko at 50: A look into the people's eyes and heart) to celebrate his 50th birthday. (01)