Golkar's public relations must improve: Basofi Sudirman

By Sirikit Syah

SURABAYA (JP): East Java Governor Basofi Soedirman must have plenty on his mind these days besides his new dangdut album, Hanya Kau Yang Kupilih (You're The One I Choose).

Basofi, whose best selling first album Tidak Semua Laki-laki (Not All Men) earned him the title dangdut governor, was appointed East Java governor in 1993 with the apparent mission of helping Golkar win the May 29 election. He had earned his reputation by helping Golkar win the 1992 election when he was Jakarta deputy governor and chief of the Golkar Jakarta chapter.

He talked to The Jakarta Post at his home Monday.

Question: What do you think of the current campaign, particularly compared to the 1992 campaign?

Answer: Political parties do not understand the meaning of campaigning. They are given one month to convince people about their ideas and programs... (they) must be entertaining, sympathetic and express good and positive things. But now, it's become brutal, there is condemnation of others, which frightens people. The party leaders don't realize that this could cause a backlash.

I feel sorry about this. Compared to the past, the quality of this campaign is poor.

Q: What steps have you been taking to anticipate obstacles hampering the election?

A: There is a group of people seeking to destabilize society and ruin the election. President Soeharto called them bald-headed ghosts. Those people are invisible but we can sense their movement which targets youths and students, workers, the poor and the religious community.

Three of their targets in East Java (are safe) but the last target, the religious community, has been influenced by those people. This has been proved by (the sectarian riots in) Situbondo and Surabaya (where houses of worship were attacked).

Praise Allah, the umara (government leaders) and ulemas (religious leaders) quickly consolidated and solved the problems. But those people (seeking to destabilize the country) have started their insidious campaign among other religious communities.

Q: So bald-headed ghosts are now also influencing religious groups?

A: Before the election campaign started, those people had found new targets, the political parties. The leaders of the parties should now realize that their campaigning has caused more victims than it has gained supporters. In the end, it is not good for them.

Q: What's your campaign strategy?

A: I disagree with mobilizing the people. It's an outdated strategy. I have never done that kind of campaigning. The most important thing is to entertain people, make them happy. They are kings now. We propose things to them. So we do whatever they want us to do. Selling lists of programs? Who cares?

Q: Is it true that East Java is the hottest election spot in Indonesia?

A: Yes. Its people are temperamental. It has always been like this of course, but before it was more manageable.

Q: What's your strategy for political education in East Java? Have there been any results?

A: We must admit that our understanding of the nation is very limited. There are three things that I believe should be understood by all of us. The first is our ideology Pancasila; we have to have similar perceptions on this.

The second is an understanding of development; there is still some misunderstanding of the concept and yardstick of development. This could be dangerous.

The third is what constitutes the nation's strength. I believe that Golkar is the right recipe for Indonesia. You can learn and find all sorts of political party anywhere in the world, but you can only find Golkar here.

Golkar is not a political party. We have to explain that to people. But this is our weakness. We cannot explain what it really is. Some Golkar leaders even behave like political leaders. Political leaders work for their parties but Golkar leaders should work for the nation.

Q: Can you explain exactly what Golkar is?

A: I have met Golkar's founders and learned from them. Believe me, everybody says different things about Golkar. So, I have had to draw my own conclusion... I realize now that when they founded Golkar, there weren't concepts. There was only intuition.

But this is the right recipe for Indonesia. It is now our duty and responsibility to define Golkar and explain it to people. I think Golkar needs good public relations and we have to stop behaving like we are a political party. We are workers whose aim is to develop our country.

Q: How do you foresee the election proceeding?

A: I am optimistic that it will be successful. I think to choose is not only a matter of electing something. To choose is life itself. You are always faced with choices in life. To choose a wife, to choose a job, to choose where to live, etc., etc.

It is also a religious matter. By not choosing you could be called a coward or an irresponsible person.

But yes, we all must prepare for the last round of campaigning on May 21, May 22 and May 23. The bald-headed ghosts will be more active and party leaders will be more under their influence. The situation might deteriorate then.

Q: What is your biggest constraint in governing East Java?

A: Communication. I believe in mass media and I need it. But most of the time, they disappoint me. In 1987, I started to write my articles (on the media) to express my opinions of it. I tried to be wise and yet critical.

My other tool is singing. Being a singer has never been and will never be my aim. It is only a tool to approach my people. It is like glue. People know me, listen to me and understand me.

Q: When did you start singing?

A: In 1991. On one occasion, we were waiting for then minister of transportation Azwar Anaz who was running late for the function. The audience became restless. They began leaving. There was a band, so I took the microphone and sang two songs. They became happy and asked for more. By the time Azwar had arrived, I had sung five songs.

That was the first time I sang in public. What a feeling. Then I realized that singing can bond people.