Gus Dur's indifference

Gus Dur's indifference

From Rakyat Merdeka

The overseas trip of President Abdurrahman "Gus Dur" Wahid and his entourage comprising more than 90 people is indeed fantastic. In the midst of the country's chaotic situation, and turbulence in the towns of Sampit and Sampang, Kalimantan, the President left the country without leaving any message as to how and who will make decisions in case of an emergency. Does Vice President Megawati have the authority to take the necessary steps to address particular issues? Actually, there are many national problems that are left unattended.

It seems that we no longer have a national administration and all segments of the government, including the ministers and governors, have presumably adopted Gus Dur's style of dealing with social, economic and political problems, i.e. "why should I care, leave it to the people, not my business, nothing to worry about, let the dogs bark" etc.

Once I came across a senior member of the Indonesian Military who was doing a postgraduate program. Upon my asking whether the military sees the current phenomenon prevailing in our country in the same way as the people do, he replied "yes", adding that the military cannot think anything and is not concerned with anything. The military has retreated to its barracks and stays there quietly, unless the need arises -- such as the whole country being engulfed by fire and greed and ruthlessness running rampant -- then the military would rise to defend the country's virtues and goodness.

A thought just flashed through my mind: should the country experience such a great calamity and violent chaos only because we have mistakenly elected Gus Dur as president? Then, is the mistake incorrigible, so that the people have to endure the hardship for God knows how long? How strange things are!

INDRAWAN GARCIANO

Jakarta