Gus Dur's performance

It is now clear that The Jakarta Post is supporting the unsubstantiated accusations against President Abdurrahman "Gus Dur" Wahid which have been initiated by the speakers of the House of Representatives (DPR) and People's Consultative Assembly (MPR), and the coalitions they have somehow managed to form. You have made mention of a few shuffles in the President's Cabinet and point to this as prove of his "erratic" leadership and lack of vision. You quote Marzuki when you want to make the point about Gus Dur lacking vision. Marzuki, a man who achieved very little during his term as attorney general. You haven't mentioned this, most likely because he did worse than playing musical chairs by turning the Attorney General's Office into a theater instead.

Nor have you bothered to mention any of the concrete reforms that Gus Dur had managed to push through in only two years time. One of Gus Dur's more encouraging reforms, freeing up the press environment, has enabled papers like this one to egg on elite feuding that thrive upon the typically Jakarta-style reportage known in bahasa as jurnalisme omongan (rhetorical journalism).

Also, a significant policy change toward Aceh has effectively given the Acehnese greater political control. Economic control by the indigenous Acehnese (whoever they might be) is not likely to be ushered in by the President alone (one man and a Cabinet) when foreign oil and gas companies have vested interests in that local (or regional) economy. These companies have systematically weakened local competitors by employing Javanese from areas outside of Aceh. Why? So they don't have to deal with community networks and subsequent demands for better conditions, increase in pay and so on. Not because the Javanese are more capable technologically.

Remember, the military is comfortable with their "neutral" position as the DPR and MPR run riot and neglect their proper functions, which used to be referred to as musyawarah and mufakat (deliberations to reach consensus). Or don't they believe in these principles anymore? Hang on, that can't be right. Hasn't the idea of musyawarah and mufakat been predominant for about 30 years now?

You have an imagination in comparing the musical chairs to Gus Dur's administration. I'd like you to imagine a hunter with a bow and arrow, let's say Arjuna, hunting a beast that can transform itself, change color, fly away and then reappear before the bewildered hunter as a beautiful woman, who tempts him with a poisoned bowl of warm soup in a cold forest.

DION HALLPIKE

Melbourne