Gus Dur's self-confidence

Gus Dur's self-confidence

From Koran Tempo

President Abdurrahman "Gus Dur" Wahid seems to have a special formula for launching retaliation every time he comes under fire from political opponents. For the umpteenth time, he has threatened to issue a decree declaring a state of emergency, despite the fact that there must be a specific condition as a prerequisite for its issuance.

It is still fresh in our memory how former coordinating minister for political, social and security affairs, S. B. Yudhoyono, rationally responded to an executive order that the President had issued him with. Instead of using it to strike out at Gus Dur's political foes, he used it as a barrier of sorts, resulting in Gus Dur's anger and his own dismissal.

In the context of a decree, both the Army chief of staff and the territorial chief of staff of the Indonesian Military (TNI) have said that the issuance of a presidential decree cannot be justified as it would only divide the nation.

While actually needing support from the military and the police for issuance of the decree, Gus Dur seems to be unaware that the blame he often lays on the military and the police, such as for their actions in Aceh, Ambon and Pasuruan, will only cause him to lose this support.

It is sheer irony to learn that Gus Dur, without the support of strong evidence, has willingly lashed out at the military for opening fire on the people taking to the streets in protest rallies.

Gus Dur had better assume a rational attitude and always remember that a position is not everything, as it belongs to God and will some day be returned to Him. Gus Dur has two choices to make: either hand over his position to a better person or return the mandate for holding the presidential position to the People's Consultative Assembly if he realizes that he has lost the confidence of most Indonesian people.

HARIMAU GINTING

Jakarta