'I can't help combing my hair'

'I can't help combing my hair'

Hendardi has earned a reputation at the forefront of legal aid
and human rights advocacy. A student activist during his days at
the prestigious Bandung Institute of Technology (ITB), he is now
chairman of the Legal Aid and Human Rights Association (PBHI).
Married to fellow activist Melli and the father of a son, the man
who just celebrated his 43th birthday on Oct. 13 told The Jakarta
Post's Emmy F. Hastuti about what he values most.

What characteristic do you most like about yourself?

I think it's my consistency in doing whatever I have decided
upon. But I don't know if people around me also see that point as
a good trait because they may, at a glance, regard it as being
stubborn.

And dislike?

I'm shy.

Whom do you admire?

Most probably my father. It is a little bit contradictory
because my father always wanted me to be like him. He was an
architect; he pushed me to study engineering just like him. At
that time it was, I thought, a promising career and so I entered
ITB. When I left my studies there and decided to go into the
legal field, he was really upset. But amazingly he never showed
those feelings to me. His latent anger and disappointment has,
somewhat, spurred me to prove that I can do my best in this
field.

What clothes do you like to wear?

Casual definitely. Now every day I have to wear a suit and
tie. When I still worked in the Indonesian Legal Aid Foundation
(YLBHI), I only wore jeans and T-shirts.

Do you believe in God?

I think so. I have had many chances and opportunities to
advance; it must be from Him. The difficulties and hardships I
faced and the solutions that followed were definitely from Him.
So He exists.

What was the last book you read?

Too many. But I remember that I must, really must, read Karni
Illyas' Catatan Hukum II (Legal Records II) because weekly
newsmagazine Tempo asked me to write a review of it.

What was the last movie you watched?

In the last two or three years, I never went to the movie
theater to watch movies because I will fall asleep inside. My
wife likes to watch serious films and analyze them. Why should I?
Every day I have complicated matters to handle and I don't want
to add burdens. I always tell my wife that she has been deceived
by film directors.

What makes you angry?

It's a difficult question. I don't like inconsistent people.
Today I heard somebody say A, then it later changes to B. We have
seen this on our political stage. Many people are inconsistent
with what they have stated. We have too many political clowns
around us.

What makes you laugh?

I enjoy political humor in my community, rather than Srimulat
or other comedy groups. It is typical, I think, if we have a
certain community and I believe that you can also laugh with your
fellow journalists' jokes about anything, political or just
trivial matters.

And cry?

The last time I cried was four years ago when my father passed
away.

What three things would you take with you to a desert island?

Cigarettes, a comb because I can't help combing my hair and
spare clothes. I am fat now so I cannot avoid sweating and
wearing the same clothes for the whole day.

What would make you ashamed?

If I had to change my principles, especially matters that are
already known, just because of my personal interest in either
money, power or popularity. I don't want to feel ashamed and
therefore I don't want to sell myself for my own personal
interests.

What makes your life worth living?

My family and my career.

Which famous person, dead or alive, do you admire?

Nelson Mandela as he was able to bring enlightenment to South
Africans. He brought his country out of such a depressing
situation to reconcile with the past. I also admire human rights
activist Yap Thiam Hien. He was very firm and consistent. I
happened to know him as a person.

What is your favorite food?

I used to love goat satay. I could eat it every day but now
I've had to stop due to my high cholesterol.

What would you do to hold onto power if you ruled?

My answer is a cliche, I guess. I will surely use my power to
capture other people's aspirations and again use the power I have
to create what the people want.

What makes a good friend?

I have a lot of friends but it's been a process of natural
selection. Those who stayed around me during my hard times are
true friends. I know some who turned away from me, when we were
still under president Soeharto's administration. For me political
beliefs should not affect our personal relationships. I take
opposing sides with my senior (top lawyer) Adnan Buyung Nasution,
but our personal relationship is fine.