If I became president

If reading this heading, you cannot suppress a cynical laugh then you are free to do so, because I myself am laughing at my own pretensions. I confess that I am no match for people like Megawati, Habibie, Amien Rais and other politicians, who are aiming for this position. I am writing this to give all of you material for thought and comparison. Most people are criticizing the New Order, as if there was nothing good during this era. The same is the case with the Indonesian Military (TNI), where according to certain groups the TNI can do no right.

Sometimes I think that TNI and National Police are created only as shooting targets for bandits, terrorists and rebels. You are free to shoot at the TNI and police, and the TNI must accept that, because when they shoot back it is seen as a violation of human rights, the more so when people are killed.

Now if I was duly and legally elected as president of the republic, then the following steps would be taken. A country needs a strong, well organized government, with a clear job description, a clear line of command and occupied by strong people with a deep sense of responsibility and pure thinking. Strong people in Indonesia means people with a great dedication to their responsibility and job. Not someone who just sits there for the honor of being a minister. They should be religious in their daily personal life, have pure thinking and have the courage to shoulder responsibility and speak their minds. I don't need yes-men, although it is nice to hear people agree with you and flatter you all the time. But all that will ultimately lead to disaster.

The vice president should get a more responsible job and not sit there idly and exist only because the Constitution says there should be a VP.

Besides the presidential duties, I have to perform as stipulated in the Constitution. I will coordinate and supervise political, security and legal affairs while the VP does the same covering financial, economical and social affairs, therefore I don't need coordinating ministers.

My next step would be to trim the Cabinet and all ministries, created only to give political supporters a "thank you" job. Men and women are politically the same. So, why should there be a department for the role of women and why do we need a department of horticulture and so on? My Cabinet will be as slim as possible, with a minimum of ministers, but with maximum performance.

The next problem I would tackle would be to improve the quality of the members of the legislature and their working methods. The members should represent the people and not exist to please the ruling government. The same attention would be paid to the People's Consultative Assembly.

I would try to make Indonesia a real democratic country, where everybody has the right to enjoy freedom of expression with a sense of responsibility. Democracy should not remain a slogan, but must become a strong basis for people's political thinking and doing.

My next attention would be focused on the law. There is no bargaining in this. The law is supreme and applicable to all Indonesians irrespective of their religion, political stand, position, wealth and ethnic origin.

To be honest, though, I don't want to become a president with such a heavy responsibility. I prefer to stay outside like so many experts and observers who are very good at criticizing everything the government does to gain popularity. But I am doubtful whether these critics could perform as well as they criticize if they were to sit on the president's chair with all the associated problems and responsibilities.

A Dutch proverb says: De beste stuurlui staan aan wal, if literally translated means, "The best sailors are those on land."

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Jakarta