If I became president

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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