Intellectuals concerned by political erosion

SEMARANG (JP): Two prominent intellectuals expressed their dismay over the erosion of nationalism among the Indonesian political elite.

Emha Ainun Nadjib and Karkono Martokusumo said during a seminar that there is a growing tendency for politicians from all affiliations, as well as government officials, to be concerned with only the interests of their own group.

Emha, an outspoken intellectual from Yogyakarta, said that political parties aren't nationalistic like those in the past.

"Politicians of the ruling Golkar faction think only of their organization's interests. And so do those from the PDI Indonesian Democratic Party and PPP (United Development Party)," he said.

"They have obviously forgotten that every citizen from every group have the common goal to achieve national prosperity," Emha said during the seminar organized by the Council of the 45 Generation, a lose grouping of independence fighters.

Emha, who has often been banned by the government from addressing seminars or performing plays, stressed the need to pump up a sense of nationalism among people from various circles.

He said members of the 45 Council should try to improve the situation and serve as a "guiding light" without favoring a certain political group.

"The council must never degrade itself by becoming a supporter of a certain group. This must never happen," Emha stressed. "Its members as senior citizens should reprimand the government, Golkar, PDI and PPP when they believe the organizations are wrong."

He pointed out that although Indonesians are proud to claim that they are a "great" nation, they are busy spending their time debating "trivial" things like who should become the next president and vice president.

"It's unimportant to debate if the next president should be Soeharto again or not. What is more important is how to have a president who is a true servant of the people. Who the person is should be unimportant."

Emha insisted that the government have been over using politics, power and laws and "hardly speak the language of culture" to understand the changing society.

The lack of a cultural approach has resulted in the various unpopular actions against government critics like Sri Bintang Pamungkas and Permadi, he said.

Bintang and Permadi face charges of insulting the government. Permadi will also be tried on charges of insulting Islam.

"The government often misinterpret intellectuals' message due to its lack of understanding of cultural idioms," he said.

Karkono, chief of the Javanology Institute in Yogyakarta, criticized the "privileged few who live in exclusive circles far away from the poor majority."

"The so called political and economic elites have apparently forget all about their brothers who live in sheer poverty," Emha said.

The political elite enjoy privileges that enabled them to live with excessive wealth, enough to support seven generations, he added.

What the public needs now, according to Karkono, are leaders who truly serve the public and eradicate poverty. (har/pan)