Intellectuals concerned by political erosion

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)