Juwono sees civilians unready for presidency

Juwono sees civilians unready for presidency

JAKARTA (JP): Political analyst Juwono Sudarsono told
incompetent civilians to step aside and let someone with a
military background to again lead the country for at least
another five years.

Civilians are not ready to become president before the year
2005, according to Juwono, who is deputy governor of the military
think tank, the National Resilience Institute.

"Only those with a military background have the capacity (for
becoming president)," he said after a discussion on civil society
here yesterday, adding, however that the vice presidency was open
to both civilians and military leaders.

He did not explain why after 2005, but said current prominent
civilian leaders have yet to hone their leadership skills.

"Many of them can't even (prevent) their organizations (from
disintegrating)," he said, citing organizations which have been
beset by conflict.

He noted that since the country had a multiparty political
system, starting in the late 1940s and up until now, civilian
leaders have never been able to free themselves from internal
bickering.

"(The constant bickering) shows us they're not qualified for
greater state tasks," he said. "They're so preoccupied with their
internal disputes that they've forgotten to think of ways to
improve their organizations' accomplishments."

Juwono went so far yesterday as to call civilian political
figures "a group of lazy people."

"They attend meetings only when their organizations hold a
congress. Otherwise, they're too lazy to go to their party
meetings," he said.

In order to be successful, he said, an organization needs to
have short, middle and long-term plans which are translated into
action, he said, pointing out that the Armed Forces (ABRI) fully
fit the bill.

Juwono denied suggestions that the reason why civilians could
not become good leaders was because they were never given the
opportunity.

"A big country like Indonesia needs a leading figure, someone
with a clear political vision and sufficient leadership
experience," he said. "I see figures with such capacity only in
the Armed Forces."

"Only those with a military background, especially from the
Army, have a close relationship with the people," he said. "Their
experience in the field gives them the best opportunity to feel
the people's heartbeat."

He attributed the greater capacity of military personnel to
the fact that the Armed Forces provides them with a strong
ideology, a clear chain of command and a hierarchy.

"Although existing political organizations have adequate
recruitment and career development systems, their leaders lack
the skills needed to perform tasks with greater magnitude," he
said.

Intervention

Juwono also denied the suggestion that the government and
military leaders purposely made civilian organizations weak by
intervening in their internal affairs.

"No outsider can interfere if a organization's leader is
strong," he said. "If outsiders meddle, it's the (organization's)
mistake."

Juwono dismissed the argument that the Armed Forces was strong
because it used weapons in its duties. "Only in 20 percent of all
missions does the Armed Forces use arms," he said. "The other 80
percent are completed using an unarmed approach."

However, another military observer, Rudini, rejected that
there was a difference in the quality of civilian and military
personnel.

"Both civilians and military personnel have equal an
opportunity to become president," said Rudini who is former
minister of home affairs and former army chief of staff.

He conceded, however, that military personnel did have better
discipline, more responsibility and were more loyal to their
institution and the country.

Earlier yesterday, Juwono told the seminar he agreed that the
involvement of military personnel in certain government positions
should be reduced and more opportunity be given to civilians.

"It's now urgent that state administrative and economic
affairs be handled by people equipped with skills to handle
details," he said.

He did not elaborate which "certain positions" or whether
military personnel were skilled to handle details.

Speaking about democratization in Indonesia, Juwono said only
7 percent of the country's 200 million people, with a monthly
income of US$1,300, could enjoy democracy.

Ideally, there must be 30 percent of Indonesians with a
monthly income of $6,000, he said.

The one-day seminar was held by the National Resilience
Institute in cooperation with the Indonesian NGOs Partnership
Initiatives Pact, a non-governmental organization established to
help the government resolve social problems. (imn)

Photo -- Page 2