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