Leaders must focus on one job

Leaders must focus on one job

The inauguration of Malam Sambat (MS) Kaban -- the forestry
minister in the present cabinet -- as chairman of the Crescent
Star Party (PBB) on June 12 has created yet another minister who
also holds a political party leader's post, like Vice President
Jusuf Kalla who is now also chairman of the Golkar Party.

This pattern of electing a president, vice president, or a
minister to a top post of a political party is of course not
wrong. Party members will consider that their political parties
will be given good exposure given the position of their leaders.
They also think that by having a president, vice president, or
minister as their party leader, their long-term goal of securing
the country's top job will ensure. However, this is not always
true.

Former president Megawati Soekarnoputri held the position as
the president, while retaining the position as leader of the
Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P). Her
concentration was divided between ruling the country and her
party. It certainly made her three-year term of government less
than optimal, and burning issues such as eradication of
corruption, illegal logging, illegal fishing, etc. were not
resolved.

It would be wise to keep in every leader's mind the suggestion
by former foreign minister Roeslan Abdul Gani ("Cak Roes") that
the ideal leader of a country should behave as a statesman, and
be capable of managing the country. He quoted former British
prime minister Winston Churchill as saying, "When my loyalty to
my country begins, my loyalty to my party ends", otherwise, we
will tear our country down ourselves from within (Media
Indonesia, June 6).

M. RUSDI
Jakarta