Leaders must learn to sing the same tune

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

As the year 2002 draws to a close, certain quarters in society are blaming President Megawati Soekarnoputri for failing to show strong leadership in facing problems currently plaguing the country.

Chairman of Indonesia's biggest Muslim organization Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), which has around 40 million members, Hasyim Muzadi, said over the weekend that Megawati's poor leadership had resulted in a severe lack of coordination between President Megawati, Vice President Hamzah Haz, and Cabinet ministers.

Cabinet ministers often pay more attention to their respective political parties' agenda, than to the President, Hasyim said.

"The goals of the President are often diametrically opposed to those of the Vice President," Hasyim said in a year-end evaluation in Jakarta on Saturday.

Hasyim failed to cite examples of the lack of coordination among the state officials, but prior to the deadly Bali bombing on Oct. 12, Hamzah often issued statements insisting that there was no terrorist network operating in Indonesia, posing a psychological barrier for law enforcers to act on intelligence data provided by neighboring countries on terrorist cells in the country.

Hamzah had also often issued statements against moves to divest government shares in some companies, despite the presence of a decree issued by the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR), the country's highest legislative body, to speed up privatization programs and the sale of assets currently controlled by the Indonesian Bank Restructuring Agency (IBRA).

State Minister for National Development Planning/Chairman of National Development Planning Board (Bappenas) Kwik Kian Gie has also often made statements against the involvement of the International Monetary Fund (IMP) in the country, while Manpower and Transmigration Minister Jacob Nuwa Wea sometimes issued pro- labor regulations that contradict efforts to boost investment in the country.

All of these conflicting points of view, according to Hasyim, had brought the reform movement and attempts to pull the country out of the current economic crisis to a standstill.

House Speaker Akbar Tandjung also criticized Megawati for failing to communicate her policies to the public at large.

Akbar, who is also chairman of Golkar Party, the second biggest faction in the House after Megawati's Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan), urged the President to announce her future policies to the nation.

"Megawati should have addressed the nation during the Christmas celebration on Dec. 27 but unfortunately, not a single word came from the President", Akbar said.

Akbar added that the lack of communication from the President had deprived the public of their right to know the views and platform of the current administration.

Even after the Bali terrorist attack, in which over 190 people were killed and some 320 others injured, Megawati remained reluctant to lead the country's campaign against terrorism.

Megawati assumed power in July 2001 after MPR members impeached then president Abdurrahman Wahid for incompetence.

Former minister Ryaas Rasyid said that under Megawati's leadership the government could not carry out much-needed economic recovery programs, resulting in increasing unemployment.

"I don't say (Megawati) has failed to lead this nation, but her leadership is far from the hopes of the people," Ryaas told the media in Makassar, South Sulawesi.

Separately, chairman of Muhammadiyah Ahmad Syafii Maarif expressed concern about the unpreparedness of the nation despite increasing challenges.

"Future challenges are alarming, but our leaders and most of our people are not prepared to confront those challenges," Syafii was quoted by Antara as saying.

He suggested that the whole nation improve solidarity in 2003 to save the country from disintegration.

Syafii added that the entire nation must hold together to deal with difficult challenges, otherwise the nation would fall apart.

MPR chairman Amien Rais, in the meantime, urged the public and national leaders to improve sensitivity by listening to their common sense to save the nation.