Lessons Susilo can learn from Koizumi's victory
Lessons Susilo can learn from Koizumi's victory
H.S. Dillon, Jakarta
Welcome home, Mr. President. Although many would argue that
there was no need to be in New York last week, the world at least
got an agreement to move forward in lock-step on some issues.
There are some of us, however, who had hoped that your current
Cabinet members would have enough gravitas to engage large
foreign creditors and negotiate a phased debt-reduction.
We are not just another developing country, we are fast
becoming the world's third-most populous democracy. We have the
largest Muslim community, with a moderate in majority rule. Given
proper governance, we could become a strong force for prosperity
and peace in the region.
A number of us are convinced that we could drive a "Grand
Bargain", wherein a performance-based debt reduction formula is
accepted. The periodic assessments would encompass progress made
in 1) corruption eradication, 2) environmental conservation, 3)
poverty alleviation, 4) containing terrorism, and 5) promoting
human rights. Surely, the democratic world would provide
dividends for such commitment. But that will have to wait for
another time now.
Although your hectic schedule in New York precluded a tete-a-
tete with Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi, let us try
to take a few lessons away from Koizumi's epic victory over the
anti-reformers in his country. Upon assuming office in 2001 he
had vowed to reform Japan, even though it could mean destroying
the LDP, his own party. This party's bosses across many factions
had been responsible for the poor governance, viz-a-vis their
pork-barreling in huge construction contracts. Although Koizumi
managed to push through some reforms, entrenched interests who
had thwarted his predecessors posed a constant threat.
You are coming home to face two pressing issues: The declining
rupiah and burgeoning fuel subsidies. Why is there great anxiety
among your supporters, and the populace at large? It is because
they would like to see you deliver?
Ever since the bad governance, born out of collusion between
those in office and the conglomerates, triggered the financial
crisis, one leader after another has failed to keep their
promises. Hopes have been repeatedly dashed. When you ran for
President, despite the fact that you did not have any political
base to speak of, you defeated the incumbent, the leader of a
very big party. Why? Because, in plain language, she had
squandered the trust the people had placed in her.
As the "biological daughter" of Bung Karno, they had expected
her to fight for the "marhaen", the small people. They thought
she would not hesitate to menjebol-membangun, or oversee a form
of creative destruction to transform "extractive institutions"
preying on the poor into "representative institutions" fighting
for the people. They had hoped she would be inspired by her
father, and lead us toward trisakti (the three powers), wherein
the nation would be sovereign, self-sufficient, and of character.
Alas, the Ibu turned into an imperial president, traveling
and partying most of the time. You, meanwhile, emerged as a
warrior, promising fundamental -- but orderly -- change. In
desperation, the people turned to you, and prayed that you would
surmount all obstacles.
To the layman, you now appear to be fettered by home-grown
"vested interests". Elected legislators and appointed officials
from the corporate sector surrounding you are suspect. By the
public they are seen -- correctly -- as being part of the
Soeharto regime's last phase -- which spawned all the KKN, or bad
governance. They have walked away unscathed, indeed have risen to
such heights that would have never been possible for them under
Soeharto.
They are striding like a colossus upon the "lesser-than-human
beings" that millions of our impoverished have been reduced to.
It is obvious that impunity has allowed the anti-reformers to
retain their ill-gotten gains and use politics to further
legitimize their releases and discharges. I am sure you realize
that such blatant unfairness is inimical to our democracy.
Under such daunting circumstances, what options do you have?
Borrow a page from Koizumi. He is a prime minister -- accountable
to parliament, not a president elected directly by the people.
His entrenched interests underestimated him, just as ours are
misinterpreting your decency as a sign of weakness.
They have forgotten that without the support of any major
party, you mounted a challenge against your own president. Your
supporters know that it was more a sense of duty -- to discharge
your debts to the republic, rather than a mere desire for power
per se, that provided you the moral courage.
Koizumi picked an issue that, although it was removed from the
immediate well-being of the average Japanese, put a face on those
opposed to reform -- all who had been blocking progress. When
they teamed up with the opposition to vote against him, Koizumi
called their bluff and fired them.
His call for elections was believed by many as suicidal.
However, decent, hard-working citizens, all the way from captains
of sunrise industries to celebrities, hastened to his cause.
Together, in partnership, they reached out to the voters. Their
concerns resonated with the desire to build a cleaner and
stronger Japan in the hearts of the electorate. They handed him a
victory nobody would have even dared dream of.
You can do this! The issue is oil-smuggling, a practice that
has been going on for decades. I am sure that this is being
sustained by powerful forces. Even the current Pertamina chief
executive is calling for the arrest of the "big fish" rather than
the "small fry". Arrest all the suspects, impound all their --
and their families" -- wealth, and seek their early conviction.
I am sure that your Chief of Police, your Attorney General
along with the Tipikor team, and the independent leadership of
the KPK (Anti-Corruption Commission) will give you their full
support. Blow the lid on Pertamina and the house of cards erected
by the anti-reformers will come tumbling down. This will
snowball, and before you can say "Jiminy Cricket" all those
enjoying impunity will be behind bars.
This new legal certainty will strengthen the rupiah. Once they
see their oppressors in jail, and the holy month of Ramadhan
observed without undue hardship, the people will be better
disposed towards fuel price hikes. Once domestic prices
approximate world prices, incentives for smuggling will erode. A
clear-cut long term energy policy should further encourage
investment.
With many of the anti-reformers disgraced, you should have a
free hand in forming your own Cabinet. One that is really
dedicated to helping deliver your promises. Will the legislature
give you a hard time? Not if you communicate directly with the
people. Translate your initiatives into language they understand.
Explain patiently how your proposed policies will impact upon
them and their children. Surveys have already shown that they
still trust you more than anyone else. Let the anti-reform party
bosses face them.
In a different institutional and cultural context, Koizumi has
rooted out the anti-reformers. As Koizumi invoked the bushido
spirit to take the path of the warrior, so can you draw upon the
semangat bamboo runcing that fired our lance-wielding freedom
fighters into routing the fully-armed colonial forces. Act now,
Mr. President, the people are with you.
The writer is executive director of the Partnership for
Governance Reform in Indonesia.