Megawati believes in a nation with a vision
By T. Sima Gunawan and Imanuddin
JAKARTA (JP): She does not talk much, but she is one of the most talked about persons in the country. A low-profile and soft- spoken woman, Dyah Permata Megawati Soekarnoputri is a tough and powerful figure in New Order politics.
Talking about politics in Indonesia is also talking about Megawati, the ousted chairperson of the Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI). Since she became the leader of PDI in 1993, she has been the focus of public attention. Her supporters call her a symbol of people's power or a symbol of civil society. Her opponents, however, say her fame is merely due to the great name of her father, Sukarno, the country's first president. They look at her cynically, calling her a housewife instead of a politician.
Megawati was born in Yogyakarta on Jan. 23, 1947. She studied at the School of Agriculture, Padjadjaran University, Bandung, and at the School of Psychology, University of Indonesia, Jakarta, but she never completed her studies.
She lives with her third husband, M. Taufiq Kiemas, a businessman, and their youngest child, Puan Maharani, 24, in a house with a big garden in South Jakarta. Puan, who has two elder brothers, has just graduated from the University of Indonesia. She has two brothers. The first one, M. Rizki Pratama, is studying at the Bandung Institute of Technology and the second, M. Prananda, is studying in Australia.
In 1987, Megawati started her career in politics as a vote getter for PDI. She was quite magical in her campaigning because she always attracted a huge crowd. In 1988, Megawati and her husband became members of the House of Representatives (DPR), seats that they still hold today.
In 1993, Megawati was elected chairperson of PDI following fierce conflicts that rocked the party. But the dispute has not ended. In May 1996, her rival, led by Soerjadi, held an extra ordinary congressional meeting, sponsored by the government. Soerjadi was named as the new party leader, but Megawati insisted that she was still the legal chairperson of PDI.
A riot broke out on July 27, 1996, following the forced takeover of PDI headquarters on Jl. Diponegoro, Central Jakarta.
Megawati and her faithful supporters, however, would not give up. On Tuesday, thousands of her loyalists rallied to the House of Representatives to demand representation in next month's general election.
Even though the media gives her special attention, Megawati does not give many interviews. She talked to The Jakarta Post on Thursday, in a special interview in conjunction with Kartini Day, which occurs tomorrow. Below is an excerpt of the interview:
Question: Kartini, the national heroine of emancipation, struggled for equality between men and women. How do you see the relevance of her ideas in the present day?
Answer: The idea about equality is clearly stipulated in the 1945 Constitution. It asserts that every citizen, regardless of sex, is equal. But in practice, we still see the problems in implementing the idea.
Q: What are the problems?
A: There are problems in implementing the idea of equality in various fields, i.e. in politics. I often see women who are capable, but they can't develop a career because they are women. I don't like this, but it is the reality facing our society. They are good but they can't develop proper skills because of the lack of support from the surrounding people. This is also about cultural values.
In many places outside Jakarta, people still give a son more privilege than a daughter, because they often believe that sons are better than daughters.
Q: That partly explains why we don't see many outstanding women...
A: I think it does. Once I read a book saying that there were many good women who had strong leadership in Islam, but their names were not mentioned in the history book of our nation. This was stated by a woman intellectual who wanted to see women judged, not by their physical appearance, but from their capability to think and their vision.
Q: Do you see many women with vision?
A: Yes, but there is very little effort in motivating women to move forward. For example, there are women who want to be active in politics, but they can't make it because there is an idea that politics is dirty and taboo for women. Even though they are capable, they can't establish a career in politics because they don't get support from their husbands and the people surrounding them.
We need to encourage women to be more active in politics. We need more women in politics and we need to improve the quality of those who are already in the field.
I have observed a setback in women's participation in today's politics. When we strived for independence, there were so many women who took part in the struggle.
Talking about national heroines, I am sure we have many who are not mentioned in our history books, even though they rendered many services to the country. Maybe it is because people would not recognize who they were.
Q: Not in your case. You have strong support from the people...
A: I thank God. I hope there are many women figures who are known by the public.
Q: How about the support from your family?
A: That depends on their vision and their horizon.
We know there is feminist movement in the West. I think it is because there is an imbalance between men and women, for instance, in the sense of opportunity. Men and women are different, but you don't need to blow up their differences. We need to look at our capabilities.
Q: What is feminism?
A: I, myself, am still trying to understand it. It seems that in the West, which is quite "modern", there are still things women do not really agree about, such as opportunity.
Q: In Indonesia, do you still see discrimination against women in the workplace, for example in wages?
A: Yes, you can see it clearly. Even though there are regulations to protect women, discrimination still prevails. We still have a lot of homework to do. Also, there is a regulation about maternal leave, but it is not fully implemented.
Q: Some developed countries give parental leave for fathers. How do you see this as an idea?
A: I think that is one of the issues covered in feminism. They want a balance. They say, 'If I have to wash the clothes and take care of the children, you should do the same thing. Because I can work outside the home, you should also be able to do the household chores.'
Q: There seems to be a dual role for mothers who work outside the house, but this does not seem to apply to fathers...
A: That's true, but we are now in a transition. Just look at young couples. I have seen men pushing baby carts or giving bottled milk to their babies. These things were considered inappropriate for men in the past.
I think it depends on the vision of both men and women.
I once said jokingly that I was in a "reverse culture" because the one who becomes a tokoh (figure) should be a man. But I am accepted by the people.
Q: Why do people accept you?
A: Because we understand each other and they think broadly.
Q: Isn't it because people believe you have charisma?
A: People may say so. That is God's gift. I have never said I have charisma, that's what they say.
Q: Is it true that you have a kind of supernatural power which enables you to communicate with your father?
A: Everyone has a certain power. We can focus it so that we can think beyond the concrete world; we can broaden our horizons in accordance with our immense imaginations and reach beyond the end, or what we think is the end, but in fact, is not the end because it is endless. I think everyone has the power, but it depends on how you develop it.
Q: About your role as a mother. You spend so many hours outside the house. How can you manage your time for family?
A: When I started to be active in politics, I had the chance to do so because my children were already independent. It was not how much time I could spend with them, but how we spent our time together.
Q: Would there be any problem if you had been in politics when your children were still very young?
A: I think that would not be a problem. What was important was communication and how we spent time together.
Q: How can a woman who works outside the house balance her job and family?
A: In general, women still have many problems. They can do that, but it again depends on their vision. They should have good communication among themselves.
Q: Do you still have time for yourself?
A: Of course. Otherwise I would be a mess. I still have time to go to movies and take a walk.
Q: I understand you like gardening...
A: Yes. I pour my happiness and sadness into gardening because it is my hobby. It is part of my life journey. If you don't have a hobby, you can get stuck.
Q: What is your philosophy in life?
A: Lead a good life and better yourself. Don't get stuck, and don't ever think that you are the best.
Q: Talking about leadership, what is your opinion about it?
A: A leader should gain support from a grassroots level, but we see that there is a so-called katrol mechanism (which allows one to hold a certain position even though he or she is not capable). If one wants to become a leader, this should be done through normal means. People themselves should "screen" leaders. They can only do so if they have broadened their horizons.
Q: How can they broaden their horizons?
A: Through education.
Q: Critics say our educational system makes people stupid, not intelligent. How true is that?
A: That's true. You can see the products of our educational system around us. Something is wrong and needs to be fixed. How can you have a good educational system if you don't care about morals and ethics?
Q: When you talk about education, does it cover education of politics?
A: Yes. The education of politics is crucial. How can people know what to do, or what their rights and obligations are, if we don't educate them?
Q: Who should be the educators?
A: In a narrow scope, it is the government's job. But in fact, all of us should take part, too.
Q: Is it difficult to educate people?
A: Not really. They can think, that is their potential.
Q: Do you think the government has done enough to educate people?
A: No. They have built many schools, but what is the follow-up?
Q: How about the education of politics?
A: That's terrible. You don't need to go far to see its absence. Just take a look at what is happening in PDI. Clearly, it shows the degradation in the education of politics.
Q: Can the election become a tool of political education?
A: It should be able to become one, but what is an election? It is called a party of democracy. Many people ask me what will happen during the campaign period. Some people are worried. That's strange. If you throw a party, you want to have fun. How can you worry at a party? I wonder which is wrong: "education" or the "educators".
Q: If it is the "educators" who are wrong, can they be improved?
A: It depends on their political will and their spirit to do the right thing. If they want to develop the country, there must be a strong foundation. As a free country, we should be free from fear.
Q: Do you think they deliberately create an atmosphere which makes people worry?
A: It seems so. That makes me feel concerned. Why do they say we are free, but on the other hand, they curb us?
Q: Who are they?
A: You know who they are. Why should I mention them?
Q: In politics, people will do anything to achieve a goal, isn't it that right?
A: True. But we have ethics and morals to achieve it. Politics can be beautiful, like when they are used to gain independence, but politics can also be dirty and destructive. Again it depends on your political will.