Megawati's long good-bye
The official results of the presidential election may only have been announced by the General Elections Commission on Tuesday, but the outcome has been known for a fortnight. Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono is the president-elect, there can be no doubt about that.
Outgoing President Megawati Soekarnoputri certainly has the right to challenge suspected ballot improprieties with the Constitutional Court, but we doubt, given the large margin of her defeat, that it will influence the final outcome. While the letter of the law provides for such a petition, we do not believe that it was designed to delay the outcome of such a decisive election. We hope that the losing camp will not tarnish the accomplishment of the Indonesian people in holding a fair, free and safe election by exploiting judicial loopholes to force what is effectively a moot argument.
A concession speech from the incumbent would be welcome, but more importantly it is Megawati and her administration's cooperation that should be sought to ensure a smooth change in leadership.
Megawati and Susilo will set the precedent for future changes of president. They are not the followers of fashion, but makers of a new tradition, setting the norms and standards for all future administrations. Never before in our history have we seen this.
It is imperative for Megawati to help establish conditions that will ensure procedural legitimacy during the transition. A meeting between Megawati and Susilo should be set up by the outgoing administration. If not, then Susilo should "exhort" such a meeting from the incumbent.
The significance of such a meeting cannot be underscored enough. First, it would publicly signify an amiable handover of power from one administration to the next. Second, it would present a mood of continuity, promising that there will be no disconnect in key policies. Third, it would be a public lesson for the nation in the discipline of democracy.
Apart from the symbolic significance, there are substantial issues that would have to be discussed during such a meeting, and the president-elect would have to ensure that he received a full briefing from Megawati on key matters of state.
It would also be wise for him to gain access to government intelligence sources, so that on Oct. 20 he would already be aware of the big picture of the potential threats and challenges facing the country. Most importantly, he should extract assurances of consultations between outgoing and incoming senior officials.
These procedures, if faithfully carried out, would set the tone for future transitions. It would be a pattern that was hard to break.
During the short two weeks before his confirmation as president, Susilo would be well advised to work out a strategy to fully exploit his brief honeymoon period. Susilo needs to hit the ground running. Hopefully, an orderly transition will facilitate Susilo's desire to expedite a swift move into office.
For her part, Megawati has an opportunity to solidify her legacy. It would be prudent to refrain from making further decisions that can only be perceived as opportunist or that upset the policy plans of the incoming government. It is with some skepticism that we were informed of the government's intention to close PT ASEAN Aceh Fertilizer at a time when the decision-makers are the outgoing authority. Such a "long-term" decision probably should have been left to the charge of the new administration.
The public has a very short memory, and like her or not we should all concede that Megawati did bring about certain positive aspects during her reign, not least of which were political stability and an improved macroeconomic outlook. Nevertheless, it is usually the last dying breaths that linger the longest.
It would be a shame if the memory of Megawati's "famous last words" before leaving office were of her giving herself and her vice president a Rp 20 billion (US$2.22 million) stipend to buy houses. Even Soeharto, in 1998, had the "decency" to return the housing allowance that was given to him.
Famous last words, indeed.