Ministers see valuable lesson from Clinton's affair

Ministers see valuable lesson from Clinton's affair

JAKARTA (JP): The sex scandal involving U.S. President Bill
Clinton may have little impact on Indonesia, but several Cabinet
members nevertheless see it as a valuable lesson in leadership
and integrity.

Five ministers, including State Minister of Women Affairs
Tutty Alawiyah, initially blushed and looked aghast, but
eventually burst into laughter when asked if they thought such a
scandal was possible in Indonesia.

For the male ministers, the chief lesson to come out of the
Clinton-Lewinsky affair was the importance of resisting
temptation.

"All men must have experienced attempts at seduction,"
Coordinating Minister for Development Supervision and State
Administrative Reforms Hartarto told The Jakarta Post on
Wednesday.

When asked about the specific lessons to be learned from the
scandal, Hartarto simply laughed and retorted to the questioning
journalist: "Are you a man or not?."

Minister of Justice Muladi said that as a minister, he needed
to muster the strength to resist strong temptations, especially
regarding women.

He said that as precaution, he has always tried to avoid
staying in hotels whenever possible.

"This is very sensitive, but to be frank with you, the
temptation is very strong. We simply must keep alert," Muladi
said.

"It's human (to succumb to temptation), but it is very
dangerous," Muladi said.

After replying, a suspicious looking Muladi asked why he had
been singled out for the question. "By the way, why are you
asking me in particular?" he whispered as Attorney General Andi
M. Ghalib cast him a sideways glance from the next seat.

Serving government officials have little to worry about
because the Indonesian media rarely poke their noses into the
private lives of politicians.

Despite this fact, the rumor mills are never short of gossip
about prominent figures, as attendance at any official reception
will reveal.

The immunity from media investigation disappears once an
official leaves office, as the once-powerful minister/secretary
of state Moerdiono recently found out to his cost.

Earlier this month, the gossip tabloid Cek & Ricek ran an
interview with Machicha Mochtar, a dangdut singer who claims to
be the legitimate second wife of the former minister.

Machicha said she married Moerdiono on Feb. 5, 1996, and has
since given him a son, now 31 months old, named Mohammad Iqbal
Ramadhan.

Moerdiono, who has not appeared in public since he was dropped
from the Cabinet in March, has not responded to her claims.

Soeharto remained relatively free from such rumors during his
time in office.

The only occasion when aspersions were cast on his private
life was in the 1970s, when rumors circulated that he had a
special relationship with movie star Rahayu Effendi.

His wife, Tien Soeharto, who died in 1996, was known to be
tough and scorned anyone in the Cabinet who had extra-marital
affairs. She would insist that they be removed at the first
opportunity.

She was also believed to have played a prominent role in
pushing through the marriage law in the 1970s, which made it
necessary for any government official or civil servant who wished
to take a second wife to obtain permission from his superiors.

Islam allows a man to have up to four wives, provided he has
the financial means and can prove he is capable of treating them
equally and fairly.

Minister Tutty said the Clinton scandal had been blown out of
proportion. "It is very embarrassing," she added.

"The lesson we can take is about honesty, and I think this
applies to both the U.S. and Indonesia," Minister of Information
Lt. Gen. Muhamad Yunus said. He refused to say whether he had
ever faced similar temptations.

Coordinating Minister for Economy, Finance and Industry
Ginandjar Kartasasmita refused to comment on the scandal.

"Oh please, no, it's a matter of another country's president.
No, I don't want to reply to that question."

"In this integrated world, I think the scandal will be an
important lesson for other people. It shows that a leader who
holds the people's mandate must be someone who is trustworthy,"
Minister of Cooperatives Adi Sasono said. (prb)