Mothball our hard-won reforms? No way!

JAKARTA (JP): On a visit to the workshop of a geothermal power plant in West Java recently, I was advised that the plant was idle, waiting for the green light from the government to go ahead with electricity production.

"We have to mothball the production equipment," said Fachrul, pointing to machinery wrapped in plastic sheeting.

To mothball an idle piece of equipment, in industrial terms, is to keep it ready for a return to operation at any time.

"It looks like we need to mothball Amien Rais and other fresh scholars until the next general election," commented Sutisna. "Because, when the new Cabinet is 'on stream', it is very unlikely that the new president will put them in operation."

I laughed my head off at how field personnel talked about the political situation in terms related to their operational activities. Living in this remote, cold and beautiful area, the people keep themselves informed. Like most Indonesians who care about the future of this nation, they watch TV and read the newspapers.

And they also are concerned about the escalating political tension.

Anybody who knows a thing or two about politics must be worried by the way things are developing after the general election.

People went in an orderly manner to the polls. They stood patiently waiting for their turn and went home peacefully.

The predicted chaos did not happen; the people showed they could perform their deeds as good citizens. Jimmy Carter and all his entourage went home with broad smiles, telling the world that Indonesians are good and behave sweetly -- and that the country is paving the road to real democracy.

When it comes to political figures, however, everything descends into shameful chaos. Look no further than the General Elections Commission (KPU). Political struggles reign, marked by intimidation, condemnation and backbiting. Contradictory statements and snipes are the fodder of daily TV broadcasts.

"Apparently, the common people understand democracy better than those leaders in the political stage," said a political observer.

Recently, the KPU was rocked by allegations of corruption. It has only added to problems before the Special Session of the People's Consultative Assembly. People are getting impatient, students are holding demonstrations again and foreign investors are holding their breath. Those lacking "chutzpah" are getting ready to take short vacations abroad.

And the uneasy question on everyone's mind is who will become president of the country. Tentative results put it as a two-horse race between the high-profile figures of Megawati Soekarnoputri and President B.J. Habibie, representing their respective parties. Each comes with pluses and minuses that have triggered never-ending controversies.

As far as the ballots are concerned, Mega is the front-runner. But, as Time magazine put it, in Indonesia the election winner could be a loser. Her intellectual abilities, her stance on the probe of the former president, amendments to the 1945 Constitution and her gender are being held up as stumbling blocks.

Habibie still has several cards to play in his effort to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat. There will be "swinging" factions in the House which could become the kingmaker.

All of this is creating confusion and uncertainty among the people who voted in the belief that whoever received the highest number of votes would find a home at the Presidential Palace.

And these people may become a raging mass if the facts show the contrary.

With any of the two parties in power, we cannot expect new and fresh faces in the Cabinet. It is hard to predict the kind of people Mega will take on board if she becomes the fourth president of Indonesia. She has been tight-lipped about her voyage to the top job. But it is apparent that she will need the support of strong and well-experienced officials in her administration.

But we are not going to see the kind of people like the energetic Andi Mallarangeng or the sharp Faisal Basri in her Cabinet.

As for Habibie, there is no doubt that he will depend on his traditional loyalists to run the government, although he may include some new scholars in his Cabinet for good measure. We will, again, have to stomach the sight of those old familiar faces giving a whole new meaning to reform.

That leaves Amien, Yusril, Bintang, Cak Nur and other brilliant scholars out of the picture. They might be left to linger in the dark opposition corner. That is, if the future party in power does not recruit them, or else, if they do not want to be involved in the victorious government.

"Let's just pray," said Sutisna, "that God provides the winning leaders with wisdom so that they are willing to put their egos aside, and to compromise in finding the best possible solution to the crisis."

"And may God give us the courage to fight," continued Fachrul, "if the reforms we struggled for are mothballed by the future leader."

"Amen!" I whispered as I left the beautiful site, believing that people will never let the reforms which took so many sacrifices be put aside.

-- Carl Chairul