Mothball our hard-won reforms? No way!
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