Old player in a new game

Old player in a new game

Amid the current clamor for change, our political parties -- Golkar in particular -- continue to follow their old political cultural habits. Thus, nominations of presidential candidates are supported by people at the top (of the party hierarchy). This old custom of recruiting leaders in a top-down process -- which we have been blaming for the hollowness of our democratic life for the past three decades -- is practiced with increasing regularity. The alternative of determining the will of the people from the bottom up is ignored.

While such mistakes are being increasingly regarded as proper, the refusal of Golkar's East Java chapter to bow to (Golkar chairman) Akbar Tandjung's must be seen as a sensible act of correction. Akbar has every right to support Habibie's presidential candidacy, but in order for Habibie to obtain proper legitimacy the nomination must reflect the will of supporters at the grassroots level and move from there to the top.

It would have been nice if Habibie's candidacy could have been proposed by the party's regional chapters, and not forced on lower party echelons by Jakarta. The way the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) nominated Megawati at its Bali congress some time ago could serve as an example.

Another point that needs correcting is the party's insistence -- as expressed repeatedly by Akbar Tandjung -- that a presidential candidate must have experience in government. This is an indirect hint from Akbar that a presidential candidate must be experienced as a president.

Whether we like to admit it or not, the failure of our democracy over the past 32 years springs from Golkar's reluctance to abandon this "top-down" political culture. However, it is easy to understand that Golkar -- the master of the old political culture -- cannot be expected to be adept at following the new rhythm of reform.

-- Media Indonesia, Jakarta