On transforming the nation into a new society

Leadership succession has been an on-and-off issue in Indonesian politics. Moeslim Abdurrahman, a political observer and Ph.D. candidate in anthropology at the University of Illinois in the United States, discusses the issue linked with political development among Moslem intellectuals.

Question: Why are we putting too much emphasis on the figures rather than programs in our discussions concerning the leadership succession?

Moeslim: That is actually a reflection of the strong demand for change due to the political situation at the moment, even though there are more important things such as the establishment of a new leadership concept and the emergence of leaders who have broader views in leading the nation. What is the meaning of succession if there is no situation conducive for the accommodation of fresher aspirations?

Q: Are there any groups, including the Armed Forces, which have been trying to formulate programs to be implemented whenever there is a succession?

M: The Armed Forces is now too preoccupied with efforts to maintain national stability, which is sometimes making people scared of discussing the realities. Only a few of its officers are interested in formulating reform measures, such as how to cope with the economic crisis and to face the globalization era.

Other groups are also unprepared. None of them have formulated a new school of thought to face changes in politics and the economy. The security approach of the Armed Forces has made it impossible for them to exercise creativity in, for example, formulating a concept of development with wider public participation.

Q: Has the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR), during its current general assembly, accommodated public aspirations on the leadership succession issue?

M: The MPR apparently has anticipated the succession by formulating rules related to it. But succession does not concern itself only about rules. We have not discussed the limitation of a president's term of office, a concept on how to make Indonesians ready to face the globalization era or the criteria of leaders who can carry out such a concept.

Q: As a predominantly Moslem country, Indonesia has many Moslem intellectuals. Do you know any of them who might be trying to formulate leadership programs for the post-Soeharto era?

M: I don't see any of them trying to help transform Indonesia into a new society. They are too busy with efforts to make themselves involved in the legislature or the bureaucracy.

Q: Can Moslem intellectuals like Nurcholish Madjid, Amien Rais and Abdurrahman Wahid join hands to formulate programs for national development?

M: They have been doing it, but they seem to be unable to distance themselves from the interests of their own groups which hinders them from becoming statesmen with broader nationalistic views.

Q: What is the most urgent thing to be addressed in the next term of leadership?

M: We must prepare new social leaders who are open to the ideas of the younger generation and are able to think beyond the interests of their own groups. Also, we must recover from the economic crisis and improve the productivity of our workers.

Q: How can we bring together the views of Moslem intellectuals with those of other groups, including the Armed Forces?

M: There should be a mechanism of gathering them in forums for national discourses.

Q: What do you think about the movement of a local leader of the Moslem-dominated United Development Party (PPP), Moedrick Sangidoe, to accommodate the supporters of the expelled leader of the Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI) Megawati Soekarnoputri in the last general election campaign?

M: Moedrick has shown that among our youth, there are groups which put national vision beyond their own personal interests. It indicates the development of pluralism in the country. Moslems, therefore, need to take initiatives to make their organizations more open to members of other societies.

Q: What do you think about proposals to make Amien Rais our future president and PPP chairman Ismail Hasan Metareum vice president?

M: I see it as a spirit of political reform. Such bravery to propose an alternative candidate other than the incumbent president is needed to break the current political gridlock and to invite others to think of their own future. (riz)