People want a new leader who cares

By Lea Jellinek and Bambang Rustanto

JAKARTA (JP): No political commentators expected Megawati Soekarnoputri of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) to gain so much support, but all those who work closely with the little people of Indonesia knew six months beforehand that Megawati had mass support.

In Central, East and West Java, Jogyakarta, Jakarta, Bali, Kalimantan and elsewhere in Indonesia it was blatantly obvious that Megawati had the numbers. Gotong Royong posko (command posts), encircled black bulls heads with savage red eyes and gleaming white noses, red flags and big photos of Megawati decorated streets and pathways. All were built by the people themselves with their own funds. This was a brave call for change.

This call for change is not new. It has been in the hearts of most Indonesian people for a long time. For 32 years there was no political party which could express their feelings. Indonesians buried their dreams in their hearts because of a combination of hope, fear, cultural and political pressures which made them numb.

During the economic boom, many still had hopes of personal advancement. Strong-hand methods and fear prevented people from expressing themselves. Expression could mean jail or disappearance. Indonesian culture encourages pasrah and nrimo (patience and calm), so the people sat and waited, hoping that time would heal their inner pain. This pain accumulated until it could not be endured.

Since the smiling general stood down, the Habibie government has carried out many positive changes. But people want more. The Habibie government is moving too cautiously to satisfy the public's demands for dramatic change.

People do not care about party leaders, party slogans, party symbols, party ideology or party promises. What they want is good governance. They want peace, low prices, the chance for their children to attend school and for themselves to obtain work. They are tired of lies, injustice and the powerful and rich enriching themselves at the expense of the poor. They say they do not need a "clever" leader but one who cares.

Clever means clever in stealing from the people (minterin). Caring means listening to the people and responding to their needs.

Members of the public do not know which leader cares most. They do know that women tend to care more than men. Indonesia phrases suggest that caring is a female trait: kasih ibu sepanjang jalan, kasih ayah sepanjang galah (a mother's care has no limits, a father's care is for a minute).

Mothers care for their children, their families and their communities. Megawati may not care, but Indonesians feel that as a woman she is more likely to care than her male counterparts. Many have accused Megawati of being unable to lead, of remaining silent, of having no ideas, policies or programs. But Megawati keeps her silence for a purpose. Her silence is a symbol to Indonesians of their own pain because Indonesians are quiet when they suffer. Her male competitors have made many promises which most Indonesians believe to be false (janji gombal).

Indonesians have chosen Megawati and are far ahead of traditional thinking, which is still entrenched in many parts of Indonesia and suggests that a woman cannot lead. This has become a major stumbling block for her to become president. If she fails to become president, the voice of the people will have been denied. This would be the same as not holding a general election and reinforcing the false belief that Indonesians are prepared to wait. But the people are no longer prepared to wait. This is a major problem confronting Indonesia today.

If true change is to occur in Indonesia, the traditional thinkers will have to join Megawati, or else Indonesia will face a bleak future. How can traditionalists be made to catch up with the rest of the population? Megawati needs to invite the traditionalists into her fold. This will be difficult because most of them do not want to have anything to do with Megawati.

What is most needed in Indonesia today is a president who can set a good example for the rest of the population. Indonesians follow their leader. If the leader is bad, the nation is bad. If the leader is good, the nation is good.

The first step of the new president should be to show that she/he can live austerely, without wasting the nation's wealth; she/he does not need to borrow masses of funds from abroad; does not need to travel by helicopter, own many houses, cars, private companies or have a large entourage of attendants. She needs to care -- that is the wish of the Indonesian people as expressed in the elections of June 7, 1999.

Dr. Lea Jellinek and Bambang Rustanto are anthropologists currently doing research on poverty in Jakarta.