Political change beginning to show

Political change beginning to show

Signs of a newly emerging political constellation in this
country are beginning to show. A recent survey held by the
Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI) put Amien Rais at the
head of the list of potential presidential candidates, with
Megawati following closely behind Amien, and B.J. Habibie far
behind both of them.

The belief that change is progressing slowly in Indonesia is
relative in nature. Less than a half year earlier, New Order
officials asserted that no one but H.M. Soeharto was fit to lead
Indonesia into the third millennium. Now his children have been
asked to leave the House of Representatives and the People's
Consultative Assembly.

It is true that the dynamics of change are as yet not very
clearly discernible. Nevertheless, at the top of the power
pyramid, tokens of change are visible: (the ruling grouping)
Golkar is being abandoned by some of its most important
supporters. The same is happening in the PDI (the government-
sanctioned faction of the Indonesian Democratic Party) and PPP
(United Development Party). At the same time, a drift towards a
conglomeration of political forces lower in the power structure
is clearly noticeable.

Panta rhei: Everything flows; everything moves and changes
whether or not we are aware of it, and whether or not we like it.
Let us all adjust to this changing rhythm.

-- Merdeka, Jakarta