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