Politician who befriended defeat

In one political discussion at Bentara Budaya, Jakarta, Soebadio Sastrosatomo, a figure of the Indonesian Socialist Party who passed away yesterday (Dec. 7), was jokingly dubbed by Dr. Roeslan Abdulgani a "perennially losing" politician.

Now we have to decide whether the late Soebadio was indeed a perennial loser or one who opted to lose his battle -- one who preferred defeat to victory by compromising the principles of his political struggle and his conscience.

It is almost unbelievable that Soebadio chose a career in politics while showing a reluctance to accept -- even reject -- power. His political attitude was that of upholding values and fighting to translate these values into reality rather than attaching themselves to power. His was the politics of values, not the politics of power.

A political attitude free from attachment to power is suitable for the present reform era. Those subjected to reform are the principle of power, the tendency of attachment to power, and the abuse of power.

At this juncture, democracy must be viewed as a principle of power in which the power itself is accountable, is employed to protect the interests of the entire people and is ready to be replaced any time. Regarding the last of these, a culture of democratic power will be one that is free from any attachment to power per se. Otherwise, reform means only a change in agents, not in performance.

Soebadio Sastrosatomo was admirable in that he was willing to be marginalized in the sense of the politics of power; yet he maintained his presence as a strategic focus of the struggle of values. He consistently performed his activities in the realm of idealism and values. That was his choice and we respect him for that choice.

-- Kompas, Jakarta