Portrait of a nation
Portrait of a nation
Expressionist painters like Van Gogh and Affandi, if they were
still alive today, would be delighted to put the current national
scene on canvas.
To untrained eyes, the result might look extremely chaotic,
with tragic red coloring visible in addition to irregular yellow
and green lines.
At an art exhibition, it would not fail to impress critics
while investors might smell gold. As a whole, it would give the
impression of a sinking ship near "Democracy Island" in "Justice
Bay".
From nearby, one could see the image of a black eagle with
broken beak and damaged wings, apparently depicting the debt-
ridden nation's economy. The end product would resemble a
surrealistic painting not by Dali, but by a mentally handicapped
person. The painting invokes all sorts of human feelings except
that of peace.
Nobody would know how it came about but on the back of the
most modern abstract painting somebody scribbled the following.
Solution? First and foremost, do not allow the country to exist
for another year without a vice president as prescribed by the
Constitution. What if the First Man is incapacitated by illness
or another reason? No time should be wasted to overcome shortage
of food in any area.
The unemployment problem must be tackled immediately and with
greater vigor and honesty by any regional administration if crime
is to be suppressed effectively. Those seeking overseas jobs must
be encouraged and facilitated.
Economic activities which step up exports must be supported
for only exports will contribute to the stability of the national
currency. Private and government international debt burden must
be solved by all means.
The text in Javanese traditional characters furthermore calls
on reformist forces -- especially those students imbued by
idealism, a clean conscience and altruism -- that only those
elected by the people, not nominated by the power holders, have
the right to sit in legislative councils.
In that sense, deliberations by the incumbent House of
Representatives (DPR) and People's Consultative Assembly (MPR)
are devoid of democratic value unless a way is found to include
leaders of the new political parties.
These new parties should announce their welfare programs and
what coalitions they would enter into to compete with forces
staging a comeback.
Government officials must restrict their comments to their own
field and speak like real statesmen with a global view rather
than like lawyers defending their local clients. Only salesmen,
not statesmen, do not stop arguing.
Actors, not true leaders serving the interest of people in all
sorts of crises, feel happy to appear before the camera every
day. The message appeals to the citizens to get rid of child
labor and the suppression of women's rights.
GANDHI SUKARDI
Jakarta