Presidential race easy, while corruption a tonic

Presidential race easy, while corruption a tonic

Kornelius Purba, Staff Writer, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

korpur@yahoo.com

Other nations, even those who claim to be true champions of
democracy, may be jealous of Indonesia, especially in the case of
presidential elections and the handling of corruption. Indonesia
has set an example to the world of how to give every citizen the
opportunity to become president. All citizens, including
criminals, are entitled to run for president as long as they
promise to not repeat their crimes.

Even former president Soeharto -- whose doctors and lawyers
say will never regain his health -- can fight to regain his lost
seat. Those who dream they have been sent by God as His
messengers to rescue this republic from international humiliation
also have the chance to lead Indonesia.

The requirements to become the country's head of state are
very relaxed, to say the least. Any political party that wins 3
percent of the vote in next April's legislative elections can
nominate anyone to take part in the presidential race in July.

And voters aren't likely to scrutinize the candidates'
platforms, so candidates do not need to bother themselves with
hiring university professors to prepare hundreds of pages of
programs to woo voters.

Voters are not very demanding when it comes to the programs of
presidential candidates. They only expect a little lip service
when it comes to such basic programs as eradicating corruption
and enforcing the law. But they don't really expect candidates to
deliver on their promises.

How about money? Of course it's important, if not the most
important factor in an election. Even for the election of a lurah
(subdistrict head) in a small village in Java, a candidate can
spend up to Rp 50 million (US$6,000). But you can't blame
Indonesia for this; it's a universal value. George W. Bush spent
a huge amount of money in 2000 to regain the power that was
"stolen" from his father George Bush by Bill Clinton eight years
earlier.

Some may ask if candidates spends billions of rupiah for their
campaigns, how can they recoup their investment if not by
stealing from the state coffers? But this is just a sign of some
people's prejudice and cynicism. There are many people in this
country who are ready to sacrifice themselves, including their
money, to lead Indonesia to prosperity and glory.

Candidates can simply cite the motto on U.S. banknotes and
reply, "In God we trust" when asked why they are so confident
about pouring their money into presidential campaigns.

Why should we ban rotten politicians and those who help
themselves to state funds from leading the country? We are a
religious nation, so how can we place ourselves as judges to
punish the crimes of others? As long as the courts have declared
them innocent -- regardless of the international perception of
our judicial system -- they have the right to run for the
presidency. Golkar chairman Akbar Tandjung can also run when the
Supreme Court declares him clean, regardless of what the non-
governmental organizations say.

How about candidates who have been accused by the
international community as human rights abusers? No problem, even
though some people say it is better for them not to lead the
country because they could be arrested when they travel abroad.
But no need to worry, because many countries like Zimbabwe will
be happy to host such a president.

Now about corruption. Learning from the country's failure over
the years to combat corruption, many people now think perhaps
there is something wrong with our perception about corruption.

Maybe we should just change our attitude and stop treating
corruption as a source of disasters. We must treat corruption
like a vitamin or lubrication, which make us stronger and helps
the engine run.

When there is no chance for corruption, government officials
become lazy. Give them the "vitamin", then set them a target to
achieve. Let corruptors work for the country, as long as they can
contribute more than what they steal.

So, who will win the presidential election? The incumbent,
Megawati Soekarnoputri, has the strongest chance. She has proven
that by doing little, Indonesia can slowly recover from its
economic hardships. Former president Abdurrahman Wahid is even
more optimistic. He believes his National Awakening Party (PKB)
will win 70 percent of the vote in April's legislative elections.

National Mandate Party (PAN) chairman Amien Rais believes it
is his turn to run the country. "Please vote for me, because the
other reformist leaders have already had their chance," would be
a wonderful slogan for his campaign.

Another candidate is Coordinating Minister for Political and
Security Affairs Gen. (ret) Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono. His
military background is more than enough to woo people who dream
of a secure Indonesia, although the way to achieve this security
would probably be unacceptable to those who call themselves the
guardians of the country's democracy.

In the end, however, the presidential election is not a very
serious matter for many people; after all, it's just a matter of
a regular five-year rotation.