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.