Professionals take a stand at the JSX

Professionals take a stand at the JSX

By Ati Nurbaiti

JAKARTA (JP): The crowd which arrived at the lobby of the
Jakarta Stock Exchange last week did not look much different than
the dealers inside in their blazers and ties. But they had
clearly come with a different intention. They began to sing and
gradually attracted more and more attention.

These people were from a variety of groups including the
Indonesian Professional Society (MPI) and the Professionals'
Solidarity for Reform group (SPUR). They were objecting to the
Golkar Party's proposed B.J. Habibie-Gen. Wiranto duo for the new
term.

Popular political commentator and talk show host Wimar
Witoelar was there. Economist Faisal Basri of the National
Mandate Party (PAN) showed up and so did Matori Abdul Djalil of
the National Awakening Party (PKB). Matori is the new deputy
speaker of the People's Consultative Assembly.

For some 30 minutes the bourse's transactions stopped because
the crowd and spectators crowded the stairs.

"We are small in number but we have much influence," Faisal
told the crowd. "Let's fill up Jl. Sudirman with our cars and
honk three times to say 'No' to Habibie and Wiranto."

Matori said he supported suggestions for a strike, a statement
which provoked outrage from legislators who said Matori, as the
deputy speaker, was not acting in an ethical manner. But the next
day the rally continued in larger numbers and former activist and
economist Syahrir addressed the jubilant crowd.

It was not the first time a demonstration was staged at the
Stock Exchange, a symbol of the country's professionals borne out
of what was then a promising economy.

"It was largely unplanned," says Sita Supomo, one of MPI's
founders.

"We had been talking about such a demonstration for some time
and we had reflected, how come not enough professionals seemed to
care?" she told The Jakarta Post recently. In spite of having
conducted talks and a few rallies, Sita said it was "still not
easy" to gather concerned professionals.

"I don't know why, maybe it's fear, maybe it's the feeling
that their only contribution should be to keep the wheel of the
economy turning."

The forum was established last year and has grown since then.
"Our numbers? I don't know. We are an e-mail community and we're
not an organization," said the former marketing executive with an
international company.

E-mails on activities are sent across with the message "If
you're concerned, come," Sita said.

Though small in number, Sita said more and more participants
at their activities seemed to have been influenced by the
"conducive" condition of continuing scandals, continued violence,
and at the last gathering -- Habibie's accountability speech.

Group awareness was also built up in earlier months through
the holding of discussions with political parties and hearings
with legislators.

"The Bank Bali scandal was a real insult to professionals,
regarding the intervention (by the political elite)," Sita said.

On the morning when Habibie announced that he "could not
afford to accept the nomination" for a second term after his
accountability speech was rejected, the protesters were happy and
wished the new president well.

As his colleagues distributed roses, rally participant and
part time investor Boris Sirait cautioned: "But we will continue
to watch out whether reform is carried out."

The rallies by the professionals were small in number and
there was no plan to go out onto the streets. The timing was
limited to the lunch hour. Hence, there was no need for employees
to gather up their courage and tell their bosses that they needed
time out to protest. Nevertheless, all this was radical enough,
and the building's management was reportedly upset and worried
about the gathering.

Actions involving urbanites are taken for granted in countries
such as the Philippines and Thailand. Here, the country's white
collar workers only came out in droves when the crisis drove
thousands of them out of work.

Asked whether such countries were an inspiration for the
group, Boris said, "No, don't make such a comparison, we're
nothing yet."

He argued that in comparison to Indonesia, the Philippines and
Thailand had relatively short terms of authoritarian governments.

For professionals such as Boris, who expressed feelings in
rallies only shortly before Soeharto quit the presidency last
year, the decision to organize and get involved in such actions
was because "the risk to the individual had reduced".

Professionals had been fully aware that under the New Order,
any sign of dissent, no matter how "fun-looking" it appeared, was
ruthlessly crushed. "People could get abducted or something," he
said.

Boris said a willingness to now become involved reflected the
diminishing fears.

He added that while market indicators should serve as
sufficient warning signs to the government, "the problem is
they've been quite deaf".

The participants had distributed a press release which in part
read: "We express congratulations and gratitude for the
participation of professionals in actions of concern to convey
rejection toward Habibie's accountability and his proposed
(second) term. This reflects the concern of professionals toward
the survival of the nation."

Amid ongoing political wrangling among the elite who seek the
return of favors, professionals also stated: "We continue to
remind representatives that the status quo forces involved in
corruption, collusion and nepotism and rights abuses in the past,
should not be given a chance to be part of the new government."