Scholars call for zero tolerance of arrogant officials
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
State officials need to control their behavior and show emotional maturity as it reflects upon their competence to carry out their jobs, scholars say.
Franz Magnis Suseno of Driyarkara Institute of Philosophy said on Friday that state officials should be able to exert self- control at all times.
In an apparent show of emotional immaturity, Investment Coordinating Board (BKPM) chairman Theo Toemion assaulted a 14- year-old Australian boy acting as a referee during a recent basketball match for elementary school students at the Jakarta International School (JIS). Theo used his fists after the referee fouled out his 7-year-old son for rough play in a game on April 17.
The incident became public knowledge only this week.
"I regretted hearing about it. I believe that such emotional behavior disgraces the Indonesian community, both domestically and internationally," Magnis told The Jakarta Post.
However, he asserted the incident was not representative of the country's state officials in general.
"This (incident) relates to a person's lack of emotional maturity, which involves his psychological state; it is not a general problem that happens to every official," Magnis said.
Sociologist Komaruddin Hidayat, meanwhile, said that a leader should not only be smart, but possess emotional intelligence as well.
"Being a smart leader is not enough. A leader must have intellectual intelligence for analytical ability, spiritual intelligence to manage life, and emotional intelligence to control emotions," Komaruddin of Paramadina University said.
He added that people needed to be careful when commenting on the behavior of others. Some people may be impulsive and have difficulty in controlling their emotions when facing certain situations. Moreover, when children are involved, certain people tend to become irrational.
"Every leader who mistreats someone deserves social as well as professional sanctions, which should be given by their supervisors," he said.
The government said on Thursday that it will be leaving the incident to be dealt with by law enforcers, but fell short of revealing any disciplinary action against Theo.
In Indonesia, several incidents have occurred in recent years that have involved inappropriate emotional behavior by high state officials.
As an example, on Feb. 5 last year, former regent Jefri Noer sacked the headmaster of a local senior high school who criticized him during a dialog with teachers in Kampar, Pekan Baru. The decision sparked massive rallies that eventually led to the regent's dismissal.
In 2003, Gorontalo regent Medi Botutihe was reported by the Kompas daily to have slapped a careless truck driver in the face while traveling on the Trans Sulawesi road. He also threatened the driver with a gun.
In another incident in 2002, deputy Biak Numfor regent Lesias Stevanus Rumbiak hit a lecturer of the University of Papua (Unipa), Yosep Musa Sombuk, during a seminar. Lesias was offended by a question raised by Sombuk.
The lecturer, and three other people who were also punched by Lesias, reported the deputy regent to police, however the matter remains unresolved. (004)