Soothsayers refuse to talk politics
Soothsayers refuse to talk politics
By Ida Indawaty Khouw
JAKARTA (JP): While people can now express their opinions more
freely thanks to the massive reform movement, fortune-tellers in
the busy Glodok business district in downtown Kota were less
forthcoming than many people.
Of three tukang ramal offering their services on the second
floor of the three-story Gloria shopping complex in the bustling
Chinatown district, only one would openly speak about his
predictions for the country's economy and politics and the next
president.
The others refused to accommodate questions on political
issues, such as what will happen during and after the June 7
elections, and who will be the country's next president.
"I don't serve people asking about political matters. It's
dangerous because if I give the wrong forecast I could be
handcuffed and jailed," one of them said.
In Indonesia, fortune-tellers are not so common in business
centers. So three in one shopping complex is almost a prophetic
event in itself.
While his two colleagues kept refusing to reveal their
political prophesies, fortune-teller Sung Wei Tjhung decided to
take the other path.
He prophesied, through the medium of a deck of playing cards,
that the election would be canceled and sporadic small-scale
social disturbances would take place in Jakarta and other areas
across the country.
Wei Tjhung then lit an incense stick on a table behind him,
shuffled the cards again and spread them on the table in front of
him.
After seriously examining the cards, Wei Tjhung continued his
prediction, explaining that the polls would be postponed until
next year.
"It's mainly due to the small outbreaks everywhere, but people
don't have to worry as the government will be able to handle it,"
said the 59-year-old soothsayer.
The brutal scenes of May 1998 will not be repeated but "shop
looting will still occur". However, "there will be no killings
and damaging of other people's property," Wei Tjhung added.
"The authority will be able to handle the situation before
things get worse," he said, before reaching for the red wine he
sipped every time he answered a question.
According to his cards, the unrest will not be ignited by the
contesting political parties but "a third party led by a man who
has his own political agenda".
Unfortunately, Wei Tjhung, who has read the future
professionally since 1983, refused to name the person, saying
that this would not be a good idea. Moreover, he added, he did
not have the guts to do so.
Using the same cards, plus a piece of paper covered with
Chinese characters, the fortune-teller also predicted that
incumbent President B.J. Habibie would be replaced by a woman in
June or July this year.
It could be on June 16, or June 26 or perhaps on July 6, he
said.
"But please remember, it (the date) is not definite," Wei
Tjhung said after reading a character on the paper, which, he
explained, he used to "see" things related to time elements.
According to him, Habibie's female successor will only rule
the country for a short period, because the same third party who
will cause the predicted unrest dislikes the woman.
"The man (who leads the party) will continuously obscure her,
so will be in power for only a matter of months, even though she
is supported by a great number of people," Wei Tjhung said.
He explained that the man may topple the woman leader by
making use of various conflicts.
"That's why unrest will continually occur until the polls are
conducted successfully," he said.
His predictions, he explained, are of course just stories to
be believed or otherwise. Wie Tjhung said he was not afraid of
being arrested simply because of what he predicts.
"After all, it's just a prophecy, isn't it?" he said.