Stop tearing each other apart

Stop tearing each other apart

Thanks to all who have responded to my letter, published in
The Jakarta Post on Nov. 5. My special respect to Mrs. Farida
Hanum for the openness, clarity and courage of her contribution
of Nov. 12 (without the abrasive parts, it would have been even
better).

I have lived in this country since 1982, and I do not think I
am superficial. I have studied with great attention the Aug. 11,
1999, edition of Forum (Headline: "25 reasons why Megawati is
deemed unsuitable to be president) and the Oct. 24, 1999, edition
of the same magazine (Headline: Why Megawati has to win). Even
so, I know my limits, and this is symbolized in the heading of my
contribution, which was an open question. I have never publicly
judged any presidential candidate's suitability for the job; that
is up to the Indonesian electorate to judge.

But it is very bad how N. Sihombing twisted my words around: I
never made and would never make the statement she falsely
attributes to me. I was just wondering who the non-Indonesian
Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) voters would prefer
as their president (who the PDI Perjuangan voters want is
obvious). I phrased that clearly as an open question, and I
clearly said that I did not have the answer.

Also, I leave it to N. Sihombing to speculate about the
hypothetical outcome of purely fictitious contests (Megawati vs.
Habibie, etc.). I am just trying to analyze and understand the
realities.

The results of the General Session of the People's
Consultative Assembly (MPR), and the actions of some individual
politicians, may have disappointed many, and they have the right
to express their feelings. However, feeling personally
disappointed is one thing, accusing the MPR as a whole of having
betrayed the entire nation and all principles of democracy is
quite another. Such statements have, in my opinion, significant
moral, political, possibly even legal dimensions.

I have tried to understand Pancasila's principles and the 1945
Constitution which spell out how democracy is to be practiced in
this country, namely through a legislature, whereby I am not
aware that Indonesia's Constitution provides for an imperative
mandate. I cannot see evidence that the MPR violated the spirit
of the Pancasila or the stipulations of the Constitution. If I am
wrong, I will be glad to be enlightened by somebody, e.g. by Mrs.
Rahayu, who seems to possess such evidence.

Mrs. Farida correctly states that all the PDI Perjuangan
voters plus all the National Awakening Party (PKB) voters make up
more than 50 percent of the total. However, she implicitly seems
to assume that, given the choice between Megawati and
Abdurrahman, all PKB voters would categorically reject
Abdurrahman and prefer Megawati, which I do not think is
realistic. Still, Mrs. Farida is on the right track: the election
winner is not an individual party but the "Ciganjur Coalition" of
PDI Perjuangan, PKB and the National Mandate Party (PAN). They
have beaten the status-quo coalition of Golkar and the United
Development Party (PPP), and therefore now share the three top
jobs in the country between them. Fair enough!

Indonesia's new political leadership team has found wide
acclaim, even been termed "God's gift to Indonesia" in some
neighboring countries. It comprises quite possibly the people
best suited to win back the confidence of the international
community, including the International Monetary Fund and the
World Bank. Without their support, Indonesia would simply
collapse. Thus, can we not be satisfied with the choice the MPR
has made?

A good point was made by L. Jordan: "classical" intelligence
alone is insufficient without the necessary "emotional
intelligence", the tangible manifestation of moral integrity. How
true! Moral integrity is a must in public life; that goes for
politicians, journalists and, in fact, for all of us. Thus, I
wish that the people of Indonesia would now stop insulting,
accusing, even attacking and killing each other, but work
together for the bright future which this nation deserves. Who is
helped if you continue to tear apart each other, the nation and
your country?

GOTTFRIED ROELCKE

Surabaya