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