Sultan modernizes palace management

By Sri Wahyuni

YOGYAKARTA (JP): The kraton (palace) is gearing to mark its 253rd anniversary, which falls on Jumadilawal 29, 1933, on the Javanese calendar, or Aug. 30, 2000.

The anniversary will feature an orchestra and a Javanese ballet called Begawan Ciptoning. Some 1,000 kyai (Muslim teachers) from a various provinces will recite the Koran.

In conjunction with the anniversary, The Jakarta Post interviewed Sultan Hamengkubuwono X.

Question: This year's celebration seems to be better prepared. Is there a particular reason for this?

Sultan: If people have that impression, it's probably because of the orchestra, the theater and other performances. The idea came from them (artists). They wanted to perform in the kraton, I said OK. I have the space and asked them to go on stage in August. It's all their initiative and the plan sounds special. The kraton, as usual, initiated the Koran recital and the all- night wayang (shadow puppet) show.

How do you position the kraton in the community so the people can participate in its activities?

The kraton is flexible. Every ruling sultan has the right to make changes in keeping with society's dynamics. That explains why, for example, there are no longer sacred dances in the kraton. I exercised my right to ban such dances. I also made some changes in the kraton's management.

What fundamental changes have you made?

I introduced modern management.

Why did you ban sacred dances from the kraton?

The meaning of "sacred" depends on individual's perception. If something is considered "sacred" only because the people's level of education is inadequate, the argument is no longer relevant.

What traditional values do you cherish and hold onto in the kraton so the rapid developments in society do not overwhelm you?

The question concerns philosophical symbolism, which is universal. Changes only occur on the skin. The skin can change over the course of time, but not universal values.

In a coronation, for example, there is a philosophical symbol called Banyak Dalang Sawunggaling Hardowalika which serves to remind the king to be fair, wise and careful because everything he does have consequences for the people.

Batik worn in the coronation carries an example of the so- called universal symbolism. Now many people wear batik, so there is no problem (with wearing batik in the coronation ceremony).

But we do not know what will happen in 50 or 100 years. If there is no batik and the only clothes available are jeans, should the coronation be canceled just because batik is no longer available? Should the crown prince wear blue jeans instead?

Again, blue jeans in this example is only the skin. It would be meaningless to wear batik if we did not understand the universal symbolism. It is the substance that matters, not who wears the symbol.

How will the kraton participate in enforcing regional autonomy when most of Yogyakarta's economic potentials belong to you?

We let people to manage some of our property. I have even built irrigation facilities in the southern coastal area to help improve the well-being of locals. As long as they need it and can manage to cultivate the land, we let them.

How do you explain to the people that the kraton is no longer feudalistic?

I don't need to explain anything. They already know it.

The provincial administration and the kraton are two separate entities. The administration is not based on feudalism and the officials are not supposed to adopt feudalistic traits. Feudalism is not the special trait of the kraton. People who do not come from a feudalistic family background can be very feudalistic.

Law No. 22/1999 states that the selection of governor and vice governor of Yogyakarta should take into consideration the offspring of Yogyakarta's kraton and Puro Pakualaman (the living quarters in the palace complex for members of the aristocracy). What does that mean to you?

It's up to the community (to understand it). The law says it is so. There are pros and cons. Those who understand history probably will not mind the law but those who don't may say it's undemocratic. Monarchies, like those in the West, can be democratic, too. I have asked the Yogyakarta Legislative Council to clarify the particular article on the kraton offspring.

Does this mean that the law gives special privilege to the kraton's offspring in every gubernatorial election?

It again depends on what is meant by the sultan's offspring. Does this mean descendants of Sultan Hamengkubuwono I who do not live in Yogyakarta but are able to show from the family tree that they are the sultan's offspring?

Do you have a special message on the kraton's anniversary?

I just hope that the royal family will become good role models for the community.

How do you see Indonesia in the future?

We need new paradigms. What is outlined in the State Policy Guidelines is not enough because geopolitics have changed. We are in the era of globalization. We no longer talk about ideology, but information, technology, industry and marketing.

Indonesia will be most vulnerable as it lies between the busy Pacific Ocean and the South China Sea. If the present problem of disintegration only involves locals, in the future foreigners could be involved.

We need a new strategy to handle the problems of unity in this highly pluralistic nation.

We should redefine the meaning of Indonesia's neutrality .... The concept of neutrality in international relations as designed by our founding fathers needs updating. Now, hostile foreign countries do not need to send troops. They can just attack the rupiah so that its value plunges. We need new paradigms.