Sultan of Yogya, a feudalistic figure who opposes feudalism

By Sutan Malekewi

YOGYAKARTA (JP): "If the sultan is indeed a reformist, he must quit from Golkar," an artist shouted spiritedly.

The challenge was voiced when Yogyakartan artists got together at the Keraton Yogyakarta compound to make a statement on May 18, three days before Soeharto stepped down as president. The sultan being referred to is Sultan Hamengku Buwono X, the ruler of the Yogyakarta palace and also chairman of Yogyakarta's regional board of Golkar.

Indeed, over the years, many people have queried the sultan's political independence as a traditional ruler of Yogyakarta. Locals seem to have found the courage to express disapproval of their ruler's political choice.

Queries of this kind will always be heard when the political climate is hot. Prior to the last election, there were posters and banners cynically stating: Sorry, Sultan, I opt for the United Development Party.

During the present period of reform, with people busily condemning the administration of former president Soeharto and all political elements supporting it, including Golkar, similar cynical remarks are also being heard.

So, at this point, the sultan is confronted with a dilemma -- to pursue his personal interests as a citizen with the freedom to make his political choice publicly, or to be politically independent as demanded by his subjects.

Even when student demonstrations reached their apex, the dilemma was there and the sultan still had not taken a stance.

"What counts is that all this time I have done something," he said. It was not very clear, though, what he meant by having done something. One thing was clear, that every time the students took to the streets and asked the sultan to support their political demands, he did not respond. Only in the final days of Soeharto's regime was the sultan brave enough to side with the demand for reform. Yet, even this was considered unsatisfactory because he had never asked Soeharto to step down.

Nevertheless, Yogyakartans continued to support him as their traditional leader. Even the students, who were very disappointed by the sultan's lack of response to their reform movement, applauded him when he officially stated his support for the movement during a giant mass rally here on May 20.

Recently, there have even been intensive talks among the political elite that Sultan Hamengku Buwono X fits the bill as a president because he is considered acceptable to many different groups.

However, just like someone wishing to be above all groups, it appears difficult for the sultan to avoid having an indecisive attitude. The problem is that while feudalism is already scrapped from the history of modern Indonesia, it lives on within the Yogyakarta palace.

"If feudalism, of which nepotism is part, is practiced in the palace, it's all right. However, feudalism has lost its relevance in a republic," he said once, quoted Kedaulatan Rakyat daily.

It is hard to deny that the public positions the sultan now holds are in a way rooted in feudalism, as they are inherited from his late father, Sultan Hamengku Buwono IX.

Sultan Hamengku Buwono X was born Herjunodarpito on March 2, 1946. His mother was Kanjeng Raden Ayu Windyaningrum, the second wife of the late Sultan Hamengku Buwono IX.

Though born of a second wife and not of the sultan's consort, Herjunodarpito, who, when he reached adulthood, was named Kanjeng Gusti Pangeran Haryo Mangkubumi, came to the Keraton Yogyakarta throne as Sultan Hamengku Buwono X, when his father passed away on Oct. 2, 1988. In addition to inheriting the throne, he also came into scores of companies owned by the Yogyakarta palace and the personal assets of his father.

After graduating from Gadjah Mada University's School of Law, Mangkubumi began to manage his father's Madukismo sugar mill. This paved the way to his becoming the chairman of the Yogyakarta chapter of the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Business dealings led him to political activities, and later to his assuming the chairmanship of the Golkar Yogyakarta regional governing board until now. His siblings are also involved in political and business activities. GBPH Joyokusumo is active in Golkar and is a national legislator, while GBPH Hadiwinoto is chairman of Golkar's regional governing board of Yogyakarta municipality and also a board member of the local Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

"I joined Golkar because I want to have a better understanding of the community. This is my commitment," said the sultan, the father of five and a keen golfer.

He reasoned that without joining any political force he would be void of experience as a community leader. He added that it was for this reason that it was impossible for him to take a neutral stance. In this context, he hoped that the community would be able to make a distinction between his position as the ruler of Yogyakarta palace and that as an individual person. As a sultan, he assumes a position above all groups, but as Hamengku Buwono, an individual, he has political rights like any other citizen.

"What is important is that although I belong to Golkar, my commitment is for the benefit of Yogyakartans," he said.

His commitment to the people of Yogyakarta is not solely political but also cultural in nature, as was clear from the resolve he made on the occasion of his coronation as Sultan Hamengku Buwono X in March 1989: "The crown for culture".

Indeed, the involvement of members of Yogyakarta's palace in political affairs is only seen in the context of the general election. In other contexts, the sultan is treated by the community more as a traditional leader and a businessman than as a Golkar chairman. That is why even activists of Yogyakarta's Indonesian Democratic Party requested assistance from the sultan.

Although the sultan spends more time doing cultural and business activities, certain quarters still harbor a suspicion that the sultan has an ambition to become the national leader. Which is why even an arts event called Popular Cultural Show, held at the Yogyakarta palace in 1997, was considered one of the sultan's efforts to mobilize political forces. Indeed, during this event, all artists of any branch of arts were given the freedom to express social and political facts found in society.

Of late, with many people talking about a new alternative president, the sultan has been unwilling to touch on reporters' question about this matter. "I don't want to give the impression that I nurture an ambition to become president," he said.

Even when championed as the general chairman of Golkar's central governing board, the sultan seems to object.

"There is no use becoming the general chairman of Golkar if one serves only as a sacrifice and is in no position to do anything," he said.

It is a public secret that the general chairman of Golkar can still be vetoed by the chairman of Golkar's board of patrons.

"That this is the practice is an example of feudalism and is out of proportion," he added.

So, the sultan embodies himself as a feudalistic figure inside Yogyakarta palace but as an opponent to feudalistic practices outside the palace walls.