The people's wishes for a new Indonesia

The people's wishes for a new Indonesia

JAKARTA (JP): Politicians talk a lot on the subject, but we
are yet to hear a clear definition of what the new Indonesia
means. In an effort to make a clean break with the past,
Indonesians are calling the era a "new" something, just like the
coining in 1966 of the term "New Order".

The Jakarta Post talks to people from all walks of life to
hear their input on what a new Indonesia should be all about.

Hendardi, chairman of the Indonesian Legal Aid and Human
Rights Association: Ideally, the new Indonesia will be an
Indonesia based on democracy. When the supremacy of civilians is
implemented, supremacy of the law will follow.

Indonesia in the New Order and even in this transitional
period has been controlled by military forces. The military
should perform its main task of defending the country from
outside attack and be removed from the political arena.

Besides the removal of the military, constitutional reform
which ensures public rights has to be undertaken to avoid any
abuse by the authorities. Furthermore, the "floating mass" policy
has to be terminated, allowing the public to enter organizations
of their choice and enabling people to freely voice their
political opinions through the organization.

With supremacy of the law, Indonesia can enter a new era, the
new Indonesia. The law based on political interests has to be
changed to protect the democratization process itself.

Hardjanto Salim, secretary of Ramayana Corporation: For me,
the new Indonesia means more jobs for people, security for
everyone and stability for the business community.

But what the business community really needs is a stable
economy without the sharp fluctuation of the rupiah.

Everyone in the business circle is pinning their hopes on the
new Indonesia. But hopes are all we have, we have yet to see real
commitment.

I fear that Indonesians have short memories. Five years from
now, will anyone in the government remember their commitment to
establish a new Indonesia? They might return to their old habits
and that would make the new Indonesia as meaningless as the New
Order.

Umar Fahmi, acting director general of communicable disease
control and environmental health at the Ministry of Health: The
new Indonesia means a new unified state which grants full
regional autonomy. Each region in the country has their own
interests, so full autonomy would be the suitable form of a new
Indonesia.

The new Indonesia should also uphold justice and equality
among the people, there should be no more extreme economic
disparity between the rich and the poor.

The new country should allow people to have more access to
information. Developing a new model of education along with an
improvement of moral integrity would also be important aspects of
achieving a new Indonesia.

Personally, I believe we can achieve a new nation if everyone
is willing to be patient.

Isti Santoso, an employee of the Ministry of Health: I do not
understand the real meaning of the new Indonesia, but maybe it is
the replacement of the old government and leaders with new ones.

I don't really care what the meaning of the new Indonesia is
as long as everything gets better. I sincerely hope that the
"new" thing does not end up being just more rhetoric from the new
leaders.

From the meaning of the word, I believe that it will be
better, just like a new dress is better than an old one.

Retno Widyowardhani, a 26-year-old high school teacher in
Depok: I hope the new Indonesia will set a new pattern in our
education system, especially in high school. I'm speaking about
the relation between subjects that should be clear at each level.
We don't have such a thing here.

I also think that it is suppose to mean that there will be no
more student brawls or riots.

As a mother of a two-year-old son, I also hope my child can
develop in a good neighborhood with other healthy children. I'm
very concerned about the possibility of a lost generation here.

Mohamad Ariful Muntohar, 32, a ketoprak traditional food
vendor in front of the Cipto Mangunkusumo General Hospital
morgue: The new Indonesia means poor and common people can obtain
their rights and no longer be treated unfairly by the government.

It means I can receive the full amount of my working capital
loan as promised by the government, a percentage of which used to
be cut and given to government officials' relatives and friends.

It means no more lies. The previous government pledged to
enhance people's welfare, but all it did was deceive the people
on a large scale.

My grandfather once said that he was lucky to have free
education, although the country was then occupied by the Dutch
military. He said he pitied children nowadays who have to pay for
their education, books and pencils.

Wendy Samsumin, 25, a fashion buyer at a chain department
store: The new Indonesia means that my work is easier and safer.

I don't take politics too seriously, as long as I can do my
work and enjoy my life without too many worries, than everything
is fine by me.

I also hope the new Indonesia can provide cheaper goods for
all of us, especially for our basic needs.

Samuel Quiko, 61, resident of the old "Portuguese" area of
Tugu in North Jakarta: The new Indonesia means that the rule of
law is implemented. I've never experienced any benefits from
respecting the law here. I mean people who try to follow the rule
of the game will only face losses.

For instance, I think most people who are caught by traffic
police for violating traffic signs choose to bribe the police
instead of following the rules because there is no incentive for
those who obey them.

Soentoro, inspector general at the Ministry of Forestry and
Plantations: Law enforcement should be the priority in rebuilding
a new democratic Indonesia focusing on public welfare. It is
needed to uphold justice and ensure public freedom.

Legal institutions have failed to defend public interests in
their investigation of malpractice cases, especially in the
forest industry.

The country needs to rearrange the legal system and its
apparatus to support and continually uphold law and order.

Former finance minister Fuad Bawazier: Whatever people may
call the era, the current government's task is to correct the
terrible mistakes made in the previous eras.

The nation's economy and political life were abused during
more than the 30-year rule under former president Soeharto. The
transitional government under former president B.J. Habibie in
fact continued this tradition of abuse.

The current government needs to fix the ailing economy and
quickly get out of the foreign debt trap inherited from previous
eras.

The tremendous economic growth, which relied heavily on
foreign debts, has also helped drag the country's economy to the
point of collapse. The economic policies that favored big
businesses at the expense of the much larger population of small
and medium-sized businesses has proven to be a time bomb for the
Indonesian economy.

Shinta Langka, 24, public relations manager at the Sahid Jaya
Hotel: First, I think the government or whoever is in charge
should uphold democratic values in its policies. I know that not
all people's interests can be accommodated, but at least the
policies could serve the majority of the people and also touch
the lives of the minority.

I often hear the new Indonesia term from television talk
shows. The shows are entertaining and at the same time provide
some knowledge about politics to people, or shape our ideas about
politics. However, I believe many of us also doubt whether there
is any follow-up to those dialogs.

I believe the new Indonesia should mean the return of
international trust in our country. This will substantially
influence our economic movements. Because of the current
political situation in the country, directly or indirectly our
hotel occupancy rates drop.

All we want is stability -- politically and economically -- in
our new Indonesia so that we can catch up on everything.

Doddi Amarudien, 42, company communication vice president PT
Telkom, Bandung: The new Indonesia is an Indonesia which is able
to enforce the existing laws. The supremacy of the law is a must
for everybody. The new Indonesia must also give prosperity to the
people and must be very religious so that the people can achieve
an earthly and heavenly balance. The new Indonesia must be more
respected by the international world.

There are cases where we cannot use credit cards abroad. There
is continual negative news about Indonesia everywhere, including
on commercial flights. This is a real disgrace for us. The new
Indonesia must be able to exist with the vigorous global
competition.

Ida Farida, 33, a Bandung-based housewife: The new Indonesia
is a circumstance where education and prosperity for the people
can be gained. Children can go to school without their parents'
worrying about the fees. Families can afford to obtain proper
medical treatment. The new Indonesia is a situation where the
taxes are used for people's welfare, without being corrupted. It
is a guarantee for people's security without riots and violence.

KH Abdurrahim Nur, 60, a Surabaya-based ulema: There won't be
any new Indonesia if moral decadence continues and development
remains focused on economic values rather than moral and ethical
values. So what's the difference?

The new Indonesia is a condition where human rights are fully
respected. Ethics must be above everything in the new Indonesia,
unlike the Old and New Order regimes which put the economy and
politics above everything. From this perspective, all government
officials must be clean and the supremacy of the law must be
upheld. I'm sure we will all be able to achieve this, moreover,
our President is now a kyai (a Muslim elder).

Bambang Suyanto, 22, student activist at the Surabaya
Institute of Technology: Does the new Indonesia exist? I am
pessimistic that our nation is entering a new and more ideal era.
The nation is on the brink of disintegration. Democracy develops
without opposition. Law enforcement depends on politicians. The
economy makes no progress, gali lobang tutup lobang (robbing
Peter to pay Paul).

The new Indonesia will be born if our politicians are ready to
win and ready to lose, with no grudges and no hard feelings among
politicians. The new Indonesia will exist as a real fraternity
within one nation. The new Indonesia we are dreaming about is
being dictated by foreign people, through the IMF team, the Bank
Bali team etc. We are losing our sovereignty.

Basir, 41, a small-scale tailor in Medan: The new Indonesia is
a united Indonesia from Sabang to Merakue. We can't talk about
East Timor any longer. Let bygones be bygones. The new Indonesia
is an Indonesia with clean governance.

Afrida, 21, a midwife living in Medan: The new Indonesia is a
country where job seekers easily get jobs, where there is no
unemployment, and no collusive and nepotistic practices in
recruiting new employees. If one gets a job, he or she is capable
of performing the job. Corruption, collusion and nepotism have
been rampant, even in the Ministry of Health.

Ircham Abdurrahman, 51, deputy speaker of the Central Java
Legislative Council in Semarang: The new Indonesia is an
Indonesia without discrimination. No one says I'm a Golkar
person, or I'm a Javanese. We all say we are Indonesians. The new
Indonesia is an Indonesia whose people are ready for global
competition and ready to face (foreign) economic, ideological and
technological maneuvers which may endanger the nation. The new
Indonesia is an independent Indonesia which has a positive image
among other nations.

Mukimin, 50, a telephone operator at the Central Java
Legislative Council Office in Semarang: In the new Indonesia
there are no communal or interreligious clashes. It is a united
Indonesia without friction, without disintegration. A new
Indonesia is a prosperous Indonesia without poverty, and where
due rights are accorded to ordinary people.

Daeng Patta, 37, a worker living in Makassar: The new
Indonesia is a peaceful Indonesia. There is no violence and no
disintegration; every individual practices tolerance toward each
other. Now Aceh reportedly wants freedom. I will be very sad if
the country disintegrates. We pity the freedom fighters. I also
want a new Indonesia which has a high employment rate, where
staple foods are cheap and readily available and if its possible,
where education is free.

Darwis, 31, a postgraduate student at Hasanuddin University,
Makassar: The new Indonesia is an Indonesia which is legally,
culturally, socially and economically new. The supremacy of the
law must be respected. Everybody is democratic. The empowerment
of middle and low-level economies must have priority. The new
Indonesia is Indonesia with stronger traditional values which are
able to screen foreign cultures. The most important thing for the
new Indonesia is for Indonesia to be without corruption.

Supriyono, a parking attendant at the South Jakarta District
Court: The new Indonesia means all people enjoy the fruits of
development facilitated by the government. People should find it
easy to get jobs, so that there will be no more unemployed
people. I expect the new government to give more attention to the
unemployed who have yet to obtain permanent jobs.

Pijor Siregar, a journalist with Suara Bangsa evening daily :
Our nation needs a psychological overhaul to welcome the new
Indonesia, especially because we have a mentality which is
besmirched by corruption, collusion and nepotism. This mentality
has become a culture in our society, and we should work hard to
eradicate it; the culture has brought us into high-cost economy,
and into a deterioration of ethics.

Poppy Dharsono, chairwoman of the Association of Indonesian
Fashion Designers: A new Indonesia is a country where you can
think freely and express your ideas freely, but of course without
violating ethics and an individual's privacy.

A new Indonesia is a country which upholds the supremacy of
the law.

But it will take time for the new Indonesia to come into
being. If we can make it within five years, it would be swift.

Yongki Komaladi, a shoe designer/businessman: I've never heard
of the term new Indonesia, but as a businessman, I want a country
which is politically stable and safe. We should have better human
resources so that we can produce better products with more local
content to compete with products from other countries.

Tjuk Sudono, councilor from the National Mandate Party (PAN)
faction: I'm a person who has an optimistic view on the new
Indonesia. Supremacy of the law will be upheld gradually in line
with a strengthening of civilian government and society.

As a Jakarta councilor, I think that the implementation of Law
on Regional Autonomy and Law on Fiscal Balance between the
central and regional administrations will bring improvements to
the city.

The implementation of the laws will also lead to improvements
in other regions in the country as part of the new Indonesia.

I'm sure that the big problems, such as the separatist
movement in Aceh and Irian Jaya, can be solved by the new
government.(team)