The President's speech

The President's speech

President Megawati Soekarnoputri's New Year's Eve speech,
which was recorded on Dec. 28 before she took off for vacations
in Bali, reflects the inherent [tendency] trait of[for]
Indonesians to look only at the positive side of things. At one
point of her speech she stated: "However difficult our world,
it's not doomsday yet. There are other countries whose conditions
is far worse than ours at present."

In a great number of Indonesian households this statement
could be seen as to reflect an insensitivity. With so many heads
of families having lost their jobs, their savings spent, their
children forced to drop out of their schools, the specter of
eviction from their rented homes possibly hanging over their
families' heads and with no improvement in sight, it must look as
if doomsday has already arrived.

As for the president's statement that there are other
countries that are faring far worse than Indonesia at present,
it should come as no surprise that her words have attracted some
rather cynical comments among members of the community. It is
true that Indonesia is not like some African countries, which are
suffering from famine and AIDS epidemics.

We can also count ourselves fortunate for not having had to
share the fate of the people of Afghanistan, who for have for
years gone bent under the oppressive rule of the Taliban and then
endured the massive bombing raids of the Americans in their
search for Osama bin Laden and his al-Qaeda organization. It is
also fortunate that we have not experienced the collapse of our
monetary system as has happened in Argentina, triggering street
demonstrations and a succession of presidential changes.

However, after having counted our blessings and being grateful
for the fact that things are a little better in Indonesia, where
does that leave us? Because the other side of that self-extolling
remark is the sad story of missed opportunities and time wasted
because of indecisiveness in government circles.

Millions of Indonesians would have been better off and the
proverbial poverty line could have been a little lower had this
country had a government that knew what to do and the courage to
implement the required decisions.

This year 2002 is important for precipitating improvements in
practically every sector of our national life because next year
our political leaders, who are also manning the top governmental
positions, will start preparing themselves for the 2004 general
elections.

The question now is how to instill a sense of urgency among
our leaders, starting with President Megawati, to trigger
movement so that decisions can be made and implemented to solve
the long-festering conflicts in a number of localities throughout
the country, speed up the divestation of assets in order to
replenish the state coffers, clean up the banking industry in
order that it can properly carry out its function of stimulating
economic activity, and many other necessary undertakings.

There is no better way than for the public, especially its
leaders, the press, academics, the people's representatives in
the various legislative bodies to continue to express their
opinions and their criticism. After all, that is what democracy
is about: the airing of different opinions and the channeling of
criticism.

President Megawati and her associates had better get used to
this fundamental characteristic of democracy.