The quiet president

The quiet president

Although we usually appreciate the maxim that silence is
golden, alas, that time-honored rule does not apply to President
Megawati Soekarnoputri these days. As a matter of fact, the
Indonesian public is yearning to hear directly from its leader
some reassuring words to help it make sense of the whirlwind of
recent events.

In the meantime, what we were concerned about seems to be
happening already, namely that Megawati is being criticized by
prominent individuals and groups in the Islamic community. The
deputy secretary-general of the National Awakening Party (PKB),
Yahya Staquf, stated that Megawati had never consulted with the
people, especially the Islamic community, which constitutes the
majority, before stating her government's position with regard to
the U.S. attack on Afghanistan.

"The Islamic community in Indonesia does not feel represented
by Megawati," Staquf, who was president Abdurrahman Wahid's
spokesman, said. On Thursday, about 2,000 followers of Hizbut
Tahrir Indonesia demonstrated in front of Merdeka Palace after
protesting in front of the U.S. Embassy. They shouted that
Megawati should join them in their jihad against the U.S.

Of course, statements and actions such as these do not reflect
the position of the majority of the Islamic community. But in
many cases it is the perceived impression that is the determining
factor. Since the Megawati-Hamzah Haz government is supposed to
be a coalition of nationalists and centrist political Islamic
elements, any impression that the teamwork is beginning to show
rifts does not augur well for Indonesia's image.

That is why it is all the more urgent that President Megawati
address the nation directly, stating the importance of preserving
national unity. She should also stress that although public
expressions of particular political viewpoints are acceptable,
fanning religious emotions and threatening foreigners who live in
our midst run counter to Indonesia's national interests.

We are convinced that President Megawati has the ability to
reach out to the people, but we are at a loss as to why she is
choosing to remain silent at such a critical time.