The war of public opinion

The war of public opinion

The photo of presidents Megawati Soekarnoputri and George W.
Bush shaking hands, splashed across most front pages of major
newspapers on Monday, solicited two diametric responses from the
public. Some saw it as a symbol of increasing cooperation between
the two countries in confronting a common enemy: Terrorists.
Skeptics, and there are many around today, saw it as a symbol of
the extent to which the United States controls or dictates the
policies of Indonesia in waging the war on terrorism.

Just over two weeks after the bomb blasts that killed nearly
200 people in Bali, domestic public opinion on the government's
handling of the issue of terrorism has once again been polarized
into these two contrasting views. These attacks have not only
destroyed Bali and its reputation as a safe haven for tourists,
but they now look to be devastating for the rest of the country.

Why this polarization, when the nation is supposed to be
united to confront a common enemy that seems bent on destroying
the country? Part of the problem, if not the chief problem, is
lack of leadership on the part of the government, particularly on
the part of President Megawati, in waging the war on terrorism.

To her credit, the President did just about everything
expected of her in the day following the Oct. 12 bomb attacks in
Bali. She called a media conference the day after the bombing,
and visited Bali to inspect the site, and met survivors and
comforted injured victims. There were question marks about her
delivery of the message, and her seemingly lack of sensitivity or
lack of remorse, but at the very least, she took the initiative
in personally handling the matter.

Megawati subsequently presided over a series of crisis Cabinet
meetings to discuss the government's approach to the problem. She
was instrumental in making controversial decisions as the
establishment of a multinational task force to investigate the
bombing; in issuing the new counter-terrorism regulations; in
ordering that Muslim cleric Abu Bakar Ba'asyir be put under
arrest; and in supporting the UN's listing of Ba'asyir's Jamaah
Islamiyah (JI) as an official terrorist organization.

Those were indeed bold decisions that only the President could
have made. Could she have done more?

Yes. She could have been more communicative with the people.

Apart from the short media conference on Oct. 13, she has not
appeared before the nation to address the problem of terrorism,
to tell us what her government hopes to achieve, and how it plans
to achieve its goals, if it has any.

Instead, President Megawati has delegated that job, and the
entire affairs of countering terrorism to her two aides: security
chief minister Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, and the National
Intelligence Agency (BIN) chief Hendropriyono. These two men,
however, appear to be more concerned with their own reputations,
and probably their own political agenda, so much so that their
effectiveness in leading the campaign is questionable.

Besides, this is a war that is simply too big to be left in
the hands of her lieutenants. The war on terrorism must be led by
the President herself, and she must be seen to be leading the
nation in this war.

Megawati could learn a thing or two about leadership from
President George W. Bush. The bomb attack in Bali was not all
that different from the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the
United States. President Megawati should have treated the attack
as a declaration of war on Indonesia. And she should have
responded by declaring a war on terrorism, not for the sake of
foreign governments and foreign tourists, but for the sake of her
own people and her country. That message seems to have been lost.

There is even a growing perception among the public -- as seen
from the response to Megawati's meeting with Bush in Mexico over
the weekend -- that she was only doing this to appease the United
States and other governments on whom Indonesia's economy depends.

Because she does not appear to be personally leading the
campaign -- we have not even heard her of any Cabinet official
referring to this as a war -- instead, confusion reigns.
Yudhoyono, who was delegated to communicate the government's
policies to the public, does not appear to be up to the task.

Some people might argue that it was not Megawati's style to be
seen to be leading or to be taking the initiative, and that she
might even draw unwarranted criticism if she was seen to be
pushing too hard in this campaign.

But in this war against terrorism, President Megawati's worst
enemy are not the terrorist organizations, but the domestic
public opinion, which could turn against her. Without solid
domestic support, she may as well forget about the war. And the
only way of winning public opinion is by personally leading the
war, and by being seen to be leading the war.