Time for Gus Dur to understand the people: Scholar
YOGYAKARTA (JP): It is the time for President Abdurrahman Wahid to understand the people, a scholar said in a seminar here on Monday.
Riswanda Imawan, a political observer at Gadjah Mada University, said in a discussion Understanding Gus Dur that Gus Dur, as the President is affectionately called, was still applying the old leadership principle of "you follow me' rather than "I follow you", which is really relevant and needed in a modern society.
The half-day seminar organized by The Jakarta Post representative office in Yogyakarta also featured two other noted scholars -- economist A. Tony Prasetyantono and state administrative law expert Mohammad Mahfud.
Therefore, Riswanda said, the people are required to understand (the will of) the leader and not vice versa. "As a consequence, the management pattern being employed by the President is inspired by the New Order's management style."
He cited the elimination of certain people from the Cabinet, and the repressive methods applied by both the New Order regime and Abdurrahman's administration.
"It is right that he (the President) has the prerogative to fire Cabinet ministers. However, the fact that the fired ministers had been guaranteed by their political party leaders should have been considered."
Riswanda suggested that Abdurrahman recruit true political experts who have unquestioned mastery of political science, not political activists or politicians, as his political advisors.
"This could prevent Gus Dur from making controversial and confusing statements," said Riswanda.
According to Mohammad Mahfud, Abdurrahman, former chairman of Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), the largest Muslim organization in Indonesia, is believed by most NU members to be wali (the chosen one or religious icon).
As a wali he would do no wrong, said Mahfud of Yogyakarta's Indonesian Islamic University.
"Whatever he does is right. The more he denies that he is wali the stronger the people believe that he is wali. Thus if he does something right, the people say that it is a sign that he is an icon. But if he does something wrong they will say that people don't understand what he does."
Tony Prasetyantono, who is also from Gadjah Mada University, shares his opinion. Tony said that Gus Dur needed "champions" in macroeconomics to save the people from further downfall.
"He needs macroeconomists to strengthen the economic team to help him correct the country's catastrophe. We need macroeconomists who are always thinking about WTO even in their dreams," he said, mentioning a few names, including Dorojatun Kuncorojakti and Mari Pangestu.
The "champions" would also help the President better understand the real economic situation. It is not that easy for someone to explain the real economic problems to the President due to his physical handicap.
"Explanations of economy are usually accompanied by tables, graphs, curves, or diagrams that are difficult to explain with words only," he said. "It is, therefore, quite understandable that Gus Dur has difficulty making correct economic policies.
Meanwhile, in Makassar, South Sulawesi, senior lawyer Adnan Buyung Nasution called all parties and all layers of society to continue supporting Abdurrahman, despite his weaknesses and shortcomings, "Or the situation will deteriorate."
Buyung was of the opinion that a total reshuffle of the current Cabinet would facilitate economic recovery. "We need professional, idealistic Cabinet members with clear commitments.
He said Abdurrahman has no clear programs. "He reigns with intuition." (swa/sur/27)