Transparent, no mask needed

In this age of television, politicians wear at least two masks, one for the public and one for the family or the real face. During election time, some politicians had a third mask in reserve, just in case the law caught them red-handed or rather red-faced.

The newly elected President Abdurrahman Wahid is a political leader who does not think he needs a mask since he is also a religious leader in the liberal sense of the word. His approach is modest and honest, indeed. He is so influential that he has nothing to fear, nothing to lose and nothing, if only very little, to hide or to gain by not wearing any mask, or by speaking bluntly and saying what he thinks. And yet, he has been chosen to lead a nation of 200 million people.

At his first media conference, after introducing the line-up of the National Unity Cabinet, he managed to steal the show despite his physical limitations. He might just be thinking that if president Roosevelt would win WW II from a wheelchair, then he (Abdurrahman Wahid) should dare to fight corrupt activities or reduce social poverty.

In case there were hypocrites among his audience, he stressed the need to call him just by his popular name "Gus Dur" and there was no need to address him with "excellency", or Bapak for that matter. His style of leadership has a smooth effect. His English was of a good standard to communicate his messages although he said foreign reporters were "wrong" in reporting the East Timor issue, instead of "incorrect". But he sounded, to my taste, more civilized when he spoke about national "endeavors" rather than "development activities".

The more Indonesian leaders make it a habit to speak English and use English expressions, the more positive the effect will be for Indonesia's intelligentsia to catch up with the international or even global community. How I wish all members of the legislative councils and legislators could debate in English, so that Indonesians diplomats could readily argue on global issues in international fora. Even better if they could do it in French and Arabic.

GANDHI SUKARDI

Jakarta