We need another

We need another 'Bung' Karno

From Rakyat Merdeka

Indonesia's first president Sukarno, better known as Bung (Brother) Karno, was excellent at uniting this nation by means of, among other things, identifying a common enemy.

He diverted the attention of the nation to Papua and made The Netherlands the country's common enemy.

Temporarily, we forgot inter-ethnic conflicts and our poverty as the people were busy training as volunteers to fight for the return of Papua to Jakarta's control.

Afterwards, to divert attention from the poverty that swept the country, Bung Karno found another common enemy. This time it was Malaysia, a new federal state, the establishment of which was assisted by Britain. Again, the people were busy training as volunteers to be sent to the front lines to wage war with Malaysia.

Under Bung Karno, and Soeharto, Indonesia's second president, Indonesia had a strong central government. Regardless of their human failings, the two presidents commanded respect.

After Soeharto stepped down, the Indonesian people lost its true leaders. The fall of the New Order has led to the emergence of so many political leaders that the country is now thrown into a deeper abyss of a protracted crisis. These leaders are busy offering their solutions, but none have mass appeal to the people.

Bomb blasts in Bali and elsewhere, the loss of Sipadan and Ligitan Islands to Malaysia as a result of a bilateral dispute on ownership settled at the World Court and the hikes in daily necessities and utilities are just a few examples of what a shambles this country is in, economically and politically.

The so-called leaders, speaking in the name of the people and religion, have shown only manipulative opportunism.

In short, Indonesians are longing for a true leader, one that has the courage to severely punish corruptors that are causing losses worth Rp 1,600 trillion to the country. Indonesians need a government that can provide jobs to the 40 million jobless people across the country and lift another 80 million people out of dire poverty.

Surely, if Indonesia's leaders of the past, such as Bung Karno, Bung Hatta, Bung Syahril, General Sudirman, Sri Sultan Hamengku Buwono IX, rose from their graves, they would weep bitterly to see how the country is now on the brink of disintegration with poverty spreading swiftly to every part of the country.

R. BAGUS SYANI K. Jakarta