What is ailing Indonesia?

S.P. Seth Freelance Writer Sydney SushilPSeth@aol.com

It is now four years since President Soeharto was forced out of office following popular unrest against his regime. Much of Indonesia's present problems stem from his long rule. For instance, the economy simply collapsed because it lacked substance and depth. It was an edifice built on sand, and when the storm came it simply gave way. Politically, the illusion of stability was built on a tightly controlled oppressive system that simply refused to acknowledge problems.

Take the case of East Timor. It is possible to argue that under a flexible and responsive democratic system its separatism might have been resolved through an autonomy arrangement. But there was simply no give and take. And the same goes for the festering separatism in Aceh, Papua and elsewhere in the country.

Because everything was bottled up during Soeharto's long rule, it simply burst out when the steam was let off from Indonesia's pressure cooker society. And the long period of repression simply hardened attitudes due to lack or absence of trust.

Besides, the post-Soeharto political transition has hardly been inspiring. From B.J. Habibie to Abdurrahman Wahid to the presidency of Megawati Soekarnoputri, it has simply reinforced popular cynicism. And why not: There is simply not much, if anything, to celebrate. Habibie was a quirky personality, hardly the kind to preside over Indonesia's tumultuous transition. Wahid was colorful but erratic.

President Megawati has the Messiah complex- kind of Mother Indonesia. She regards the entire country as her nursery with the mother knows it all kind of attitude.

Which explains her dismissive attitude towards the media or anyone else inclined to ask questions. The reality, though, is that she is lacking in a grasp of the multi-faceted crisis facing Indonesia. She neither understands the problems nor has worked out possible answers. Hence, her tendency to retreat into silence. Which elevates her to a pedestal where those below appear ignorant and truant like wayward children.

What are the country's problems? The foremost obviously is the economy. It was its sudden economic collapse that brought down Soeharto. And there are no quick fixes. Therefore, the most honest course will be to take people into confidence and come clean on the severity of the situation. Obviously, this will not satisfy people who are looking for actual economic relief. But this will set in motion a process of building up trust.

This is what seems to be lacking most between Indonesia's political leadership and its people. The people simply don't believe that politics has much changed, and regard the entire lot of politicians as corrupt species out to feather their own nest. There might even be some nostalgia for the Soeharto period when things were simple and predictable and not haywire as now.

There is also a need to pay more attention to the country's rural economy. A country of Indonesia's size and population, with a predominantly rural population, cannot resolve its problems by concentrating on urban (industrial) economy. Apart from its limited employment opportunities, it is much more subject to vagaries of market. While agriculture is not only an economic activity, it is also a way of life for bulk of the Indonesian people. It is woven into the social and cultural fabric of the people, and hence is more cohesive and stable.

Besides, an economic platform geared to rural development creates a sense of participation among people. Small and medium agro-businesses can help to create more employment, and add depth to rural economy.

At the same time, the government might seek to coopt the country's informal economy of independent workers selling small goods and services. By recognizing their status and providing access to loans and other facilities, these workers will be motivated to expand their range of economic activities.

Which doesn't mean that Indonesia should retreat from industrial and information economy. What it means is that the government needs to create a sustainable balance between the urban and rural sectors. Once there is some credible movement to revive and rejuvenate rural economy, popular cynicism is likely to subside over a period of time. Indonesia needs some bold and spectacular government initiatives to create hope and trust with the people at large.

Of course, there are outstanding problems of debt repayment and the IMF pressure. But surely there is a new interest in Indonesia's stability in the wake of the global terrorist threat. And nothing is more stable than a new compact between a government and its people after a grassroots movement of rural economic revival. Much of any country's religious extremism is the result of poverty and a sense of hopelessness. And Indonesia can set the pace in this regard.

Even Indonesia's separatism might not seem as intractable in the midst of a new national mood of a general forward movement. As with the country's independence movement, Indonesia's needs an over-riding goal to charge its batteries. President Megawati Soekarnoputri could provide the required political leadership to galvanize her people, being the daughter of Indonesia's founding father. But will she? Not if she is simply rearranging the chairs to create a partnership with the military to underwrite her leadership. That will be like revisiting Soeharto nightmare in a new garb.