What is ailing Indonesia?

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.