What now, Megawati?
What now, Megawati?
After all the praise that has been heaped by the public and
the media on President Megawati Soekarnoputri for the
contribution she made in smoothing the path towards democracy in
Indonesia, news of the unexpected resignation of the chief of the
Indonesian military (TNI), Gen. Endriartono Sutarto, and his
proposed replacement by the Army chief, Gen. Ryamizard Ryacudu,
came like a bombshell, crashing down and ready to spoil the post-
election mood of mutual goodwill and trust that seems only just
to be on the point of blossoming among the Indonesian public.
Of course, at issue is not that unforeseen shifts in
leadership are taboo in the armed services. The problem is that
Gen. Endriartono's resignation, and his proposed replacement by
Gen. Ryamizard Ryacudu, occurs at the very moment of transition
between two administrations -- from that of the incumbent
president, Megawati, to that of the president-elect, Susilo
Bambang Yudhoyono. The point is that although no clear-cut ruling
or legislation exists that prohibits an outgoing president from
doing so, political ethics dictate that an outgoing president not
make any policy decisions that are of a strategic nature.
To make matters worse -- and to further add to the public's
suspicions of some hidden political agenda being unrolled by the
pro-Megawati camp -- Gen. Endriartono has so far given no
explanation whatsoever of the reasons for his resignation.
Analysts are merely left to assume that his reason for doing so
was in protest to the much-criticized presidential decision to
grant the title of full general to two of Megawati's close
assistants, the Coordinating Minister ad interim of Political and
Security Affairs, Hari Sabarno, and the head of the National
Intelligence Agency, A.M. Hendropriyono.
Pro-Megawati politicians have pointed out that there is
"nothing strange" about Gen. Endriartono's retirement, since he
is already two years past his official retirement age. However,
one point that further strengthens the public's suspicions of
foul play is the fact that a convention exists in the Indonesian
armed services to rotate the top leadership among the three armed
services: the Army, the Navy and the Air Force. If Gen. Endriarto
is to be replaced, military observers say, it should be the turn
of the Air Force to assume the top command post.
Whatever the case, and whatever one may say about the whole
affair, one thing is clear: This highly irregular manner of
leadership change within the armed services, the TNI, is certain
to place the incoming president, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono --
whose privilege it should have been to make the appointments --
in a difficult position, even though, technically, the final word
on the subject has not been spoken. House of Representatives
Speaker Agung Laksono, who as a member of the Golkar Party also
belongs to the pro-Megawati Nationhood Coalition, said the other
day that the appointment of a TNI chief must be done with the
approval of the House of Representatives. Ryamizard, according to
Agung, would only serve as acting TNI chief, pending the
appointment of a new commander. With his appointment as TNI
chief, Ryamizard now holds three key leadership posts within the
military: Army Chief of Staff, acting chief of the TNI, and chief
of the Army's Strategic Reserves Command (Kostrad).
In the meantime, it would be sad for the Indonesian people to
see Megawati fail to take this opportunity to bow out gracefully.
Not only has she so far refused to reconcile her differences with
the president-elect and ensure a smooth transition, she has yet
to concede to her election defeat and congratulate the president-
elect and former rival, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono. For the sake of
not only her own personal esteem, but for the future of her
party, the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), we
hope she will as yet see the light and act as befits a true
leader; with grace and elegance.