Whence come rumors?
Whence come rumors?
Public concern about the health of President Soeharto has
apparently been exploited by some people to instill fear into the
financial markets, leading to the renewed free-fall of the rupiah
these past few days. Rumors about Soeharto's failing health has
sent the rupiah plunging, almost by leaps and bounds, touching a
record low each day. Yesterday, it hit the psychological barrier
of Rp 6,000 to the dollar.
The rumors gained currency in spite of repeated assurances --
first by his officials, and later by Soeharto himself -- that
there was nothing wrong with his health. The President simply
needed to take a rest for 10 days after a strenuous overseas
trip. The market continued to be jittery nevertheless, and his
decision to cancel a number of foreign trips seemed to lend
credence to the rumors.
We leave the difficult task to the authorities of
investigating who started these malicious rumors. But the fact
that the wildest of rumors could impinge on business decisions
illustrates the precarious condition of the economy. Public
confidence over the economy -- and some would add over the
government's ability to manage the economy -- is at a very low
ebb, so much so that people are prone to believe rumors more than
official statements.
The rumors circulating have ranged from saying that Soeharto
was suffering from flu or a stomach ailment to speculation at one
point that he had even died. The reality is, of course, very
different.
A true soldier and fighter, Soeharto never took the rest as
prescribed. He continued to work from his residence, summoning
and receiving ministers. He ordered the monetary council to
handle the monetary crisis.
In short, in spite of doctors' orders to rest, he continued
leading the nation the way he has been doing for the last 32
years. This, perhaps, explains in some way the strong public
concern, or fear, for the President's health.
Soeharto has been the central figure in Indonesia for the past
three decades. He is the only one among his peers still fully
active in government. In the absence of any clear successor, his
health has naturally become the concern of the people he leads.
We are reminded of Sukarno, Soeharto's predecessor, in the
last years of his leadership, particularly in 1965 when his
health also became the talk of the town. The rumors circulating
then said that Sukarno was suffering from kidney problems.
Sukarno, of course, lived for another five years, but rumors of
his failing health apparently led to the Indonesian Communist
Party's (PKI) decision to launch the coup d'etat in September of
that same year which unleashed political turmoil.
We are drawing an analogy between Soeharto and Sukarno solely
for the purpose of illustrating that a leader is a human being
who is not immune to fatigue and illness, even if the best
medical team the world is on hand to help. It happens to the best
of leaders.
Russian President Boris Yeltsin is currently resting in a
sanatorium. George Bush and Ronald Reagan were hospitalized
during their terms as American president. A head of state taking
a rest is nothing unusual. Malaysia's Prime Minister Mahathir
Mohamad took a three-month rest this year and went on a tour of
Europe.
What distinguishes Indonesia from these other countries is the
psyche of its people. Even the slightest hint of trouble
affecting the health of the Indonesian President has had strong
ramifications in society. In Sukarno's time, it affected the
political situation. Today, it is the economy that is taking the
brunt. That, sadly, says a lot about the political culture in
this country.