Where our nation is now

In its unwavering move to create a democratic government, this nation on Wednesday elected a new speaker of the House of Representatives. Elected as speaker was Akbar Tandjung, the chairman of the country's second largest political party, Golkar. He won a secret ballot with 411 votes.

His nearest rival, Soetarjo Soerjogoeritno of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan), garnered only 54 votes even though his party has the largest faction in the House. Soetarjo and three other deputy speakers representing various political groupings will assist Akbar.

Over the weekend, the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR), the country's highest constitutional body, elected Mohammad Amien Rais, chairman of National Mandate Party (PAN) as its speaker. Amien is flanked by five deputy speakers.

Many circles were upset by Akbar's victory. Many commented that it was a further blow to PDI Perjuangan chairwoman Megawati Soekarnoputri, a leading contender in the upcoming presidential election, who had earlier suffered a loss when Matori Abdul Djalil of the National Awakening Party (PKB), whom she supported for Assembly speaker, was defeated by Amien, who represented a smaller party. Amien was reported later to have gained major support from Golkar.

There were apparently backroom deals going on in which some party had to sacrifice a position to another, while at the same time another group was doing the same thing.

There is nothing illicit in such a deal as long as it is done within a democratic framework and the right people are placed in the right jobs. Amien, a university professor turned politician, has been principally welcomed because, from his position, he has the ability to promote democracy and political reform. And he earned high respect when he became one of the first to step out and aim sharp criticism at the despotic and avaricious rule of president Soeharto.

Akbar has a less brighter record. He served as one of Soeharto's Cabinet minister for 15 years before his fallen hero was humiliated and forced to step aside by student demonstrations in 1997. Many people then called for Golkar to be dismantled.

However, Akbar was later elected as Golkar chairman and managed to turn Soeharto's former election machine into a viable political party, fit enough to survive the turbulent social changes. And beyond anybody's wild imagination, except perhaps Akbar's and his colleagues', Golkar came in as runner-up in the recent general election.

By any standards the party and its dormant and unemotional chairman now deserve a place in Indonesia's political spectrum.

This kind of political forbearance can be understood if it is placed within a larger dimension. The leading parties seemed to have reached a compromise on how to create a new Indonesia and save the people from another disastrous crisis.

To date they have shared some power among them. What they still have to do is to elect the chairman of the State Advisory Board (DPA), which in the past has been an august but toothless body, the advice of which everybody loved to ignore.

There have been suggestions that the body should be abolished because it has no place in a modern Indonesian state. But this can only be done by amending the 1945 Constitution, which will be done before too long.

Until then many considered Abdurrahman "Gus Dur" Wahid, leader of the Nahdlatul Ulama Muslim organization, would be a fitting DPA chairman. If that eventuated, Gus Dur would surely have to adapt his style to the job. In the past he has voiced a lot of social and political criticism, some constructive, but more often confusing. Perhaps he would be better suited to chair the DPA after all, and forget about running for president. It would be better for everyone if he were to leave the job of running the country to a more capable, healthier person.

And now that the presidential election is drawing near, people's faith in the MPR appears to be reawakening. What the nation has achieved since the MPR first convened on Oct. 1 is a greater step forward in the effort to put the right person at the country's helm.

It is a matter of life and death for Indonesia in its march to put itself in an honorable place in the world. This can only be attained if Indonesians can rid themselves of the man who has worsened the ruinous kleptocracy during the past 16 months.