Why has Megawati grown in stature?

Why has the embattled chief of the Indonesian Democratic Party, Megawati Soekarnoputri, been able to contain pressure on her since the controversial government-backed congress of the Indonesian Development Party in Medan last month? Political observer Riswandha Imawan has the answer.

YOGYAKARTA (JP): The most palpable result of the government- backed Indonesian Democratic Party congress in Medan last month is the emergence of Megawati Soekarnoputri as a new force in Indonesian politics.

By way of comparison, Megawati's political stature prior to the congress was that of a small wave. Now, however, she has been transformed into a tidal wave. If formerly, Megawati was a mere PDI leader, she has now become a leader and a symbol for whoever still believes in moral principles and political ethics.

How could this happen? I believe there are four reasons.

First, reversed logic. Indonesians like to say something which leads other people to a wrong conclusion. It is like Gatotkaca, the wayang figure who spreads his right hand while unfolding his shawl when he is about to fly. But unlike logic in traffic, Gatotkaca then moves to the left, not to the right which the sign had indicated.

This kind of logic colors everyday political statements. Once it was said that fuel prices would not go up. Two days later, fuel prices were increased. Someone says he has no ambition to become a regent, but the reverse is exactly what he means.

This reversed logic has serious consequences. People now believe anything denied by the elite is what really happens. Therefore, when the elite said there was no government engineering in the PDI congress, it was read as an official admission of political engineering,

Second, Megawati Soekarnoputri was asked to become PDI chairman by her supporters. This is an undeniable fact. Like Corazon Aquino of the Philippines, she was a housewife who was compelled to enter politics. One of those who invited Megawati to join the party was Soerjadi, the very man who dethroned her at the government-backed congress in Medan.

The people's support is the reason for Megawati's strength. She has become a symbol of dedication and honesty, qualities which are vastly non-existent in today's politics. We may have lost everything, she would say, but hope and dignity.

Megawati may have been dethroned from her formal position, but she has become a figure that fills the void in the structure of Indonesia's political ethics.

Third, many of our political elite have become paranoid. They are afraid of their own shadows and plagued with the rich man's syndrome. They suspect anybody who is on their front porch when it rains, viewing them as a thief while they are only taking shelter.

I think the paranoia occurs as the result of their understanding of power. Certain elite think that their power is God-given and that power is singular and thus cannot be shared. Therefore, they believe that the closer they are to the center of power, the more powerful they will be. Hence, they believe that obtaining an access higher up is more important than nurturing sound leadership qualities.

In line with the nation's progress, a new understanding develops that political legitimacy comes from the people. The people are becoming better aware of their rights. They have learned that one of the basic values of democracy is leadership rotation.

They know that they need leaders who are one with the people, not those who only rely on those higher up. This signifies the birth of a critical generation in Indonesian politics.

This "new notion" is viewed as dangerous by the elite in power. Whatever new thoughts appear, they are invariably read as efforts to replace existing values. But in fact, this notion enriches and actualizes the nation's basic values.

Fourth, timely replacement. Megawati was pushed aside at the "right" moment. Her removal coincided with the sharp decline of the people's trust in the prevailing political mechanism.

A clear indicator is the increasing number of complaints being lodged with mass organizations or non-governmental organizations, rather than with political parties. Also, many problems have been submitted to the House of Representatives in Jakarta, rather than the regional Houses in the provinces.

The pressure befalling Megawati is seen as the culmination of pressure of grassroots-level politics. Some even go so far as to base their pressure on gender bias.

The writer is a lecturer in political sciences at Gadjah Mada University in Yogyakarta.