http://www.thejakartapost.com/detaileditorial.asp?fileid=20071018.E02&irec=1
Can anyone outwit SBY? Patrick Guntensperger, Jakarta Although we are two years away from the next Indonesian presidential election, the lines are starting to form and the candidates are starting to make their alliances. This is usually an exhilarating time in a young democracy; it is a time for looking closely at the accomplishments of the incumbent, it is a time to consider alternatives, and it is a time to look toward the future. Over the last three years, there has been considerable criticism of the incumbent, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono from this quarter. His hesitancy to make decisions, his refusal to take serious action on serious crimes, including those of the former dictator, and the murder of Munir, his failure to follow through on countless promises, his obsession with appearances, combined with his disregard for the realities, his tolerance of blatant conflict of interest at the top cabinet levels, his half-hearted efforts at reform; all of these have been targets for strong condemnation from this commentator and others. Given the field of candidates thus far, however, SBY is looking a lot better, if only by comparison. Former Indonesian president Megawati Soekarnoputri seems to miss the presidential palace, and is going to take a run at regaining the throne she bitterly and gracelessly turned over to her former cabinet minister. That her re-election is even a distant possibility is a tribute to President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's remarkable talent for doing so little about so much. In a democracy, people don't vote for candidates, they vote against candidates. That's how SBY got elected. It would be an enormous blow and a retrograde step if that situation arose again and the people once more ended up with Megawati as a reaction to Susilo's deficiencies. Former Jakarta governor Sutiyoso has declared his availability for nomination and seems to have planned his strategy for acquiring the presidency. Despite his utter failure to have made any significant or meaningful change in the lives of Jakartans (apart from those who got rich through publicly funded contracts); despite his reputation for authoritarianism; despite the appalling condition of the city he was responsible for over the last decade, the recognition factor could make him a serious contender. The fact that he actually makes decisions and acts upon them will certainly garner some votes. That the decisions are generally questionable and usually self-serving does not seem to discourage those who see his decisiveness as a refreshing alternative to SBY's vacillation. Then we have another former president, Abdurrahman (Gus Dur) Wahid. Quirky, eccentric, straightforward, occasionally dismayingly frank, Gus Dur is a political leader who never learned to be a politician. Gus Dur will say what's on his mind and doesn't seem to care how he is perceived. His position as a religious thought leader is unassailable and he often outrages conventional Muslims with his condemnation of fundamentalism, his support of Israel, his insistence on thinking independently, and his refusal to be pigeonholed. Although he may be considered an eccentric genius, his outspokenness has alienated more than a few people and causes a great number of political observers concern about his inclination to blurt out his thoughts even in sensitive international forums. Gus Dur's health -- he is partially confined to a wheelchair and walks with great difficulty, and he is nearly totally blind -- is also a matter of concern to those who foresee a hard fought campaign followed by a very tough five-year mandate. The great hope that many observers hold is that one of two things will occur. On the one hand, there is the hope that a dark horse candidate will appear on the scene. The country would enthusiastically support someone with charisma, integrity, and energy. Why not? Indonesia did the last time around. That's why it's such a tragedy that the man that was elected turned out to be so hollow. The other great hope is that the man that we trusted to bring change to Indonesia, to lead the country to peace, prosperity, and good government will actually find the strength of character to do something. Although Indonesia's is a very patient and tolerant culture, at this point, SBY's limp leadership has the average Indonesian wondering just what was so wrong with things in the Soeharto days. When a country looks nostalgically on the leadership of the most corrupt dictator of his century, things have come to a very sad state. That said, even now it isn't too late for the president to start to do some of the things he has repeatedly promised to do. If SBY would only take some firm steps to bring about the changes he promised, there is a chance that he could still not only save his presidency, but give the country some hope, some belief in democracy again. Right now the only thing that could get SBY re-elected is the paucity of better candidates; if not Yudhoyono, then who? And for a young democracy like Indonesia, that may be the saddest commentary of all. The writer is a Jakarta-based political and social commentator, a consultant, and a lecturer at a number of Indonesian universities. He may be contacted at [EMAIL PROTECTED] printer friendly Post Your Comments Comments could also be sent to: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
