We all know that the plan for the tower was finally cancelled.after much opposition. Still, I am always amazed how tone-deaf Mr. Marzuki Alie is - even today.
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| The proposed new DPR building. (JG Photo) |
Yohanes Sulaiman | April 04, 2011
There is no religion in the world that does not warn of the danger of pride and hubris. Both the Koran and the Bible illustrate the peril of pride in verses about towers.
In the Koran, the Pharaoh’s disbelief of Moses’ god led him to order his official to build a tower because “I want to reach heaven, and take a look at the god of Moses. I believe he is a liar.” In the end, the Pharaoh and his officials were drowned in the Red Sea.
In the Bible, the first descendants of Noah decided to build a tower in Babel “whose top may reach unto heaven, and let us make us a name.” God decided to confound the language of men and thus the project failed and people were scattered all over the world.
So it is ironic that in Indonesia, the legislature, regularly seen as arrogant, imperious and out of touch with people, has declared its intention to build a luxurious new tower to replace its current building.
It is not that the legislature does not need a new building to increase its effectiveness. Putting aside the outrageous argument that the current structure is tilted seven degrees, as someone who has visited it many times I can agree with the other argument that it is very difficult to do anything there. The rooms are small and elevators are slow.
The question, however, is whether such problems justify the need for a Rp 1.3 trillion ($130 million) building (and this amount will surely increase), especially when many Indonesians are still mired in poverty and face problems in accessing proper education and health care, and the military needs new equipment such as destroyers and fast boats to effectively control porous maritime borders.
One can argue that perhaps better building management would be a more effective way to fix the problems, since many of the rooms are not used effectively and four out of six operating elevators are reserved for lawmakers and, as a result, are seldom used.
Still, for the sake of argument, let us agree that the legislature truly needs a new building due to the current building’s tilt and general deterioration. The question then, is what kind of building it needs. Is it really necessary to include a spa, massage parlors, swimming pool and other amenities when there are many hotels and malls nearby — even at walking distance — that provide the same services? Besides, are these amenities to be paid by taxpayers, even though ordinary taxpayers cannot ask for any tax deductions for visiting such places? To add insult to injury, members of the legislature themselves are so richly compensated that even a daily visit to massage parlors won’t dent their wallets.
Not surprisingly, faced with vehement public rejection, House Speaker Marzuki Alie denied that the new building would have massage facilities. But considering the fact that he remains adamantly opposed to making the blueprints of the new building open to public scrutiny, it would not be surprising should such luxuries creep back into the final plan.
This leads to the second question: Do the current members of the legislature really deserve such luxurious accommodation? In a private discussion, one lawmaker from the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) sadly told me he believed that only around 50 members of the House were properly qualified for their duties. Several experts in the legislature have angrily noted that many of their colleagues do not understand the issues of their supposed specialization, as many of them were recruited through nepotistic practices.
Not surprisingly, a significant majority of the public believes that lawmakers are arrogant and undeserving of the new building, regardless of whether the need for such a building is justified or not.
It is sad to compare the workings of the Indonesian legislature with those of its counterpart in the United States. I once interned for former US Senator Russel D. Feingold at his home office in Middleton, Wisconsin. Even while Feingold was in Washington, the home office remained busy. He was also very involved with regular happenings back in his home state: He sent congratulation letters to award-winning boy scouts and valedictorians and his office helped people who were having trouble with federal bureaucracy even while the senator himself was busy in Washington.
Many of Feingold’s colleagues also understand that they are there in the legislature to represent people, not to line their pockets and enjoy the perks. Moreover, accommodation in Washington comes directly from their own pockets and not from the government. Due to high housing costs in Washington, dozens of new Republican freshmen decide to sleep on cots in their offices, which range in size from 75 to 100 square meters. At the same time, they also need to accommodate about six staff members for each representative.
In stark contrast, the new Indonesian legislative building will have offices that are 125 square meters each, with lawmakers also enjoying subsidized housing and various other perks.
In short, Feingold and many of his colleagues in the US Senate and House understand that they need to earn every penny of their salaries and every vote they received. They do that by acting like adults, trying to understand what their constituents want and need, and behave humbly as members of Congress.
Sadly, such behavior is seldom seen in Indonesia. No wonder Abdurrahman “Gus Dur” Wahid once denounced the legislature as a kindergarten. By planning to build a Pride Tower and denouncing any criticism directed against the project out of hand, lawmakers showed that they simply don’t get it. They don’t seem to understand that they are elected by the people to represent them, not to enrich themselves and relax in luxury at a time when the country is burning with religious intolerance, corruption and abuses of power.
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Comments:
dadeu
6:18pm Apr 4, 2011
The Question is Do They Deserved it ?? What they have given to this country but a bunch of [excrement] This Greedy Moron will be burnt in hell ( I am writing it in English, because this moron will not understand a bit...)
BillWalters99
8:46pm Apr 4, 2011
I have often wondered why everyone thinks Democracy is such a great form of government. It doesn't work that great in the United States either. Washington D.C. is full of towers,too. And Obama had the taxpayer build his own, personal basketball court inside the White House! Now that's hubris.enakajah
10:05pm Apr 4, 2011
Pak Yohanes, excellent article. You let the cat out the bag with this one. Good stuff. subrotto
11:10pm Apr 4, 2011
BillWalters998."Democracy is the worst form of government except for all those others that have been tried." The Obama's basketball court hadn't been built already cos white men can't jump!
blightyboy
11:37pm Apr 4, 2011
"Beware the Sin of Pride in Luxury" I think the ship has sailed on this one.
Is this not what well off Indonesians are all about, once you get beyond the millions who spend their lives living in sh*t, with nothing at all and no prospects of any change in the future, isn’t it just all a big fancy facade. All show and no substance.
The flash cars, the oversized tasteless palatial homes, where the bigger and the more grossly ornate means the better. In reality the mock Greek and Roman architectural monstrosities that contain within an exhibition of the ultimate in bad taste, just style-less boxes, full of over ornate, badly made furniture, better suited to a cheap dollar a night bordello than a family home, and TV sets in every room. And of course the obligatory family portrait hanging on the wall, all puffed up, stiff and false like everything else.
Cities that contain no parks, no open spaces, no sidewalks, less and less trees. Where there is no culture, no museums or galleries of any quality, no theatres, and no libraries. Where all of the historical buildings are allowed to rot and crumble. Where the streets are broken, full of potholes and crap and garbage, and are never cleaned, accept when they flood. Where zero planning has created roads that are locked up by the flash oversized, gas guzzling SUV’s, choking the city inhabitants to death. Rivers that are just open sewers, and where the waters are so poisonous that not a living thing can survive in them. And then in comparison there are the endless concrete and glass Malls, full of big haired ladies, short skirted bimbo’s, and the hip phone texting western style-junkies, supplying overpriced luxury, and a million ways to over-indulge the senses, except culturally.
Yeh! This new building for the countries managers is a friggin wonderful idea. It will match everything else the inhabitants promote: all show and no substance.
Yohanes-Sulaiman
12:12am Apr 5, 2011
@Bill&Subrotto: Democracy, were it to run "as intended" provides the safety valve to prevent riots from occuring and at the same time a great mechanism to kick leaders that you hate. Indonesia, unfortunately, has a proportional system that strengthening the power of parties and political elites. Had Indonesia used the district system, each candidate then would have to pay attention to his or her district, because now people have the "face" of someone to hate, not simply a formless entity called "DPR." On Obama: well, if enough people hates his guts, then he will be out in 2012.
@enakajah: thank you very much for your compliment.
@blightyboy: I agree with you and I dislike someone who loves to show off his/her wealth. Still, I think the well-off has the rights to show off their richess, but as long as they are not paid by taxpayers' money, which currently happens with the planned construction of this tower. It is one thing to show the prestige of an institution - the Capitol and the Westminster Building are good examples of elegant buildings that showing off national prestige, but at the same time, properly funded with only essential features included. In Indonesia's case, the timing is bad and the perks there, such as the spa, is really troubling.
I am surprised that nobody comments on my argument that what makes this plan outrageous is the idea that the taxpayers have to pay for something that is non-essential, such as massage and spa.I'd love to submit my tickets to swimming pools as a tax deduction.
Roland
12:45am Apr 5, 2011
@whoa - blightboy - you got your observations about Indonesian lifestyle for the nouveau riche social class just about on the spot. Couldn't agree more!TGIF
6:01am Apr 5, 2011
There aren't any words to describe the momentum this country is heading...Hypocrisy in the shadow of a religion. Sadly Gus Dur is long gone, the games have already begun. Once again a religion is being used to entertain the people in believing that forgiveness on a daily basis may somehow be pardoned. God can't be fooled. The devil can only smile on his triumph.
jetset24
6:24am Apr 5, 2011
Let's all call it a mall in one whole building... It is doubtful that it will change anything in the way the lawmakers do business in tackling the domestic issues of the day. Perhaps there will be more relaxed time when the building may offer so much entertainment....Wink.
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