Police Must Stop Pretending That Student Fights Aren’t Really Happening

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Police Must Stop Pretending That Student Fights Aren’t Really Happening
Yohanes Sulaiman | September 27, 2012

In light of the death of Alawy Yusianto Putra, caused by an attack by students from the SMAN 70 high school on students at SMUN 6, pundits as usual decry the growing violence of Indonesian youths. The usual suspects, such as absent parents, the media’s glorification of violence, bad traditions, peer pressure, and the lack of thorough moral education will be discussed and debated endlessly. 

There is, however, a missing actor in the discussion, notably law enforcement. 

Take a quick walk around the neighborhood and it is easy these days to spot children riding their motorcycles carelessly, without helmets. It is also easy to find three of them riding on a single motorbike. They even do this in front of passing police patrols, and the police do nothing to fix this. 

It could be argued that the police are simply overwhelmed; that there are simply too many people disregarding the law, and that it is impossible to arrest them all. At the same time, however, such flouting of the rules of the road does not happen all of a sudden. It happens slowly, with a few people going unpunished, and the others simply following suit. Before long, the community thinks of it as something normal, something that police don’t try to stop anyway. 

The police don’t crack down on this because of various reasons. The locals notice this. By not stopping these careless actions, people in the community think that the police simply don’t care. The end result, however, is that people no longer have an incentive to obey the traffic laws. 

This same logic could be applied to how the police handle brawls among students. It would have been impossible to stage such a blatant out-in-the-open fight, such as the one between SMAN 70 and SMAN 6 that is currently being spotlighted in the media, had there been police presence in the area in the first place. It would be impossible to have a standing tradition of open fights between SMAN 70 and SMAN 6 had the police arrested students at the outset. 

Part of the police’s hesitation to intervene in these fights might be from indifference, the belief that “boys will be boys.” Some might think that fights among students are simply a normal rite of passage for students. The view that seems to be commonly held is that it is OK to have fights as long as nobody dies. 

It is no longer uncommon to listen to news radio such as Elshinta and hear warnings from citizens to avoid a particular street because students from two schools are involved in a fight. What is fascinating about the entire episode is the fact that the news announcers are generally unfazed; more concerned about the status of the traffic than whether someone was injured or killed. What was even more interesting was the fact that neither the announcers nor the “concerned” citizens discussed the need to call the police to arrest those who were involved and responsible. 

Another reason that the police might not intervene in these matters is that many of the students involved have well-connected parents. 

VivaNews reported that SMAN 70 received Rp 15 billion ($1.5 million) annually in donations. Simply arresting those involved in the brawls might create some awkward moments for these high-society parents, who might then use their influence to force the police to impose a “slap-on-the-wrist” punishment, even though news reports stated that many of the students were seen bringing sharp weapons to their fights. 

Therefore, it is sad to say that in spite of Alawy Yusianto Putra’s untimely death, life will go on. 

Fights will remain a rite of passage for students, and police will continue to pretend that they don’t happen. 

The violence might slow down or even stop for now, due to the media attention, but as time goes on the fights will restart and the circle of violence will recommence. 

That is, unless society starts saying that enough is enough; that there should be a stop to the brawls. And the police should intervene to prevent and stop student brawls and arrest those responsible. 

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whistler

12:50pm Sep 27, 2012

If there is ano money to be made from intervening in these student brawls, then dont expect the police to step in.

By rights the police should step in and apply the child psycology that is required. I mean by that statement if these young thugs want to inflict pain on other kids let the police crack a few of the thug's heads together.

It is obvious that the paents have no sense of parental responsibility to instill a grounding in civic respect and duty in their children.

Is it any wonder that Indonesia has become a country with no ides of civic or social conscience.

benjol48

5:21pm Sep 27, 2012

Being policemen was not an easy job in Indonesia because too many bad cops . Law and regulations became blur , and if the police try hard to stand by it , people automatically accused the of wanting a bribe or extort money. As for students in this case it should not happened it in the first place, and gang style war between them so shameful for the nation . Parents sent their kid to school and become future leaders of Indonesia , knowing now there are just a bunch of cowards was really sad.

 

Yohanes-Sulaiman

7:45pm Sep 27, 2012

Thank you for your comments. I think we need to have a major police reform in Indonesia, to make the police emphasis a bottom-up approach, instead of the current top-down paramilitary system that does not address local problems.

 

DrDez

7:04pm Sep 28, 2012

I would suggest the reform starts at the top YS - The very top

 

 

devine

7:17pm Sep 28, 2012

DrDez, but the one at the very top seems to be overhelmed. He certainly is a nice guy but he obviously can't cope with the myriards of problems... not even a fraction of it.

Funny, some 20 years ago I though of what would I be doing as No1... so many hopes, so many visions! Now? Whaa... no idea how to clean up the mess. Unless I would be given Dictator's powers... sad... but true...

Valkyrie

7:51pm Sep 28, 2012

Yohanes...

I distinctly heard over a TV report that the perpetrator is "seorang anak pejabat."

Our son attends a public school and we had to "donate" a little over 6 Million upon admission into Senior High, a year ago.

I was very much against this payment for obvious reasons and wanted an explanation from the Ministry. I sent several emails asking for clarification. No replies came.

You know what? Parents had to sign a letter that this money was given on our own accord and the school did not influence us to "donate."

Yes, I submitted to their request for the sake of our son. I saw the fear on his face when I initially refused to cough out the amount.

I refuse to believe that the Ministry/Minister are not aware of what's going on annually. They have done abolutely zilch about curbing these activities.

The beauty of it all....the kids all know about it.

This country is going to the dogs.

devine

8:44pm Sep 28, 2012

Val; yes, very sad and 100% true! And nobody is ashamed at schools or further up. And our Pres sleeps and pretends everything is ok in every respect. Incredible Indonesia, once again!

I am currently having a serious fight against our local school. 70% of kids drive in and out of school without helmet! And all I got so far is "big smiles" of the head of school, like "what the heck this idiot wants"..."we are responsible for ecucation and not for traffic rules"... if you have a problem you should report to police... would you believe that!!!?

I am starting to loose all my hope!

Complacent Govt Can Do Much More to Shake ‘Failed State’ Tag

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Complacent Govt Can Do Much More to Shake ‘Failed State’ Tag
Yohanes Sulaiman | June 29, 2012

The late independence activist Mako Tabuni in Jaypura in an undated file photo. 'While the Indonesian government is trying to improve the economy to prevent social breakdown (and sliding into the category of failed state), it does a bad job in actually addressing the root cause of the failure, notably extremism and violence due to its own passivity or incompetence. The examples of the latter were especially glaring in recent weeks, during which there were several reports of police misconduct. In Papua, the controversial shooting of Tabuni on June 14 led to unrest and mysterious shootings. Regardless of Mako’s guilt or innocence, the situation would not have deteriorated had the police acted with restraint that considered the already-volatile environment there.'

A debate has been sparked by the publication of the latest Failed State Index, which placed Indonesia in the “warning” category, meaning the country is in danger of becoming a “failed state.” Its rank worsened marginally, from 64th in 2011 to 63rd this year.

Despite that, the indicators in general are positive, with Indonesia’s score actually decreasing from 81.6 in 2011 to 80.6 in 2012 in the study compiled by the US-based think tank Fund for Peace in collaboration with Foreign Policy magazine.

This means that the overall situation of the country improved slightly with progress in almost every sector, especially the economy.

On that topic, the report noted that economic development had improved, the poverty level was declining and gross domestic product was increasing. There’s still a long way to go, but any gains on the economic side, especially sustained across five years, is good news.

History shows us that the collapse of states and the rise of religious and nationalist extremists to power are almost always preceded by economic collapse. With the moderates discredited in many parts of the world due to failed economic policies, radicals and extremists with utopian, “pie in the sky” solutions become attractive to desperate populations hoping to escape economic hardship.

This is especially true in Indonesia, where regime changes have historically been preceded by economic crisis. The falls of presidents Sukarno and Suharto happened after economic conditions worsened. But as many analysts noted, the Failed State Index report found that social indicators were showing stalled progress. The report notes ongoing problems in infrastructure development, demographic pressures and “an increase in protests, harassment and violence against religious minorities. The government’s ability to curb violence between groups has been limited.”

While the government is trying to improve the economy in order to prevent social breakdown, it does a bad job in actually addressing the root cause of the failure, notably extremism and violence due to its own passivity or incompetence.

The examples of the latter were especially glaring in recent weeks, during which there were several reports of police misconduct. In Papua, the controversial shooting of independence activist Mako Tabuni on June 14 led to unrest and mysterious shootings. Regardless of Mako’s guilt or innocence, the situation would not have deteriorated had the police acted with restraint that considered the already-volatile environment there.

Elsewhere, police in Serang, Banten, landed in hot water over the false arrest, kidnapping and torture of Jumhani, a fried-food seller. Not long after that, Twitter was abuzz with the story of Jakarta policemen who allegedly attempted to blackmail a woman by declaring that her allergy medicine was some sort of illegal substance.

These three are currently the most glaring examples of police’s misconducts that did nothing to inspire people’s confidence on the police force, and by extension, the government itself. Not surprisingly, pundits have a field day, pinning all blames on the Indonesia’s worrisome rank squarely on President Yudhoyono.

While it is probably unfair to put all blames on President Yudhoyono’s shoulders, the fact is that the Yudhoyono presidency did nothing but to raise the popular expectations during the last elections. Thus, when the government is seen as actually passive, unwilling to tackle the law enforcement reforms and to address the growing evidence of corruption within its ranks and the ruling party, the blowback was swift, with the trust to the government rapidly declining.

This feeds the narrative of Indonesia as a failed state. The claim, while unfair, is the result of the government’s inability to control violence caused by either hard-line organizations or from within the ranks of its own law enforcers.
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padt

2:34pm Jun 29, 2012

The root causes of a failed state don't only lie in failure to deal with extremism and violence and the passivity of the government refusing to deal with it.

A failed state will always be based also on money politics.

Indonesia will become a failed state if it turns out that the indecisive SBY has all the time been a 'distracted' SBY - more intent on creating a political dynasty and feathering his families nest.

The ruckas in the Democratic Party would indicate that there is every possibility that this will prove to be the case.

The connection?

It's SBY's Party and they do his bidding. A fish rots from it's head down.

SBY is looking more Mugabe-ish every day.

Pelan2

4:02pm Jun 29, 2012

Yohanes & padt - SBY has been politically blackmailed since day one of his presidency, unfortunately, by a certain "towkay" from Golkar. It got worse when he "lost" control of Partai Democrat when Anas was elected chairman instead of Andi M. Since then it has only gone downhill as those who are stabbing him in the back are only interested in furthering their own cases and have no regard or interest of the poor kids singing songs near the traffic lights instead of being educated at proper schools and contribute to the growth of the country at a later stage.

ambiga

4:17pm Jun 29, 2012

Disagree with fail state tag. export,investment, economy growth the only 3 countries grow more than 6%. Look at china, 2 points better than Indonesia, as failed state while bailing out Europe already failed states. Plenty of expats looking for jobs in these two failed states.. you can't justify as fail state cause of extremism or hard line religion fanatics. The best weapon against hardline fanatics is Freedom and economy growth, indonesia has that. to compare with Malaysia, where none a single politician ever steps into court tells so much about rule of law in that country.

jchay

5:04pm Jun 29, 2012

@Pelan2: excuses after excuses, SBY is President RI, the number 1 person in Indonesia, chosen and elected by majority votes of Indonesians, what else he needs?! He didn't loose control, SBY literally "sold" his control to PKS PAN Golkar etc when he chose to do "politik dagang sapi". Failed government, not state.

Yohanes-Sulaiman

8:19am Jun 30, 2012

@ambiga: I've discussed what you said in the article. My argument is that economy helps, but only to the extent of not keeping tension boiling and does not address the root cause of violence which is lack of trust in legal system, due to incompetence, lack of training, law enforcement, etc. When econ goes south (which will always happen) without trust in legal system, things will blow up.

Other commenters, padt and jchay had also put their fine 2cents.

Pelan2, there are ways to break the jam but SBY sadly doesn't have political will to do so.

DrDez

12:36pm Jun 30, 2012

22 - Once again you place money as the pinnacle above all else - your holy grail if you will to be gained at any cost, and fail to understand what this report is about when says failed state -

Instead you use cheap quips backed by your incessant underlying racism to say what? Nothing.

You are devoid of any original thought and fail on a daily basis to construct a tenable argument relying on deflection, racism and plagiarism or more often than not pure incoherent drivel - you are an embarrassment to whatever nation you call home.. Truly you are.

padt

3:26pm Jun 30, 2012

Yohanes-Sulaiman - economic growth without accompanying developments in human rights, transparent and accountable government, rule of law and order and an honest judiciary who give verdicts without fear or favour - are all necessary - unless you want to head for a failed state which Indonesia is heading for.

And that's my 'two cents' worth in a country where human life and dignity are treated cheaply by the elite minority running - or ruining - the show.

TalkingEid

5:41pm Jun 30, 2012

DrDez - he fails in exactly the same way that Indonesia does - inability to get along with others, intolerance, placing money as the only measure of success, lack of education etc etc etc - he should get an award "Symbol of Indonesia".

ambiga

8:23pm Jun 30, 2012

Dez,With your 19th century union mentality you will always view businesspeople as the enemy rather than as risk takers and job creators. I don't think there really is much hope, especially with a mentality as yours if you were in government, those risk takes and job creators put billions of dollars in here based on only one point, rule of law. If those people believe in the rule of law indonesia provides to guarantee their money while getting good returns ,to give you one simple example,lion air local company has huge leverage with foreign banks that believe in Indonesia market and rule of law, why these small percentage of hard line extremists becoming an issue to put indonesia as fail state? as i said before, the best way forward to get rid of these extremists is FREEDOM and Economy growth, i believe indonesia has and will be going and marching forward in that path. It may take bit of time to trickle down but results are there. Pancasila guarantees all but atheist.

DrDez

8:53pm Jun 30, 2012

Keep up the denial 22, keep up the racism itr just makes you look a total tosser

1. There is no rule of law or certainty for investors

2. You again fail to see why we are on the verge of a failed nation - I'm sorry you cannot as you and your peers are probably RI's tomorrow

3. Freedom... Now you are just having a laugh

4. Cheap shot at non religious people just shows your immaturity and ignorance

I welcome clear debate on any of the above points

marko1

7:14am Jul 1, 2012

22 its the lack a credentials that inhibits the reform. Rice farmer one day Then becomes law maker.

DrDez

9:03am Jul 1, 2012

Talking... I fear you are correct, Greed is the true religion and it is worshiped at any cost

Enough of this anyway - its hard to fill a bucket with holes in, and even harder when someones stolen the bucket

Valkyrie

9:21am Jul 1, 2012

ambiga aka 22 aka lapinda

In this country ..."a bit of time" is equivalent to decades.

What rule of law are you spouting about? There's no rule of law here. Only money to grease your enterprise through. KKN is at it's height right now and continues to spiral upwards at a fast pace..

Do you own a business here? I don't think so.

Dez, some others and myself included, have identified ourselves. What about you?

To Reassure Investors, Hard Look at Law Enforcement Is Where to Begin

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To Reassure Investors, Hard Look at Law Enforcement Is Where to Begin
Yohanes Sulaiman | June 05, 2012


As the euro is teetering on the brink of collapse due to the political paralysis in the European Union and the intransigence of Greek voters, Asian countries are watching with trepidation, fearing that the collapse of the euro could trigger another contagion, not unlike the Asian financial crisis of 1997 and 1998.

The fear is the most acute in Indonesia, which saw its economy shrink by 14 percent during the crisis, resulting in the fall of President Suharto and his New Order regime.

While Indonesia has had its share of bad economic policies, the government often stresses the fact that Indonesia is in much better shape this time around, with the macro-economic figures looking good, making Indonesia better prepared to withstand the expected economic turmoil, should Greece be expelled from the European Union.

Still, what many Indonesian decision-makers often forget is that what destroyed Indonesia in 1997-98 was not so much an economic problem, but rather the political uncertainties and lack of security, caused by the failing health of Suharto and a power struggle among Indonesian elites. This, in turn, contributed to the outbreak of ethno-religious conflicts that further rattled investors. It was not until 2002 that the situation finally stabilized and investors started to return.

As the global economic situation seems to get worse due to political uncertainties in Europe, Indonesia should heed the fact that what is important is the perception of other countries, especially investors, of the real condition in Indonesia, independent of all the lofty rhetoric about Indonesia’s seemingly gravity-defying economic growth in the past few years.

One of the main reasons why Indonesia’s economic growth and investment remain healthy is the perception among investors that President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono is a good steward of the economy while providing political stability and security at the same time.

Events in the past few months, however, have done grievous harm to Yudhoyono’s credibility. First, the Nazaruddin corruption trial revealed entrenched corruption within the highest ranks of the government. Then, the central government’s impotence in handling the Ahmadiyah killings, the GKI Yasmin case in Bogor, the HKPB Filadelfia Church in Bekasi and various other human rights violations brought into question whether Indonesia was truly committed to upholding the rule of law and protecting religious minorities and human rights.

There are also questions, justly asked, whether the president is truly in control of the situation or whether he is held hostage by vested interests in society and thus is unable to do provide the security and stability craved by domestic and foreign investors.

The cancelation of the planned Lady Gaga concert is just another affirmation in the narrative that the government is paralyzed, unable to rein in extremist groups. While the National Police rejected Lady Gaga’s management’s assertions that the concert was canceled due to security concerns — stressing that they were truly in control of the situation — the fact that the threats of violence had continued unabated, unchecked for weeks, with the Jakarta Police at first denying the permit due to security reasons, belied their claims.

The National Police’s protestation notwithstanding, it is clear the police were unable to credibly assure Lady Gaga’s management that they were in control of the situation. The National Police simply have zero credibility on this matter, having dithered for weeks in the face of opposition from the Islamic Defenders Front (FPI). Had the National Police been serious about the matter, they could have sternly warned the FPI and other groups that were fishing for trouble. They would have spent some constructive time in prison, reflecting on their boorish behavior.

It is not assuring for investors who crave stability and a government that upholds the rule of law that the government and the National Police apparently can be intimidated by violence.

Already, according to the Wall Street Journal, investors have started to pull out from Indonesia and in mid-May they sold off more than half their net purchases of stocks and bonds in the first quarter. While the Wall Street Journal attributed it to the fear of the Greeks exiting the euro, the withdrawal would not be that rapid had investors been assured that the government was truly competent.

It is time for the Yudhoyono government to realize that talk is cheap and what really matters are its deeds. The president is losing his credibility fast and investors are paying very close attention.

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Jubal.Harshaw

3:00pm Jun 5, 2012

Good analysis.

Not only is investor confidence being shaken by a government too terrified to upset marauding vigilantes, investors are becoming more aware that the cost of bribes (currently estimated at 17% of operating costs) is seriously impacting their ROI as well. In addition sudden ad hoc policy changes make budgetary planning an exercise in guesswork.

Then there is straight-out extortion by government instrumentalities, such as the Tax Department.

In Bali, for example, it is common practice for officials to regularly arrive at accommodation venues to 'audit' the accounts, then ignore all legitimate records, insist that the place 'should' have had a 60-70% occupancy rate, and demand exorbitant tax payments commensurate with their made-up figures.

All in all, despite the spin from government apologists and the anti-bule crowd, investment in Indonesia is a precarious proposition.

DrDez

4:44pm Jun 5, 2012

Yes Yohanes, yes Jubal. Undeniably the time bomb is ticking.

What amazes me is that in Q1 we declared our best ever investment figures... Another govt lie?

simplesimon14

5:16pm Jun 5, 2012

'...investment in Indonesia is a precarious proposition.'

- Agreed. Best to avoid investing, many large corporations are heading elsewhere - private investors too, just far too risky with the instability in the country.

jchay

5:31pm Jun 5, 2012

Yupe, as I have said status quo is nice 'show' but only when Indonesia is hit where it hurts (economy!) then we will start seeing things done like: corruption, Ahmadiyah case, GKI Yasmin case, HKPB case, FPI banned etc etc.

@DrDez: not lie, just another culture of denial.. SBY's legacy.

Jubal.Harshaw

6:10pm Jun 5, 2012

Good analysis.

Not only is investor confidence being shaken by a government too terrified to upset marauding vigilantes, investors are becoming more aware that the cost of bribes (currently estimated at 17% of operating costs) is seriously impacting their ROI as well. In addition sudden ad hoc policy changes make budgetary planning an exercise in guesswork.

Then there is straight-out extortion by government instrumentalities, such as the Tax Department.

In Bali, for example, it is common practice for officials to regularly arrive at accommodation venues to 'audit' the accounts, then ignore all legitimate records, insist that the place 'should' have had a 60-70% occupancy rate, and demand exorbitant tax payments commensurate with their made-up figures.

All in all, despite the spin from government apologists and the anti-bule crowd, investment in Indonesia is a precarious proposition.

nugwump

10:19pm Jun 5, 2012

It's a well known international fact that the only guaranteed growth industry in Indonesia is that of Government sponsored corruption.

DrDez

5:52am Jun 6, 2012

nug... which is why we are going he wrong way in almost every kpi

Angelina Makes a Mockery of Justice While President and Party Look On

Four months later, in July 2012, the President again stressing that blah..blah...blah.... You know the drill.
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Angelina Makes a Mockery of Justice While President and Party Look On
Yohanes Sulaiman & Phillip Turnbull | March 07, 2012

Last week, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono tried to reiterate his supposed commitment to fighting corruption when he signed off on new punishments for graft convicts. The so-called impoverishment program would impose substantial fines upon offenders, aiming to ensure that they and their families can’t enjoy even a single rupiah of any ill-gotten wealth.

It sounds all well and good, but at this point the president’s move seems more like a last-ditch, cosmetic effort to prevent his own popularity, and that of his beleaguered Democratic Party, from tanking further.

If the public had any doubts about widespread corruption among the Democrats and the party’s general lack of commitment to cleaning up the nation’s politics, following due process and helping the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) do its job, those doubts must have evaporated with graft suspect Angelina Sondakh’s recent appearance at the House of Representatives.

Despite previous assurances by the Democratic Party politician and her superiors that she would stand aside while investigations were under way, Angelina has done anything but. Most disturbingly, she had the gall to sit in on a legislative session.

In a speech on Feb. 5, after Angelina was named a suspect, Yudhoyono said all party members who had been named suspects by the KPK must step down.

The next day, party official Didi Irawadi Syamsudin promised that the Democrats would “soon” issue the decree suspending Angelina, saying, “While the investigation is under way, we will suspend her from all posts. It’s just a matter of administrative process before we do so officially.”

Angelina did lose her position as deputy secretary general of the party. Yet on Feb. 14, she remained seated in the legislature. Adding insult to injury, she was moved from her position on House Commission X on youth and sports affairs to Commission III on legal affairs.

Such a thoughtless move, presented to the public as nothing more than a regular rotation, was not surprisingly met with an uproar. KPK head Abraham Samad said he would not attend any Commission III meetings if Angelina was present.

Yudhoyono predictably blew his top and berated party chairman Anas Urbaningrum and House faction leader Jafar Hafsah for such a politically incompetent act.

The party later backtracked, with Saan Mustopa, the secretary of the Democrats in the House, claiming the transfer was only “planned” even though in several interviews Jafar had used the word “already.” Angelina ended up on Commission VIII, which deals with religious affairs.

Of course, as usual, there was no discussion at all on either the president’s order that KPK suspects resign or Didi’s promise that Angelina would soon be suspended from all her posts.

No doubt we will be told the paperwork hasn’t been processed, that it’s only the labyrinths of committees and bureaucratic processes and signatures to be got that is holding this up. Hence Angelina’s right to attend legislative sessions at the House, even as she is questioned in court for graft.

Even Angelina seems to think things have returned to normal. Although she should step down immediately and await the court’s pleasure, she called a press conference to ask reporters to respect her silence on the matters before the court.

She has already been advised both judicially and publicly to tell the truth and to understand the seriousness of perjury. She has also given her word that she would accept a suspension. Instead, she not only turned up at the House for business as usual but she also asked the press to get off her back.

Angelina may have gained a temporary immunity from justice, bestowed upon her by those who have not processed her suspension papers or were impressed by her performance in front of the camera. But the steady hands of time are ticking away, and like her namesake in Gilbert and Sullivan’s classic comic opera “Trial by Jury,” Angelina definitely and unmistakably will soon hear those fateful words breaking the silence she craves: “Angelina, come thou into court.”

There, the former maxim of the law, “qui tacet consentire videtur” (“he who keeps silent is taken to consent”) — or, in other words, those who keep silent cannot be found guilty — no longer applies.

Yet Angelina does not appear to understand the gravity of her situation. And she is not alone in this.

Recently, House Speaker Marzuki Alie went on the record as saying, “I think there is something wrong with the way we work.”

We presume the irony of his statement was lost on him. But it’s not lost on the public, which is fed up with the stonewalling and obfuscation of politicians and their faceless advisers who treat the citizens of Indonesia with patronizing condescension. It simply won’t do. The electorate is becoming more and more politically astute, informed and outraged.

The way things were done in the past had one intention only — leaving people with a sense of soothed feelings and a curious sense of being unable to recall exactly what explanation was given. To politicians wedded to the past and its mentalities — whatever their age — that attitude will prove their ruin, especially when the public no longer trusts the “bapaks” after so many public relations blunders, lies and court sentences.

Angelina can expect to be given every benefit of law and justice; this is her right. In the meantime, however, she must do everything in her power to cooperate transparently with the processes in motion and in a spirit of justice rather than playing fast and loose with the letter of the law, which has somehow allowed her to sit in the House at the same time she is under serious investigation for robbing the constituents it is her job and duty to serve.

Angelina should stand aside and the president and his party should ensure that she does. If not, the developing sense of contempt for the ruling Democratic Party will only become more entrenched.

For the integrity of the country’s political system, not to mention the survival of whatever credibility it still holds, the Democratic Party must see to it that corruption does not go unpunished.

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Comello

1:25pm Mar 7, 2012

'...qui tacet consentire videtur — or, in other words, those who keep silent cannot be found guilty...'

I guess you meant the opposite: by keeping silent, the presumption is that the charges against her are correct, ergo she is guilty.

Or: nolo contendere...


serenityjam

2:02pm Mar 7, 2012

Perhaps, our legislators need to be reminded about courtesy to the office of the president and as titular head of the dominant political party. Angelina Sondakh could have been prevented from embarrassing the president and the Democratic Party if she was told earlier before her "unwanted presence".

What were the party officers thinking? Angelina, on her own to preserve whatever decency is still left with her, could have gained some sympathy regardless of the accusations against her if she simply disappears for a while like taking an official leave of absence. That is the polite thing to do in this situation. Oh, well, does she know this? I don't think so.

exbrit

2:18pm Mar 7, 2012

Why doesn't the KPK just arrest her as they promised to do and and end this farce? They are claiming paperwork delays also

devine

2:31pm Mar 7, 2012

In my opinion she acts like a small child; all the others did it too so I can do it too... why they only go after me when everybody does the same...

The worst thing is, that they never ever even get slightly embarresed...

padt

3:10pm Mar 7, 2012

Comello - in effect what you are saying is true because we played with the phrase. Angelina asked the reporters to allow her to keep silent - but eventually she will not be able to remain silent as she will be required to speak up in court.

There - the old maxim of the law is no longer, in this day and age - permitted as a defence.

It was famously - and correctly used of course - in the infamous trial of Sir Thomas More. More took great care not to speak against the King's claims. He insisted that if he said nothing he could not be found guilty. At his trail, saying nothing could not legally be interprested as opposition to the Kings unlawful claims which contradicted both Magna Carta and his coronation oath: on the contrary, More's silence could only be interprested as indicating consent to those claims.

But of course, he was not being tried for that reason. The move against him was vindictively personal and to scare anyone else who dared act with any integrity.

DrDez

3:53pm Mar 7, 2012

exB - baffles me also

devine

11:30pm Mar 7, 2012

Noted that NONE of them "up there" (DPR) immediately gets arrested? Another privilige! As a matter in fact they should be the FIRST to be arrested!

DrDez; maybe she wore halfe a mini skirk and made everybody confused?

Asoegenie

7:59am Mar 8, 2012

Angelina's "immunity" is due to the fact that she has the highest, most powerful Connections in this country. I believe she was paid an enormous amount of money just to keep silent.

Yohanes-Sulaiman

6:06pm Mar 8, 2012

@all: Thank you for your comments. On exbrit and devine's comments, all I can do in reply is to quote George Orwell's Animal Farm, in which he wrote "ALL ANIMALS ARE EQUAL BUT SOME ANIMALS ARE MORE EQUAL THAN OTHERS."

That, sadly, is the condition of our country at this point, where justice is swift for someone who supposedly steal a pair of sandals, but it grinds ever so slowly for someone who steals billions of rupiahs.

Valkyrie

6:42pm Mar 8, 2012

I continue to feel that Angie is not the primary target. KPK wants the bogeyman.

KPK has a prima facie case of corruption to place Angie in the slam. There has to be a good reason for not doing so.

devine

7:22pm Mar 8, 2012

Val; why cant they go after the bogeyman if the lock away Angelina? I just dont like this special treatment for some and no compromise for others... that is just not how it should work. I think it is not good for the reputation of KPK either...

padt

8:01pm Mar 8, 2012

I am having a gin and tonic and listening to Victoria de Los Angeles singing 'Un Bel Di Vedremo" (One Fine Day) from Madame Butterfly by the maestro Puccini.

I never understood this aria until it dawned on me that, after repeated listening, the words of the aria (positive) went in opposite direction the the music(negative).

Butterfly sings the lyrics that her husband loves her and will return - the music says he does not love you and he will not return.

Indonesian politics.

This music is played out every day in Indonesia.

My pembanto loves Puccini. And Beethoven. And Mozart.

"Why dont we have this music in our culture?" she asks. You have Malls and glamourous people and politicians, I tell her.

She loves Mozart's Requieum and Verdi's Requiem. "Can I have the CD played at my funeral, she asks?"

No. We come from different worlds.But I will play them in our house.

She seems to have some idea that what you do in this world affects what happens after. I tell her - its about love.

padt

8:05pm Mar 8, 2012

Yohanes sums it up. I would say it differently. Its all about the bull that is in the room that no one will mention and that a fish rots from its head down.

facepalm

8:32pm Mar 8, 2012

@padt: you sound like a genuinely lovely person. Enjoy that G&T.

andriparjoko

9:24pm Mar 8, 2012

I thought it' s a nice show. How can I subscribe for this drama? please anyone tells me and also how much it takes cost.

I would to know that.

Only A burn Child dread the fire. and all at nerve They're wo**e more than kids.

Dickens Still Offers Lasting Lessons for Modern Indonesia

We were talking about Dickens, and lo and behold, love it when you have anti-Reagan trolls coming out of the woodworks. Well, I should not have fed the trolls.

Anyhow, the fact that they published this article so close to the previous one was a major shock to me. I did not expect to have actually three articles published this week, including that Tempo article.

---
Dickens Still Offers Lasting Lessons for Modern Indonesia

Yohanes Sulaiman & Phillip Turnbull | February 17, 2012

Charles Dickens was born 200 years ago and remains one of the most famous English novelists, if for no other reason than that his books have never been out of print. No doubt this is so because his novels appeal to a wide audience.

He achieved this because his work adheres to a simple formula: The author describes an ordinary situation or ordinary people in an extraordinary way, so as to engage people’s imaginations and lead them to identifying, in their own lives, with that situation or that person.

We read Dickens and we know what he is talking about. His scenes and characters are familiar.

Perhaps the two most famous quotes from all of Dickens come from the same book, “Oliver Twist.”

“Please Sir, I want some more” and “The law is an ass.” Well, we all “want some more” and we all know “the law is an ass.” Both ideas ring true and are easy to identify with. But why would Dickens say them in the first place and why do we nod our heads in agreement?

But first things first: Why is Dickens always describing the weather?

Dickens uses the weather as a symbol of the events that are happening at the time or to mirror the attitudes and morality of the people involved. For example, “Bleak House” begins in a London fog and everything is cold, damp and wet. Why? Because “Bleak House” is about the law, and the law is a fog; something we can’t see through.

The lawyers and the Lord High Chancellor in his High Court are at the heart of the fog; sitting there in Chancery, like the law they represent and profit from; decayed, tangled, mildewy, wet, sickly and, above all, slow. The law’s delay is eternally slow in resolving anything, until eventually there is nothing to resolve and people are left bankrupt.

Most Indonesians “want some more” and live under a cloud of legal fog, because the law is notoriously corrupt and inefficient, as various codes overlap and contradict each other. Indonesia has an unreformed legal system stretching from the gutter to the High Court administered by the Indonesian equivalents of Mr. Tangle in Chancery. And like Chancery then, the Indonesian legal system now depends for its livelihood on injustice. It’s in the law’s interest to create injustice.

As in “Bleak House,” everyone wants something and wishes to benefit from the law. They end up worse off than how they began — bankrupt of money and bankrupt of justice. Because the law is an ass. The fog will never lift. Nothing will change. As Miss Flite says, “I have the honor to attend Court regularly. With my documents. I expect a judgment. Shortly. On the Day of Judgment.” Justice is an eternity away for those who seek it. Hidden in the fog of the law, which is an ass.

Were Dickens alive today in Indonesia, he would recognize much that was familiar in England 200 years ago. The Indonesian economy is booming, like the economy of Britain during the Industrial Revolution when Dickens was writing his novels. Then as now, the Indonesian government is creating a new society for the prosperous few based on corruption, collusion and nepotism, and new slums for the many poor. Too many people are falling between the cracks. A booming economy brings profit for a few and creates misery for many. And politicians and officials caught with their hands in the state cookie jar simply get a slap on the wrist or sent for a brief timeout in luxurious air-conditioned personal prison rooms.

On the other side of the divide, children and the elderly are sent to prison for stealing a pair of flip-flops, a few plates, a bunch of bananas, or a phone card. Mentally ill people are chained to the floor in conditions of filth and degradation, when they could be living happy and productive lives if they had readily available medication. The ignorance, disease and misery of the slums of Victorian England are still commonplace in Indonesia in the 21st century. Also similarly, nearly all these injustices are never resolved, except those that arouse enough popular outrage.

NGOs and activists attack all this because they recognize the long-term potential damage. The situation is for them an indication of bad economics, bad government, bad laws and the wrong people administering these things, just as was happening in Dickens’s day. However, unlike the NGOs and the activists in Indonesia today, Dickens wrote about these things not because he wanted to attack the laws, or the economics or the government, but simply because he was grounded in the basic premise of the civilized man; that this is not the way things should be. We can’t have bad things in society. Dickens could not abide human oppression.

There is widespread oppression in Indonesia today because there is little sense of mutual inter-dependence. Workers are agitating for an increase in the minimum wage and are being resisted by both the government and employers. Women who work in Jakarta’s garment industry say the government has ignored them, and they have no protection from bosses who set unreasonable quotas and refuse to pay overtime. The workers are stirring.

Yet Dickens was no friend of mobs — he feared them. He recognized that the mob can get out of control as here in Indonesia when the mobs take things into their own hands and burn factories or block highways, bringing industry and commerce to a standstill, alarming the government and making foreign investors have second thoughts .

Referring to the upheaval caused by the London workers strikes of 1854, a Dickens-edited publication included the words: “Ignorance [lack of education] of the most deplorable kind is at the root of all this sort of strife and demoralizing misery. Every employer of labor should write up over his mill door that Brain in the Operative’s [worker’s] Head is Money in the Master’s [employer’s] Pocket.” This logic does not resonate with many bosses, many in government or the law in Indonesia. They remain in a fog and can’t see the long-term benefits that education can bring to the country in terms of prosperity for all.

Social, legal and economic reform can be achieved in Indonesia only when that collective sense of mutual inter-dependence is re-established and the creeping self-interest of the elite is abandoned. Neither NGOs nor radicals, nor even the few worthy politicians and legal representatives, will bring about any significant change and reform in the country. “Trust in nothing but in Providence and your own efforts,” John Jarndyce says in “Bleak House.” We could add: because the government is not going to do it for you.

All that continues to oppress in Indonesia cannot be dispelled until individual Indonesians join together to lift the burden of fog and mist off the country, created by indifference, poverty and a lack of education. Otherwise the law will continue to be an ass and the majority of Indonesians will continue to cry: “Please Sir, I want some more.”

This wisdom in his novels, if for no other reason, is reason enough to celebrate this Year of Dickens.
-----

philjaco

3:35pm Feb 17, 2012

Sulaiman's arguments are full of contradictions. First he says Indonesian officials should be more like Reagan in cracking down on labor unions, then he laments "widespread oppression" in the country and the plight of the impoverished garment worker. Amazing to me how he can acknowledge the deplorable conditions these workers face yet spend so much column length telling them to get in line.

Doesn't he know that Reagan only made things better for the people at the top? It's hard to tell what this guy really wants for Indonesia.

http://www.thejakartaglobe.com/commentary/yohanes-sulaiman-indonesia-can-learn-from-reagan-about-taming-labor-unions/495414

Yohanes-Sulaiman

5:41pm Feb 17, 2012

@philjaco: Thank you for your comments. First, repeat after me: the world is not black and white, it is all in shades of gray. Second, I am consistent that what I am against here is uncontrolled mob action that threaten the national interests as a whole. It is up to you if you are approving anarchic actions that will plunge the countries into more problems, but that's not helpful in my opinion. Third, try getting rid of your "progressive blinders" and see how Reagan actually reached to the Democrats - hell, many of his programs were approved by the Democrats!

padt

6:42pm Feb 17, 2012

philjaco - what the dickens are you talking about. This article is not primarily about workers and their rights - but about the 'fog' of the law that keeps all people in Indonesian from having what is their right.

As well, it clearly points out that while Charles Dickens was in favour of a just day's wage for a just day's pay - he feared the 'mob' - and sometimes the mob - eben union inspired mobs - take the law into their own hands - and that ultimately doesn't do away with the fog of the law but has the potential for creating something worse - canon smoke.

Y-S is not being contradictory. He is being, multi faceted. The truth is afterall, symphonic.

philjaco

8:24pm Feb 17, 2012

Of course Reagan had programs approved by the Democrats. The Republicans aren't very different from the Democrats.

And of course those workers blocked that toll road. What else were they supposed to do? The guys at Apindo are making huge money right now, yet they still felt the need to go get that wage increase revoked. That's because there is no "national interest." If there were, Apindo wouldn't have done what they did. You talk about "social stability" and "restoring order." But the lives of the impoverished are already in chaos. That's poverty. What's one day without a toll road compared to that?

Thanks for your response.

Yohanes-Sulaiman

8:56pm Feb 17, 2012

philjaco: What one day without toll road? Why don't you ask the truck drivers who were paid at fixed rate, regardless how long they were in road, so the longer they stuck on traffic, the smaller the amount of money they could take home. How about people living there in Cikarang and working in Jakarta? How about children unable to return home, stuck in traffic for hours? How about lost wages, because many factories had to stop production and deducted the wages even for those who didn't go for the strike. How about the black eye to Indonesia's reputation, making investors less likely to invest due to the fear of uncontrolled workers? Plus, how about the global picture, from the difficulties for Indonesian companies to compete? Anyway, feel free to read my other article to understand the other side of the hill: http://www.thejakartaglobe.com/opinion/red-tape-and-company-what-a-toll-road-blockade-says-about-the-economy/493657

trueblue

6:46am Feb 18, 2012

@philjaco

Sorry, but it's complete nonsense to make the erroneous claim "the Republicans aren't very different from the Democrats". Try that line on a Tea Party evangelical nutter, and your credibility would be splattered on the side walk. As to your nit picking at Sulaiman/Turnbull it is obvious that you have chosen to ignore the power of allegory and symbolism, which was brilliantly woven through this piece by two balanced wordsmiths. Your quest for labour reform is honourable, but mobs and anarchy are not the way forward.

nonredneck

2:00pm Feb 18, 2012

"What else were they supposed to do?" never fail to show lazy mind &hybrid mentality of SBY-FPI.

Either:

Sitting & singing lame ducks: "pasrah" "nasib lah" "little fish" "destiny" "leave it to god" "we can only pray" "nothing can be done" "doomsday" "no hope" "helpless" "hopeless" blablabla basically saying 'I'm not using my brain & no effort'

OR

Crybabies with tendencies to end up resorting to violence: block the street, shouting slogans on loud speakers, damage buildings/machineries/infrastructure, ravage the country, occupy/camp like homeless, chant slogans, throw stones, burn things, pull down gates, mob judgement(esp. brutal when they get their hands on the target), blablabla basically crying "I don't know what else to do. So I cry, just like babies not knowing how to say I'm hungry / I wet myself" wa wa wa.

Aren't we the well informed, multilingual, well traveled, well educated, well fed, well living, well thinking, well off bunch? What else can we do with all these privileges?

padt

2:51pm Feb 18, 2012

Has anyone actually got any comments to make on the main point of the article? IE - that the law in Indonesia is a fog and is adminsitered in fog that people can't see through and as a result the law is an ass and the people condemned to poverty want more than they law gives them, rightly so, and end up with nothing.

Dickens' books contributed to social change in England. His books were very influential and helped changed people's attitudes towards the poor and the law.

Where are such authors in Indonesia today?

Are there any who write and critique society and seek to bring about change?

Why are conditions in Indonesia - courts where kids are brought because they stole a pair of flip flops or were playing two up - or old ladies who steal a few bananas -the same today as they were 200 years ago in Dicken's England. Why did England change but Indonesia hasn't?

Why, if Dickens walked the streets of Jakarta today could he say, "These conditions are the same as London 200 years ago"?

mauriceg

3:33pm Feb 18, 2012

What a great article. I've always admired Dickens and his humanity. As a Brit I've got a great deal to be thankful for, for those who historically sacrificed their time, and their lives for the betterment of their fellow man.

My feeling is that it is no accident that Indonesia is the way it is, not through historical cock-ups, but rather it suits the governing elites to have it that way. Through the murky fogs of inefficiency, corruption, incompetence and ignorance, they also have called upon their long-time allies of religious clerics. These latter, bought and paid for, both by the governments, and sometimes by other Muslim countries are there to enforce the teaching that this life's reward is in the next life. By this means facile, credulous, simple believers endure much.

The government has no interest in improving education as a smart electorate would sooner or later thwart their plans.

Is it possible that a present-day Dickens is writing about Indonesia? Is his/her work banned?

nonredneck

4:09pm Feb 18, 2012

I think to repair the system, alot more can be learned from US than UK (ofcourse brits will argue differently). Political cartels undoing can be learned the fall of the once powerful tammany hall. Undoing of racist radical thugs (also chanting gods name) kkk infiltration into all branches of the state & federal system & into the education system. Undoing of the prohibition era multinational corp of the mafia strong grips on practically all facets of the society from businesses, newspaper, entertainment, police force, & presidency. All these things that happened in indo is nothing new. Seen it all in the US. Even the follow up on tech advances, inflation cycle, wallstreet greed, consumerism, all follows the leader. Like it or not those who complains about "western contamination" love all the benefits US provides. Alot can be learned from US practical measure on handling multiple huge crisis. No system is perfect, but much can be learned from those who has been through it.

padt

5:49pm Feb 18, 2012

mauriceg - I think you are right - it is not in the government's interest to have an educated population - because if that were the case the voters would make informed political decisions as opposed to what largely happens now - a decison based on hype, publicity, popularity - especially if the candidate is a gormless film star or media personality - and hand outs.

There are other things that one can't mention without raising all hell and giving offence.

Let me just say today I played the final movement of Beethoven's 9th Symphony to a university graduate and teacher - he had never heard it before - let alone who was Beethoven.

I then played him Allegri's Miserere - and likewise he had never heard it. He asked, "Why did the West produce this sort of music and culture and we didn't?"

I replied, "The foundations of our respective societies are different. We heard things and were formed by them, that most here are unaware of. Even if sometimes we didn't always live up to the ideals."

enakajah

6:57pm Feb 18, 2012

[Edited for clarity]

Gentlemen, whilst your piece has a nice ring to it and indeed there are a host is similarities between Indonesia today and Dickensian England, I would suggest that it is rather easier to find comparisons than to identify the causes and then the solutions.

Indonesia one must remember has had less than 70 years to develop a legal structure and framework. Prior to that there was 350 years of colonial rule in the most shocking form of divide and rule and near slavery where the legal system was set up to protect the rich and enslave the poor.

Indonesia was cut loose less than 70 years ago and has since had to develop a legal system from the old Dutch law and then the pressures the country has been under from the rest of the world to catch up and develop.

So what may appear Dickensian today has been achieved in a mere blink of the eye compared to the time it too Britain to Achieve the same Dickensian levels. It is therefore hardly surprising that we are where we are.

I would suggest that whilst much of what is said in the article is correct it is hardly surprising given the country's recent history. Imagine taking a country stripped bare for 350 years with little to show for it, then colonized by the Japanese for a few short years, then given back to the dutch and then eventually independent. Since the 60's the country has had to develop and Indonesian system in the mist of feeding the people, educating them defining laws that are appropriate to the many religious groups and on top of that compete for a place on the world stage.

No wonder we have the system we have. The country could not afford in time or money to develop the systems Europe has. But it will come. The results are obvious that currently the rich seal everything and the poor, well they just have to suck it up. Not so uncommon around the world actually.

However given time and the fact that there are people that recognize the situation, the country will get better.

padt

8:28pm Feb 18, 2012

[Edited for clarity]

enakajah, while time is certainly a factor - the question is - how much time is required to deal with the problems of vested corrupt practices in the law and in parliament - and how much time is required to create the political will to do something about it.

Clearly things were getting better but now things are getting worse because they are going backwards.

As well, how long does it take to develop any kind of notion of public service and responsibility amongst those who adminsiter the law and politicians?

Time passes quickly - and in the meantime - those involved and shaping the considtions and destiny of the nation are distracted from the task they should be doing and more intent on accumulating personal wealth and power.

And there is no one to say, "Enoughs enough!"

I have just read Oliver Cromwell's short spoeach to the english parliament - 6 years after they had choped the kings head off for ruining (they said) the country.

Six years later the country was worse off.

So Cromwell shouted at the parliament: "It is high time for me to put an end to your sitting in this place, which you have dishonored by your contempt for all virtue, and defiled by your practice of every vice; you are a factious crew, and enemies to all good, government, you are a pack of mercenary wretches...Is there a single virtue remaining among you? Is there one vice you do not possess? You have no more religion than my horse. Gold is your God. Which of you have not bartred your conscience for gold? Is there a man amongst you who has the least care for the good of the country? You sordid prostitutes, you have defiled this sacred place (parliament)....and turned it into a den of thieves by your immoral principles and wicked practices. You have grown intolerably odious to the entire nation; you who were deputed by the people to address the country's problems are now the problem.....In the name of God, get out of here!"

Who's got the guts to say it to that scum today?

enakajah

9:23pm Feb 19, 2012

Padt, this is my point. Cromwell said that whilst Britain was for a few short years a republic and eventually returned to monarchy. And how many hundreds of years was the system in place before Cromwell and since?

Generation after generation have gone into developing the European systems and those of the major western governments. Indonesia has had less than a century to develop it's own system and to keep up with the pressure put on it by the rest of the world.

Who would get up as Cromwell Did. Gus Dur did for a start and look what happened to him.

Who will get rid of the rot as it stands today? Nobody I suspect but then again the voting public eventually will waken and when this country has had the luxury of centuries or at least several generations to develop it's systems I am quite sure it will be as solid as many others.

Rapid change breeds opportunity and opportunity breeds corruption.
It will take a great deal of time for the country to develop it's own system. In the mean time the reigning elite will continue to subvert and corrupt. UK was just the same until the early 1900's. The industrial revolution bred corruption in Britain to it's highest levels and this is what Dickens wrote about. But it was there before for very very long time.

Whilst we tend to think in the immediate countries must look towards thinking in generations. It will take many to resolve this country's problems and they must be allowed to do it their own way. It is Indonesia for indonesians and the government they develop must be primarily for themselves and then face the world. In many way they have done an excellent job. It is only in the last 10 or so years that it has got totally out of hand and eventually it will change. However it must come from inside. Guided by internationally accepted principles but uniquely Indonesian. It takes Generations not years.

padt

9:42pm Feb 19, 2012

enakajah - nothing much will change in Indonesia until people change the way they think. And stop being feudal.

enakajah

3:56am Feb 20, 2012

Padt, exactly the point. Changing the way people think takes generations. Especially in a country like this with a documented history, cultural sophistication and traditions that go back to the 5th Century.

To change the way people think took Islam several hundred years. Changing from Hindu/Buddhist/Animist to the largest Islamic nation on earth. To change from 350 years of colonial rule to a democracy that will accommodate both Islam and secular government means changing the way people think over generations.

Looking at Indonesian history, feudalism is deeply rooted in the tradition and culture. This cannot be changed over night if it needs to be at all in the Indonesian context.

This you will find is the root of our friend JPB's arguments. Why does Indonesia have to conform to western ideas why can it not develop it's own.

Right or wrong the fact is change of this nature does not happen quickly. 70 years of independence is a mere tick of the clock compared to other countries.

Yohanes-Sulaiman

7:07am Feb 20, 2012

@all: thank you for your kind comments.

@enakajah: you are right that it will take generations to change. At the same time, however, there's kind of pro-authoritarianism tendency going on as these politicians do their best to undermine democracy by acting stupidly.

I recalled back in the 1950s, US Ambassador Cummings asked Ruslan Abdoelgani whether Indonesian democracy would last, and the latter said that decades of Indonesian democracy+political movement could not be overturned. Of course, now we knew that within a few years, Sukarno launched his Guided Democracy followed by Suharto's New Order. Those two periods created a very traumatized society, making them politically averse and infantile.

So, while authoritarianism would improve everything, especially by getting rid of those clowns in the parliament, the problem is that authoritarianism would wipe out the generational change you mentioned and put us back to start.

So pessimistic so early in the morning. Need to switch tea.

enakajah

8:16am Feb 21, 2012

Yohannes, The pro-Authoritarian tendency is cultural. You know this more than I do. This comes from centuries of Indonesian and dare I say it Asian based culture. Respect your elders right or wrong. Taken to an extreme here where that situation is paid for and then demanded by the poor excuse we have for politicians. But it is not an option to be allowed to expand.

Lee Kwan Yew also said it would take decades for Indonesia to develop a democracy that works after the fall of Soeharto and it looks like he is right.

But in the end, good, bad or indifferent, this must be resolved by Indonesians in a manner for Indonesians and despite the teething pains we are going through just now, eventually given time, a great deal of time, it will be resolved the Indonesian way.

In the mean time of course everyone suffers.... time for Indonesians to demand a better electoral method or start a party that provides representatives from each constituency that people know and recognize.

Yohannes, there is no need to be pessimistic, all change takes time, changing from one tea to another is I agree traumatic especially in the morning...... :)

Have a little more faith in the people of Indonesia, eventually once the current era of nonsense is over and done with an Indonesian democracy or system will prevail.

Just don't hold your breath. It will take time, a very long time. However please show me a country where it didn't. Instant good government.... We all wish....its just not the nature of the beast.

Yohanes-Sulaiman

8:42am Feb 21, 2012

@enakajah: Call me naive, but I do hope that Indonesia could get rid of their pro-Authoritarian tendency -- and actually I do hope that the explosion of the mass media, critical to the government, could help fostering such libertarian attitude.

The media needs to be responsible, however, otherwise the sensationalism style journalism could throw cold water.

padt

9:41am Feb 21, 2012

enakajah/Yohanes-Sulaiman - I think you are both saying the same thing only differently and in fact are in basic agreement. Not completely - but essentially where it matters.

The issue of time - how long will it take - is important.

For me - it gets dfown to the simple reality that the government is distracted from its real opurpose. Its real purpose is to govern the country and make it a better place in all ways for the population. Instead the government is concerned with self enrichment and maintaining power (to enrich themselves) at all cost.

The average politicial and official here are not average - they are sub average - and fools into the bargain.

The worry is - where are the people of integrity to replace them?

And integrity is lacking in Indonesian social thought because of the way people think. Here it is a feudal society based on 'respect' right or wrong which makes as much sense as saying, "My Mother, drunk or sober'. If the old girl is sloshed, tell her to sober up.