Money can buy just about anything, except dignity and grace

Debnath Guharoy ,  Consultant   |  Tue, 02/12/2008 11:15 AM  |  Business

When rising prices bite into the household budget, consumers lose confidence. Some 64 percent of people have "recently cut down my spending". Only 39 percent believe "the Indonesian economy appears to be improving".

The Roy Morgan Consumer Confidence index has been hovering at the not-so-confident 110 mark for three consecutive quarters.

All of these sentiments take a toll on national pride.

Expressed another way, they affect the way a citizen views the stature of his or her country in comparison with its neighbors. On the heels of the public debate over Malaysia using the popular Indonesian song "Rasa Sayange" to promote tourism in that country, we decided to get an accurate measure of current sentiment in a special poll conducted after the heat had died down.

A total of 1,947 respondents from 16 provinces, both urban and rural, were asked a series of questions on these and related issues, in tandem with Roy Morgan Single Source, the country's largest syndicated survey. But the opinions expressed in this column are my own.

There is an earthy honesty in the responses garnered. A majority of 52 percent believes Indonesia does not enjoy the same stature as its neighbors, 40 percent think it is about the same and only 8 percent think it is higher.

Asked how they felt about "Rasa Sayange" being used to promote tourism in another country, nobody was inclined to declare war.

Sixty-five percent would like the offending country to be asked for an explanation, 18 percent would like the issue to be taken to the international court in The Hague, 15 percent would like diplomatic relations severed and 2 percent suggest no action at all.

Honesty, expressed with humility, can be misunderstood as a sign of weakness. Grace and dignity are cultural characteristics in Indonesia, especially true of the Javanese. Not something money can buy.

But does the response to the hijacking of "Rasa Sayange" indicate a lack of confidence, or a sense of insecurity in the collective Indonesian spirit? Quite the contrary, I think.

Marketers, both local and multinational, would do well to recognize the strong sense of identity most citizens of this country enjoy today. More than 80 percent "consider myself Indonesian" over Batak, Balinese, Chinese or any other ethnicity.

Almost as many people "try to buy Indonesian-made products as often as possible". Conversely, the remaining 20 percent do not, and marketers of international brands, high-end products and services in particular, can take comfort from that fact.

Through good economic times and bad, these sentiments relating to national pride have grown stronger over the last three years. The emerging economies of Asia have emerging personalities to match, Indonesia included.

Nationalism is not a jingoistic force in Indonesia. While "religion is a part of everyday life" for 90 percent of Indonesians, a fundamentalist minority exists only on the extreme fringe of society.

A real-life drama being played out in the United States has caught the attention of a world in search of peace. With battle-lines drawn between conservatives and liberals, Senator McCain's impending nomination has many Republicans in ideological turmoil. For many, he lacks "Christian values"; his views on abortion, gay marriage and stem cell research are all incriminating evidence.

Over the weekend, a Fox News presenter wearing a cross on her necklace denounced Senator Obama's victory in three states as good news for "Islamic jihadists". Three whole days have gone by and not a word in condemnation of a disgraceful remark. I haven't ever seen a newscaster in Indonesia with a crescent around her neck, not even one with a jilbab.

But I can imagine the international furor if such a remark had been made by a leading local news network by a minority-candidate during an Indonesian federal election. What is a reality in the U.S., known for its famed universities, is inconceivable in an Indonesia struggling to provide basic education to its millions.

Anybody who has had the privilege of quality education has a moral responsibility to live and let live, without trying to impose values considered archaic, alien or bigoted by others. Education alone is not enough; evolution is equally important for any society.

But someone who hasn't finished high school is equally capable of using common sense to recognize hypocrisy, double standards or deception. Regardless of national origins, marketers of products and services would be wise to remember that old adage, "you cannot fool all of the people all of the time".

On the other hand, a brand that weaves itself into the very fabric of local society has much to gain by being a good citizen, in the long-term. Essential to such success is the need to understand and appreciate the local context, beyond the seemingly obvious.

The writer can be contacted at debnath.guharoy@roymorgan.com.

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