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Letter: SBY, JK, Mega, or ...?
Fri, 02/27/2009 2:30 PM | Reader's Forum
It seems President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono is hurt by the decision of Vice President Jusuf Kalla to run for the presidency.
Just as both SBY and JK hurt the chairwoman of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) Megawati Soekarnoputri prior to the previous election, by resigning from the Cabinet, so both may now taste the same bitter-sweet pill.
Megawati did a great favor for both SBY and JK, when they were in the political wilderness after they were sacked by former president Abdurrahman "Gus Dur" Wahid, by bringing them into mainstream politics and giving them key coordinating portfolios.
But did they show their gratitude to Megawati? No, instead they stabbed her in the back. But she remained calm.
JK's decision to run for President is great news, not so much for him, but for the country. Someone as unpopular as JK among the working class will face an uphill task to win.
The PDI-P will be the clear winner of the legislative elections on April 9. After the elections, it will be Megawati who will be calling the shots, she will have a clear mandate to choose the most effective and honest Vice President from across a wide range of the political spectrum.
I have always thought of Wiranto as a great man the country needs, but am not sure whether he is a winner as a vice presidential candidate. If Megawati wins the presidency, Wiranto should play a key role in her administration.
Yogyakarta's Sultan Hamenkubowono X is unlikely to be a kingmaker, nor Hidayat Nur Wahid. The PDI-P needs to split the votes of the Golkar Party. Pairing with Prabowo, Megawati will jump-start her presidential campaign ahead of time. The Democratic Party will become an ineffective force, just like the National Awakening Party (PKB).
Don Dissanayake
Queensland, Australia
What's On
- Festival of India
10/29/2009 12/15/2009 Balai Kartini & Umar Ismail Hall, Jakarta
- Imagemakers of the Future: Photography exhibition
10/10/2009 11/30/2009 Alila Ubud Desa Melinggih Kelod Payangan, Gianyar 80572, Bali - Timeless Change
11/05/2009 12/07/2009 Ganesha Gallery, Four Seasons Hotel Jimbaran, Bali. - Choreography of Colours; Sardono W. Kusumo's first solo painting exhibition
11/12/2009 12/12/2009 vivi yip art room Annexe Ciputra World Marketing Gallery Jalan Prof Satrio Kav 11, Casablanca
DeeDeeDebbie — Thu, 03/05/2009 - 2:03pm
Don, in fact on the field, PDI-P is success to accomodate the low class people through communication, break their mind-set and build the stable economic life. Indonesia need solution to break the gap between low class people and high class people. Most high people only treat the low class people as slave and this create the furious of these people. So many homework that Indonesian government must do for their people and eventually the economic growth will be as the result. As human nature, people are impatient to see these people. In political life, it is necessary the stab from behind. Actually, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono should come to see Ibu Megawati Soekarnoputri to thanks to her during her period as President, she let Susilo to prepare himself to be Indonesian President. Through his appearance on Metro TV, Susilo only asked to some of his staff according Mrs.Megawati Soekarnoputri. I can say this is impolite way. Susilo must meet Mrs.Megawati Soekarnoputri and shake hands with Mrs.Megawati Soekarnoputri. Don't you agree with the man must gentleman to a woman?
Susilo consideration with Kiemas's words that Susilo is so childish. I believe everyone have a right to give opinion. If Susilo not childish, Susilo must to meet Mrs.Megawati Soekarnoputri as part of his gratitude.
Rahadi Widodo (not verified), jakarta — Mon, 03/02/2009 - 1:42pm
Don, I dont think you present your case on Mega very well. You should have mentioned she will go down in history as the President who did nothing. Many people now joke about thier boses in this way if he/she under performs is issued with a Mega award (the boss that did nothing) you forgot to mention how she turned her back on the students? how she had certain Amercian civil rights experts banned from entering Indo.
The rupia gaining strenght had nothing to do with her or else you could say the helped the Signapore, Peso, Baht recover as they all recoverd at the same time.
You forgot to mention how her husband basically ran the show and was always playing up to the cameras.
you forgot to say her cabinet took over as they were displeased with in-action. If you are president you must act, you cant sit on sidelines. What coruption cases were handeled by her administration? What about wealth reports prior to being president then the report after being president?
Helena van der Winden (not verified), Jakarta — Sun, 03/01/2009 - 7:05am
I think SBY is still the best of a bad bunch.
- Megawati is hopeless and useless.
- Hidayat Nur Wahid does not have a charisma and a hypocrite.
- JK.....Oh my God, this guy is a disaster (and please Indonesians, learn from the Germans. Never put a short man with a moustache in a top position).
- Prabowo & Wiranto.....these two guys are bad for the image of Indonesia abroad. Stay away from them.
- Sultan Hamengkubuwono....I respect the guy, however the non-Javanese would not be too happy being ruled by a Javanese King.
- Gus Dur....please forget about worldly ambition, stay at home, and pray. It's better for him to write for newspapers or to write books if he's still interested in politics.
DON DISSANAYAKE, CPA.FCMA,PhD (not verified), QUEENSLAND, AUSTRALIA — Sun, 03/01/2009 - 4:41am
I wholeheartedly respect the views expressed by the commentators. Yet I know Indonesia is not a Westerners Dreamland. Jalan Jend Sudirman, MH Thamrin, Kemang and similar areas may represent and show case Indonesia to Westerners and their values, but Indonesia represent a well behaved, hardworking, innocent, extremely loyal people. Yet they are poor,for fault of their own, their needs are being neglected. The glory of super star shopping complexes, luxury motor vehicles, super night life are part of these cosmopolitan cities in Indonesia, quite a contrast from the traditional pasar where average Indonesian will shop for their "Sembaku". True enough, Soeharto did damage the social fabric, democratic rights, but lets face the facts that he did develop the country as well. If Soeharto is still hated by Indonesians ( as some Western writers think), then why Golkar is popular amonngst the people now? Ibu Mega's presidency was well received by the Financial Markets, her Cor-ordinating Minister for the Ecoomic Affairs, HE Dr Dorodjaton Kuntjoro-Jakti was an excellent operator. He stabilised the Rupiah from 12,000+(when President Gus Dur left) to around Rp 7,500, despite the fact of the SARS epedemic, the Iraq war and the Bali Bombing( when SBY was the Cor-ordinating Minister for Internal Security). The regime formented macroeconomic stability by reforming the financial sector and improving the investment climate. The reason why Ibu Mega did not win the last Presidential election was that she did not make false promises. Just read the election manifestos of the Democratic Party and the verbal promised given by them. Some of the promises were: Free Education, milk and books for students, health care for all. Now please look back and see the performances, have they been achieved?
If there is a political leader who understand the pain, agony and suffering of the average Indonesian, that is none other than Ibu Mega. Indonesian people knows very well they made a mistake last time, by believing a high flying candidate for no avail. Ibu Mega has won the hearts and minds of its average people. She is a great leader, after she formed the Cabinet, did not change any portfolios afterwards. I remember, Westerners complained at that time as to why President Mega was taking a such a long time to select her Cabinet. Once she did it, she got it right.
Election of PDI(P) and Ibu Mega is a burning desire of the average Indonesians. Selamat Sukses Ibu Mega. Dirgahayu Indonesia, Merdeka Indonesia, saya tercinta Indonesia.
DON DISSANAYAKE, CPA, FCMA, PhD
Antonhoward — Sat, 02/28/2009 - 8:22pm
JK's reason to run as a president was triggered by "the need to resuscitate the party's dignity", another example of selfishness and chauvinistic behavior still well-preserved in the political arena.
I am really pessimistic in this election.
John Ralph (not verified), Jakarta — Sat, 02/28/2009 - 1:56pm
If Don is predicting a Mega victory then Indonesia will need all the help it can get if the past performance of PDI-P and Mega is anything to go on.
Frankly foreign investment will dry up considering the antics of certain members and relations in the PDI-P that were total loose cannons in the previous Mega administration.
The Mega Government was also responsible for the greatest crime in Indonesian history - the creation of regional authonomy without clear law and regulations. In one stoke of the pen a massive platform of graft, corruption and waste of Government funds was created.
Mega was hopeless as President and everyone knows this to be the case and certain family members did very well from her Presidency at the cost to the Indonesian people.
No - Indonesia does not need a PDI-P win or a Golkar win for that matter.
Scot MacKenzie (not verified), Sydney — Sat, 02/28/2009 - 8:54am
That must be quite a large poster of Megawati on your wall, Don. Do you have a little altar under it as well?
Your endorsement of the head of the TNI under Soeharto (nice clean slate there!) reveals you as quite the New Order romantic. You can find many an elderly german who waxes lyrical the same way about the government they had there in the late 1930's.
As for Prabowo, where were you in May 1998, Don? I truly hope that none of your friends in Glodok were young, female and ethnic chinese.
Kakanyo (not verified), UK — Fri, 02/27/2009 - 9:59pm
"Megawati did a great favor for both SBY and JK, when they were in the political wilderness after they were sacked by former president Abdurrahman "Gus Dur" Wahid, by bringing them into mainstream politics and giving them key coordinating portfolios....But did they show their gratitude to Megawati? No, instead they stabbed her in the back."
COME ON, DO YOU THINK THERE IS SORT OF GRATITUDE IN POLITICS? I GUESS WHAT YOU MEAN WITH GRATITUDE IS A SORT OF 'BLIND OBEDIENCE' FRAMED IN THE INDONESIAN STYLE OF 'ASAL BAPA (BUNDA?) SENANG".