Vice presidential hopeful Boediono takes less traveled road to meet bloggers

Benget Besalicto Tnb. ,  The Jakarta Post   |  Thu, 05/28/2009 1:59 PM  |  Business

In Indonesian "langsat" is a fruit which tastes between sour, sweet and bitter if you're not careful to avoid biting the kernel.

But on Jl. Langsat in Kebayoran Baru, South Jakarta, vice presidential nominee Boediono met a group of Jakartan bloggers late Tuesday.

The bloggers, perhaps, did not think to associate the name of the road with the once popular book *The Road Less Travelled' by M. Scott Peck. But Boediono and the bloggers were coming to terms with the virtues of humility and the balance of life, as advised in the book.

The former Bank Indonesia governor approached a simple stand of traditional cakes in front of a small and simple house, counterpointing the big and luxury houses around.

Without washing his hands, Boediono picked up a fried banana and ate it with his right hand.

Sitting on a small stage, just for two, Boediono and moderator Wijaksono started a discussion -- "obrolan langsat" (Langsat discussion).

"This Pak Boediono is known as a humble person," said Wijaksono from the simple stage.

Under the title "Boediono Menjawab" (Boediono answers), he answered questions from bloggers and journalists, covering political, economic, social, and cultural issues, as well on the internet and movies.

"How often do you use the internet?" the moderator asked.

"Not very often. Only when I need some data. Sometimes I access emails. But not everyday," he said.

"Do you have a Facebook of your own?" the moderator asked again.

"Unfortunately, not yet," the former Coordinating Minister for the Economy said to the surprise of many in the meeting.

Boediono also admitted he never even tried blogging.

However, he acknowledged that blogging is increasingly important in Indonesia, in a way that it help promote democracy. This media, he said, is also becoming more important because there are now about one million bloggers in the country.

Most of the questions raised, however, were concerned more with the economy than with gauging how savy Boediono is on the internet.

Among the "killer" questions was one alleging that he was a rigid supporter of economic "neo liberalism". This included criticism over his approval in channelling the BLBI (Bank Indonesia Liquidity Fund) to ailing private banks during the late 1997 Asian financial crisis, when he was a central bank director.

Then he was also criticized for selling stakes in state companies to the private sector when he was finance minister during the administration of Megawati Soekarnoputri.

"The BLBI and the privatization program were official state policy, which was considered by the government as necessary .. to tackle the economic crisis confronting the country," he noted.

"Every crisis has its cost."

The discussion proceeded like eating the langsat fruit; sometimes tasting sour, sweet and bitter.

Perhaps, the most bitter question was on why he seemed unable to give a comprehensive or clear answer to critics who accused him of being neo-liberal.

"For me the most important thing is how to deliver the best result to improve the prosperity of the people. So, it is this end that always matter for me. The means we'll take may vary as we pursue our efforts, but at the end all are taken to improve the better good of the general public," he said.

As if trying to take the middle way as Anthony Gidden proposes in his book "The Third Way" between liberalism and socialism, Boediono also explained; "We need to strike a necessary balance in our efforts to pursue our goal of improving the prosperity of the public."

Then came another bitter question from the blogger; "Give us a reason why we should select you as our vice president together with Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono as our future president?"

With a wider smile he said: "It will be a *whole* campaign if I answer this. But let me tell you why I agree to accompany Pak SBY as his vice. We have a chemistry between us that I think is very important to build solid and strong teamwork.

"There are no kinds of *political* deals between us that would prejudice our undertaking our governmental roles effectively," he told a man who was standing near a small environmental pamphlet that reads "Saya pilih bumi selamat" (I choose a safe earth).
 

Copyright © 2008 The Jakarta Post - PT Bina Media Tenggara. All Rights Reserved.