President Susilo Bambang Yu-dhoyono has gained what his three immediate predecessors never could: a rare second chance. And second chances being what they are, the question is now will he change his ways and make a real difference this time around?
Megawati Soekarnoputri, who Yudhoyono beat in the 2004 elections, served just over three years; Abdurrahman "Gus Dur" Wahid 21 months; and B.J. Habibie 17 months. All three were booted out of office for their failures.
Indonesia's first two presidents, Sukarno and Soeharto, don't count. They were dictators who created their chances by force, squandered them and bankrupted the nation. Not surprisingly, both were removed from office.
History will not be very kind to our presidents. Sukarno and Soeharto will be remembered for the wrong reasons. In the case of Habibie, Gus Dur and Megawati, their rule was too short and irrelevant to be worth remembering. They will be lucky even to be mentioned in footnotes in the national history in 50 or 100 years' time.
Yudhoyono has a popular mandate that has never been accorded to an Indonesian ruler before and most probably will be given sparingly to others in future. In this position, he can virtually choose how he wants the nation to see him and how historians will write about him in 50 years from now.
If he had been a single-term president, Yudhoyono probably would not have left much of a legacy - a little bit more than Megawati perhaps (which was not that much to begin with). He would be remembered as a leader who promised the moon, but who was short on delivery. He spent much of his time crafting and building his image rather than trying to live up to his 2004 election campaign promises.
Yudhoyono did what many leaders in democracies do - preparing for the next election as soon as they get into office - which apparently paid off as he got himself reelected this year. It is unlikely Yu-dhoyono retained his presidency for his achievements (which were not much to brag about), but more because voters felt there were no other credible candidates.
The game in the second term changes.
Going by the Constitution, this will be his last term in office. Without reelection worries, Yudhoyono wants to start thinking about creating a legacy for the nation, and what better way to do this than delivering on his promise to create a just and prosperous nation?
This is after all what Indonesia's founding fathers promised at the outset of our independence in 1945 - something none of our leaders has achieved so far. Indonesia remains neither a just nor a prosperous nation - six presidents later.
Yudhoyono fell short on his own 2004 promises. Poverty remains a major problem with many seeing their income stagnating or marginally improving at best; and millions, including the young, remain out of work.
Local and foreign investors, who could have made a vast difference to Indonesia's economic conditions, have not found the atmosphere here conducive enough and certainly not competitive; and poor infrastructure has hampered the development of Indonesia's economic potential.
Better governance remains a challenge, with continued corruption in high places, and some basic rights like freedom of speech and of religion, especially among minorities, not observed or protected.
Yudhoyono's first term in office was marked by many missed opportunities. He made the first mistake on his first day in office by including some unsavory people in Cabinet, a decision he was saddled with throughout the five-year term. There were also times when he succumbed to doing what was popular, preserving his image, rather than doing what was right.
In his second term, he can no longer hide behind the trial-and-error excuse. In fact, with the benefit of hindsight, Yudhoyono can right the mistakes he made in the last five years. He would not have to face what Habibie, Gus Dur and Megawati went through, in looking back and regretting what they could have done, if they only had the chance.
Here is a president who essentially has nothing to lose and can do what he feels he has to do for the nation.
Yudhoyono could still fall for the temptation of power, especially given the popular mandate he received in the election and support from the grand coalition he has cobbled together in parliament. With this much power, he could technically change the Constitution and allow himself (God forbid) a third chance.
Or he could become obsessed with grooming a successor for 2014, building his own political dynasty to compete with the old and emerging dynasties like the Sukarnos, Soehartos and Djojohadikusumohs.
Yudhoyono has a historic opportunity to be the first Indonesian to be given the chance to write his own legacy - a privilege rarely available for future leaders.
It's a second chance that is his for the taking. Let's hope he doesn't blow it.
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