Issue: ‘Yudhoyono a ‘chronic narcissist’

Aug. 17, Online:  President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono’s efforts to enhance his political image have surpassed the public’s threshold, Indonesian Civilized Circle (Lima) director Ray Rangkuti said. Ray made the comment after books and magazines on Yudhoyono and his family were distributed to guests and participants at the Independence Day ceremony at the State Palace on Tuesday morning. “The President’s efforts to build his own image have become inappropriately excessive.  I think he has become a very narcissistic person, perhaps even chronically,” Ray said during a discussion Tuesday, as quoted by kompas.com.

Your comments:

Running this country is, obviously, much more difficult then measuring a pond in your backyard. Please open your mind and respect his positive efforts to help the nation.
Sastra
Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara

People who always try to look at the positive only allow incompetent people to stay in power. This has been and still is Indonesia’s problem. Incompetent people stay in power because we remain polite and only look at the positive.
To be honest, he has been President for six years now, and there are not enough positives to focus on. There are more negatives than positives as far as I can see.
The anti-porn law, Bakrie’s elevation in the Cabinet, no resolution on the (Sidoarjo) mudflow issue, corruption officials and associates murdered or set up for murder, tax embezzlement by the police, logging by the TNI…. The list goes on.
Positives: Tax laws strengthened (thank you Sri Muliyani and the Australian Tax Office), terrorists arrested or killed, anticorruption commission created (sadly, it is only catching small fish). Err... anything else I’ve missed?
Sastra, this is your country and you should be a lot more demanding than I am. He should be doing more to make Indonesia a better country and for the last 3 years he is a complete disappointment. Sadly, so are all his opponents.
Iain
Jakarta

I could really go on here, but rather than do that I will simply say that in my opinion, SBY is a complete and utter waste of space; a wimp with the charisma of a fish; a president that has deserted his people.
I am ready to be convinced that I am completely wrong, by you or anyone else who would like to come to the defense of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.
Please tell me exactly where you believe Yudhoyono has had any success and what he has done for this country? When has he demonstrated that he is behind the people or demanded law and justice for all, not just the rich and powerful?
When was it that SBY last showed the people of the nation that he is a brave and fearless leader who fully promotes a fair and just democracy? As Iain says, we are always too polite and respectful of position, afraid to comment and openly criticize people in positions of power.
I firmly believe that our politicians should be openly questioned and held accountable by us, the people who entrusted them with the responsibility of running our country. They do after all work for us, and not, as some of them mistakenly believe, the other way around.
Didi Karjadi
Bandung

Pak SBY is a chronically narcissistic person? I am greatly surprised that Pak Ray Rangkuti has seemingly found the right phrase to describe his president.
In this case, the people should get all the credit for being a good audience for their president!
In the near future, maybe the people should be awarded Bintang Mahaputra Pendengar Utama, especially those who listen to the President’s feelings.
Agus Satoto
Bekasi, West Java

SBY has shown time and again that he seeks to cultivate a personality cult, possibly in an attempt to be remembered as the greatest president in Indonesia’s history. Many people are happy with him because he brought a since of stability that has not existed since the fall of Soeharto, but I think people are beginning to realize that he’s one of the worst kinds of leaders.  
Guntur Sutriyono
Jakarta

SBY is a chronically narcissistic person. Without any particular talent to boast of and, of course, totally ineffective, he is trying to boost his image. Alas, it is an image of inefficiency and buffoonery.
Anise Denise
India

Narcissism must be the chronic disease of all Indonesian presidents and ministers. Wait till Idul Fitri to watch the dignitaries performing prayers live!
This is a tradition that has been maintained throughout the decades and every time I always wonder why they feel the need to telecast a spiritual moment shot up close under glaring spotlights for public viewing?
Many look tense and distracted. Do the people feel the need to see them performing prayers? I don’t.
Sasha
Jakarta

SBY can only succeed if he has the full support of other individuals in the government — tough job in this republic. Is he really that different from other leaders of other countries?
Barry Acott
Australia