L

ooking out of the hotel window over Mumbai and the Arabian Sea, I can’t but help think of the many similarities between two large and vibrant democracies, Indonesia and India. It’s been a weekend of high drama across the subcontinent. Ranking ministers failed to negotiate an end to a fast-unto-death threatened by a yoga guru turned TV star turned anticorruption campaigner. Then, in a sudden twist to the tale, thousands of police executed a Bollywood-style midnight swoop, flying the demigod out of the nation’s capital and dispersing some 100,000 supporters gathered from all over the country. Many are crying foul.

The 24-hour news channels are rubbing their hands in glee. People from all walks of life, politicians of every hue, activists and commentators are all adding to the commotion. This is better than reality TV, it is indeed reality TV. At the eye of the storm is India’s social issue No. 1: corruption. It seems like everybody among its 1.2 billion people has had enough. We have no data in India just yet, so I can’t say exactly how many. But those who have been raking it in must be getting nervous, at least a little. The ongoing saga continues to unfold as I write. Over the last 12 months, some high-profile arrests have left a few big names languishing in jail while they wait for justice to be done. In single digits, they are too few for a nation hungry for many more. Reflecting the mood of the people, media is not sparing any side of the political spectrum, dishing it out to all sides equally.

The continuing unrest across the Middle East bears testimony to the human desire for jobs, for a decent life, some semblance of fair play. Then will come the demand for justice. In a world without borders, images flashed instantly across the far corners of the globe are inspiring people to protest, to say they have had enough. If there are political leaders anywhere who still can’t read the signs, it is time they pulled their heads out of the sand. The cynical disdain for the voter after polling day will come to an end eventually, at different speeds in different countries. Everywhere, it’s a question of when, not if.

Good times and money can act as a soothing balm, but not for long. The socioeconomic circumstances in today’s Indonesia are a good illustration. With the KADIN-Roy Morgan Consumer Confidence index running at record breaking levels month after month, quarter after quarter, the overall economic picture is indeed looking better. But “better” is a relative word. In the January-March quarter, the Good Governance Monitor shows three of its four components heading in the wrong direction. It would be reasonable to conclude that more jobs and higher wages added a glow to the collective mood. No small achievement, kudos are due to the many architects who are helping to steer the country in the right direction.

But higher pay and lower unemployment aren’t opiates to numb all ills. At the end of last year, 86.5 percent of the people believed “corruption is one of the major problems facing this country”. That disturbing number has climbed almost two points to 88.2 percent, keeping it firmly entrenched as the country’s social issue No. 1. People are tired of the rhetoric, a few showcase indictments are not nearly enough. The Gayuses of Indonesia have made a mockery of the justice system. The impunity with which he and his ilk can thumb their noses at all Indonesians, time and again, is getting many more annoyed. If the police negotiate with the lawless, if minorities live in fear, if high-profile businessmen are perceived to be getting away with murder, the national leadership should not be sleeping peacefully at night.

Thankfully, the belief that “democracy is working in Indonesia” has not taken a battering. At the end of March 2011, 72.5 percent of the people continued to have faith in the democratic process, probably sharpening their knives in readiness for the next election. Up a negligible half a percentage point over the last quarter, there is no collective urge yet to throw the baby out with the bath water. In terms of management, the number went south by 1.5 points over the preceding quarter. At the end of the first quarter of this year, 63.8 percent of Indonesians believed “the government is doing a good job managing the economy”. Down, but not out. With more than six out of 10 people giving a pat on the back, the government still has one peg to rest its hat on. It’s no coincidence consumers are bursting with confidence. It could well be argued that people who make, move and sell produce to each other every day do not need much steering. The consumer economy keeps on chugging along, contributing 70 percent of Gross Domestic Product year after year.

Worrisome of all is the measurement of that vital factor, trust. That score moved up some more with 45.7 percent of the people saying, “I don’t trust the current government.” That’s creeping up to the half-way mark. When that crucial point is crossed, the powers-that-be will face an existential threat to their political lives. Jobs and wages are tracking well. Corruption is the biggest problem. It needs more than attention. It’s really as simple as that.

These opinions are based on Roy Morgan Single Source, a syndicated survey with over 25,000 Indonesians 14 years and older interviewed each year. The national database is updated every quarter, capable of acting as a tracker for a myriad issues. Almost 90 percent of the population is covered from across the cities, towns and villages of this vast country.

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