Hamengku Bawono X - JP/Bambang Muryanto

May 9, p2

After almost two weeks of uncertainty surrounding issues of succession within the Yogyakarta Palace, Sultan Hamengkubuwono X '€” now Hamengku Bawono X '€” finally appeared in public on Friday afternoon to clarify the matter.

Speaking at a meeting held at Ndalem Wironegaran, the residence of his eldest daughter Gusti Kanjeng Ratu (GKR) Mangkubumi '€“ formerly GKR Pembayun, the sultan said that the recent decisions he made were based on a revelation from God he received through his ancestors, kings of the Mataram kingdom.

Your comments:

I can'€™t say that I actually see much in the way of divine intervention; more a case of when between a rock and a hard place it'€™s time to play the God trump card. Who here would actually dare or be politically brave enough to question, let alone refute, such a claimed divine orchestration?

May Ling

Generally speaking, constitutional monarchies do better than republic governments in most cultures.  

Japan, Holland, Denmark, Sweden, Norway and the UK are all constitutional monarchies and they don'€™t seem to be doing poorly. But once you compare monarchies and republics in non-European countries, it'€™s more striking.  The sultanate of Yogyakarta is successful because it has responded to change in its own way.  

The current system seems to work for people in Yogyakarta. Yogyakarta is the least corrupt region in Indonesia and given the nature of Indonesian politicians I can see why people in Yogyakarta much prefer having a sultan in charge.

Weilim

The objectors to his modernization program are now trapped within their own ideology.

They can argue no further with a personal conversation between the divine representative of their ideology and the ancient sultans and in consort with God not without undoing their own ideological platform.

Noones

Even former president Yudhoyono had a few years ago some kind of divine revelation while he was in Mecca. Give me a break. I can'€™t but wonder if the messages were delivered engraved on '€œmagic stones.'€

O. Grey

Receiving visions/revelations would indeed make him a prophet, something he cannot be in Islam. Aside from his flirting with being a murtad, apostate, I find royalty and nobility to be parasitic.

Dani

Any Muslim teacher with any knowledge can call him out on this - no one has special powers and a link to Allah. It'€™s sick that they mislead the people in this way '€” it'€™s also a major sin.

Allah gave his revelation '€” we cannot pray to the dead or talk to them. Just pray to Allah and pray for the dead. There is no one in between. Shame on the Sultan.

S. Jaellis

You may see it as antics, but these folk have kept much of their centuries-long traditions (since 1300, if you consider Mataram to be the continuation of Majapahit) intact. Mataram was once a great kingdom.

Despite increasing Islamic influence, interestingly, the rulers were always considered able to directly receive God'€™s commands; it looks like this is still maintained today.

If Indonesia now has not turned into an Afghanistan, you can give much of the credit to these folks, who insist on a mixed Javanese-Islamic interpretation.

Sudarshana Chakra

The sultan only called on the people to accept his two recent decisions. There are always risks to every decision. The Sultan'€™s decision to name his eldest daughter as the crown princess must be respected.

Abdul Manan

The sultan'€™s move has set the course for reformation: A step toward the end of a syndrome of chaos and chronic fatigue.

Suwiwi

Great idea, next time I make a decision others don'€™t want to accept, I am going to try saying it was a message from God.

Jakfan

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