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President Jokowi is luckier than South Korea’s Moon Jae-in
Moon is not just prohibited by the constitution from seeking reelection, he and his family members may also face the threat of imprisonment after he leaves the presidential Blue House, as his 11 predecessors did.
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South Korean President Moon Jae-in delivers a speech at the al-Wasl Dome upon his arrival at Expo 2020 in Dubai on Jan. 16. (AFP/-)
P
resident Joko “Jokowi” Widodo’s second five-year term will end in October 2024, but several politicians have maneuvered, with a certain degree of support at the grassroots level, to change the two-term limit to enable Jokowi to extend his power. Jokowi has repeatedly insisted that he will abide by the Constitution, but his assurance has been unable to put the controversy to rest.
The situation contrasts distinctly with that of outgoing South Korean President Moon Jae-in, who will end his single, five-year term in May. Moon is not just prohibited by the constitution from seeking reelection, he and his family members may also face the threat of imprisonment after he leaves the presidential Blue House, as his 11 predecessors did.
President Moon still has two months to pack his personal belongings and to make sure nothing is left behind when on May 10 he transfers power to whoever wins Wednesday’s presidential election. At least to the outside world, one of Moon’s greatest accomplishments was forging a strong personal bond with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, one of the key stabilizing factors in the Korean Peninsula’s security.
As reported by the Korea Herald, the election will pit former Gyeonggi governor Lee Jae-myung of the ruling Democratic Party against former prosecutor-general Yoon Suk-yeol of the main opposition People Power Party. Lee is relying on his track record as an elected governor to woo voters, while Yoon is exploiting the public anger against President Moon’s administration to attract public sympathy.
I will fully accept criticism for comparing the situations of Indonesia and South Korea. My three visits to Seoul mean little to help me understand the advanced nation. What I can offer you is a comparison between the ruthless treatment the South Korean people have given to their former presidents and the generosity of Indonesians toward their former leaders.
When he steps down as president in May, will Moon become the only ex-president who escapes the curse that afflicted all 11 former leaders? None of the former South Korean presidents could leave office without humiliation from the people and law enforcement.
Many Indonesians pride themselves as a forgiving nation, as proven by their attitude toward their former colonial masters, the Dutch and the Japanese. Strongly influenced by Javanese culture, Indonesians also prefer to put behind them even gross abuses of power from their leaders. Instead, they tend to see the bright side of leaders.
