Gayus And The President's Dignity

(published by The Jakarta Post on 26 Jan 2011. Click here)

Referring to Gayus H. Tambunan, people should not simply look at how the “actor” has played his role. He is indeed a real actor who has stolen the show: sometimes smiling, at other times crying, too. He speaks very well and never shows his nervousness when answering the judge. He has been full of confidence. What was his official position? Only that of a low-ranked officer at the tax office!

Most people hate Gayus today. If we ask people about him, he will be named as the No. 1 bad guy in Indonesia. We read all the comments posted on Internet by angry members of the public after the seven years’ imprisonment verdict handed-down by Judge Albertina Ho last week. These enraged letters asked police to hand over Gayus to the “people’s court” because the existing court had so far handed down unjust verdicts to money-rich criminals.

Gayus, who blatantly paid off the tax office, police corps and the Attorney General’s Office, has been striking out haphazardly at anyone and recently employed his drunken master style when he implicated the jailed Antasari Azhar and the Central Intelligence Agency.

But above all, the more serious thing than the criminal plots committed by Gayus is the government’s (read: The President’s) dignity. Two days after President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (SBY) laid out 12 orders regarding Gayus’ case on Jan. 17 in a limited Cabinet meeting, a judge at the South Jakarta District Court “awarded” Gayus with the lenient verdict. It was like an uppercut to the President’s authority.

In that meeting, the President called on at least five institutions to bring about a resolution in this mafia-stylecase — the National Police, the Attorney General’s Office, the Law and Human Right Ministry, the Financial Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre and the Judicial Mafia Taskforce. However, looking at Gayus’s smile and comments in the court (made either before the judge or before journalists), Gayus has proven that the five institutions are toothless.

Gayus has humiliated the law enforcers and the government. He humiliated the President. He humiliated us. It is his down to his own smarts that he has managed to muss the law and ridicule the government. We don’t want to be bothered with that, but, how come the government (read: The President) fails to show us any dignity? How come a crime committed by a junior tax officer has been making headlines everyday and none of the President’s subordinates has been able to settle this case after more than six months?

We are not talking about Gayus but the President’s dignity. The international community has watched as this case evolved to our nation’s embarrassment. The Wall Street Journal in an op-ed on Jan. 12 titled: “Indonesian superfly: A rogue tax official with a knack for passing through prison walls” commented about our President: “By treating this case as though it were any other bribery trial, his government risks letting the public’s theatrics overshadow the seriousness of Mr. Gayus’ offenses — while turning the graft fight into a bad joke at the Indonesian people’s expense.”

So Indonesian fellows, what can we expect from such a government in upholding our dignity as a nation? I just worry after Gayus has completed his jail term, he will run for president. Why not? We have the best government that money can buy, as Mark Twain said.

***
Serpong, 24 January 2011

Titus J.

RI Facing Leadership Crisis

(published by The Jakarta Post on 4 Feb 2011. Click here)


We are in an era of a leadership crisis and Indonesian people have to take the matter seriously. The next election in 2014 is three-and-a-half years away, but it will come very soon. According to the constitution, incumbent President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (SBY) is not allowed to join the race in 2014 because he has held the position for two terms.

These days we are surrounded by news about presidential candidates who will likely participate in the 2014 presidential election, however, none of those figures are convincing enough. The Democratic Party (PD) has no ideal figures, but first lady Kristiani Herawati Yudhoyono has been mentioned many times as a potential candidate. If she’s ready to take the opportunity, she will follow the track of Hillary Rodham Clinton, the former US first lady who failed to secure presidential nomination from the Democratic Party after being defeated by Barack Obama. If Clinton’s political skills were sharpened while she was senator of New York from 2001 to 2009 after her husband left office, Kristiani has proven nothing except for being the first lady.

The Golkar Party will surely nominate their chairman, Aburizal Bakrie, but many issues surrounding him may hinder his run, including the Lapindo mudflow disaster in Sidoarjo and tax evasion allegations involving several firms owned by his family.

The Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) has no candidate other than Megawati Soekarnoputri herself, but people are not likely interested in her anymore due to the “immature demeanor” she has consistently shown toward SBY. The PDI-P may propose Puan Maharani, Megawati’s daughter, but she is too young and still categorized a political new comer.

The National Mandate Party (PAN) obviously has own candidate in Coordinating Minister for the Economy Hatta Rajasa, but unfortunately his figure lacks charisma. We have to be honest in acknowledging that Indonesian people love charismatic leaders.

The Great Indonesia Movement Party (Gerindra) has announced intentions to nominate Lt. Gen. (ret.) Prabowo Subianto, but he may stumble over his connection to the late Soeharto’s family. He was discharged by the Military Honorary Council on Aug. 24, 1998 for his role in the abduction of political activists when he served as commander of the Army’s Special Forces (Kopassus) between 1995 and 1998. I think people are still traumatized by the dark history.

Now all Indonesian people have to think about seeking alternative figures. The 2014 legislative election will likely still be dominated by the three major parties, i.e. Democratic Party, Golkar Party and PDI-P.

Unless we find a breakthrough to discover competent alternative figures, the selection of our next leaders will be limited to very few names.

***
Serpong, January 13, 2011.
Titus J.