Now this is getting real interesting!

Insight: Sri Mulyani could win before 2014
Wimar Witoelar, Jakarta | Tue, 05/25/2010 9:47 AM | Headlines


In the 1975 movie Three Days of the Condor, Robert Redford was hunted down by an assassin throughout the whole movie. In the final scene, Redford is caught in a dark home in Bethesda, face to face with Max von Sydow the assassin. Forgive the spoiler, but as the clock struck midnight the assassin put away his gun. Redford and the movie audience watched in flabbergasted relief as the assassin said, “My contract just ran out. You are a free man.”

A scene of this nature should have taken place in the Indonesian parliament. Instead of walking out on the finance minister at her last appearance in the plenary session, the parliament members should get down to business. After all, the contract was called off when the Golkar Party chairman was appointed as the executive officer of the joint coalition secretariat. Golkar instantly lost interest in the Bank Century case, it is quite happy to let Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati go to Washington, DC to assume the position of managing director of the World Bank.

But political assassins are not as disciplined as real ones. Even when Golkar announced it was leaving the Century case, some of its hyperactive operators could not stop their mindless haranguing of Mulyani. Golkar followers in other parties are left disoriented and discontented as they are left on their own.

Instead of going after the hapless Mulyani, her nemesis is savoring the fruits of his hunt, the position as main political partner of the President, relegating other politicians to the sidelines. The joint secretariat was created at a closed meeting in the home of the President just two days after Mulyani announced her acceptance of the World Bank offer. In an eloquent address at a forum entitled “Public Policy and Ethics”, she unleashed unequivocal words at forces that she said were involved in politics purely for personal gain. She proudly stated that her decision to leave her position as finance minister was a victory, because no one had been able to dictate her, including her adversaries. She concluded her speech saying that “As I did not abandon the truth, as I did not betray my conscience, as I respected my values and my dignity, I won,” she said.

While she did undoubtedly won over personal denigration, the public has yet to capitalize on the moral victory. What is left in the aftermath of the Century case is a political cartel with the boss of the Golkar Party, Aburizal Bakrie, sitting in the driver’s seat. Some say this is the reality of deception in politics. A regime lacking in confidence — not in popular support — has created its own prison, entrusting its legitimacy to political deals.

Some see reason for pessimism that the groundswell of support for Mulyani has come to nothing as she leaves for Washington, DC leaving behind her considerable support in groups such as the KPI-SMI (We believe in the integrity of Sri Mulyani Indrawati). While intellectuals and activists believe her statement “I’ll Be Back”, less sophisticated well-wishers need something more concrete to hang their hopes on. It is only logical that the movement to draft Mulyani for president in 2014 should swiftly take hold on the imagination of the independent public.

There is a reason for optimism here. Even as the abuse of the political system continues, it will become inconsequential in the face of the reversal of fortunes that has come about in these two days in May. The story is not as obvious as it seems, but the hunter has become the hunted. Aburizal, who could use money and power to motivate a collaboration against clean government, now has to take care of his own transgressions. They are not seen as the reason we need crusaders like the woman he allegedly conspired against. It will not be easy for him to shift from an opportunistic aggressive game to a defensive stance protecting his position from accusations of wrongdoing, which have become the household word.

There is widespread speculation in Jakarta that the strengthening of Aburizal as Yudhoyono’s coalition partner signals Aburizal’s anointment as a candidate for president in 2014. That adds to the suspicion among Golkar’s partners on the motivation behind his effort to resurrect the Bank Century case after it had been put to rest from November 2008 until August 2009.

In contrast to Aburizal’s defensive position, there is a pulsating groundswell of support for Mulyani to return from the World Bank and take Indonesia’s presidency in 2014. That would set up an election such as the Lyndon Johnson versus Barry Goldwater contest in 1964 labeled “A choice, not an echo”.

But this time the choice is less between clearly defined differences in philosophies than a choice between ethical integrity and cynical pragmatism.

In this sense Mulyani could win the battle. She does not have to wait until 2014. “I can cry now because I am no longer finance minister. The minister is not allowed to cry as it would shake the rupiah. So it’s an expression of relief.” The victory for Mulyani is her triumph over pressure. For the Indonesian public it is the revelation of truth and the blossoming of a new solidarity. This is people power much stronger than any amount of money from uncertain sources. Much has yet to be done to translate static power into a winning combination. My Twitter friend with the moniker@mushroomteaser tweeted: “We need a new spirit. A sense that we are all in this together.”



Excellent article from the old JakPos.........two thumbs way up......., all the way!