Friday, January 21, 2011 05:22 AM
'We need a ‘new prophet’
Witnessing graft suspect Gayus H. Tambunan’s behavior recently has been irritating. I believe, however, his effortless goings in and out of detention to enjoy a tennis tournament in Bali and sparkling Singapore is not solely owing to his abundant money as a result of a dirty conspiracy with big companies wishing to evade taxes, but rather the involvement of the invisible and invincible hands of strong people.
They might be politicians. When the public finds out about such an scandal and starts to make a fuss over those implicated, everybody gets busy washing their hands and putting the blame on someone else.
While at the same time, there is a man living in a village with an abscess on his leg who has to stay home, and lie on his bed around the clock because he is flat broke. Medical expenses are so expensive that he sits there as maggots swarm over his abscess.
“I have no choice but to cover my husband’s abscess with a cloth to avoid flies and the bad smell,” his wife said. The man’s suffering was unmasked by a private TV station in Jakarta recently.
I am pretty sure the man is not the only one in this so-called “prosperous” country rich in natural resources. Many people live — not below the poverty line — in severely poor conditions. For instance, in some areas people still consume nasi aking (recycled rice), and there are a lot of people fighting over zakat (alms) worth only Rp 10,000 (US$1.10). That’s very saddening as well as embarrassing.
Then the question is where does all of the great amount of Indonesia’s wealth go?
Another funny story showing this country’s decay is the case of the prisoner jockey. This, of course, involved the authorities too. Moral depravity is rampant. Vote-buying is no longer a taboo.
When money talks, any seemingly sincere intention to become a leader is inevitably merely empty talk. As a result, this kind of leader will focus on how to enrich themselves and to prepare his wives, sons or daughters to be their successors rather than spending their energy and thoughts on people’s prosperity during their term in office. What they have promised during the campaigns will remain a sweet memory for the people.
Regardless of their belief, people know that the prophet was sent by God Almighty to rectify a sick society. This is clearly written in the holy books of Islam, Christianity, and Judaism. The society into which God sends His messenger must surely be a morally corrupt society.
Prophet Muhammad, for example, was sent to a jahiliah (uncivilized) society in Arabia. At that time, people’s rights, especially those of the destitute, were not respected at all. The same conditions are present in this country. The law is impotent when it comes to well-off people with authority, whereas it is very powerful toward the poor. The cases of a maid accused of stealing two plates and an old woman stealing cocoa fruit are two examples. Why should such small cases proceed to the courts while big corrupt people enjoy luxurious facilities.
With the conditions of this country approaching those of a modern jahiliyah society, I couldn’t agree more with the idea of searching for a “new prophet”. The new prophet is not a person like Lia Eden or Ahmad Mushadeq, but a leader who is ready to sacrifice everything he has for people’s prosperity and justice.
We need a leader of the quality of a prophet, whose presence will set an example for mankind.
As a matter of fact, there are two main hard tasks the new prophet should do in this country. The first, as Prophet Muhammad did to the Arabians, is to highly respect human rights. The country will absolutely collapse and restore absolute monarchy if only a certain group of people enjoy privileges.
Indeed, this country seems to have turned into an absolute monarchy. We can find “kings” and “queens” scraping out natural resources greedily. Strangely, the money doesn’t go to people but to the accounts of cronies or political parties.
Human rights has a broad meaning, including equal distribution of wealth to the people, but it is only a slogan in this country. That there are still lots of poor conditions at schools and widespread malnutrition proves that human rights are not upheld much at all.
The second is equality before the law. Law enforcement has become a promise of leader candidates and a heated topic among politicians on TV, but it is a fry cry from its execution. Big corruption convicts and drug dealers get special treatment while pickpockets are mobbed to death, but law enforcers seem to close their eyes.
More saddening is the police’s inaction in the face of religious groups who like to attack those they deem as “infidels”. Law enforcement should also guarantee religious freedom.
No wonder God sends catastrophes again and again to this country, as most of its leaders are not amanah (trustworthy).
Indeed, Indonesia badly needs a new prophet who is able to save this country from multiple problems. This country needs strong leadership and a leader as courageous as a prophet. Hopefully we will get this opportunity in 2014.
The writer is a lecturer at the Teacher Training and Education Department (FKIP) at Muhammadiyah Prof. DR. HAMKA University, Jakarta.
do 20 jan 2011 - 22:28
als je even rond kijkt wie er hier berichten plaatst dan vind je dat Om Kesas wel degelijk weet waar de mosterd vandaan komt (uit een potje h`e Ben) selamat buncis dari hiero!!