JAKARTA, 02 December 2000 - Cultural observer, Goenawan Mohammad, considers Megawati Soekarnoputri, Abdurrahman Wahid (Gus Dur), and Amien Rais unsuitable to lead Indonesia in 2004. Goenawan made this comment during a talk with the Indonesian Society at the Indonesian Consulate in New York City, USA, on Wednesday night, November 29. According to Goenawan, the three top Indonesian leaders emerged “by accident.” Amien, he said, gained fame through his opposition to former President Soeharto. Meanwhile, Soeharto’s repressive policies made Megawati and Gus Dur into national figures. “In other words, they are untrained to solve the numerous national problems. Hence, they’re inadequate to lead Indonesia in 2004,” said Goenawan, the former Editor in Chief of TEMPO Magazine. The Indonesian Consulate General in New York, I Gusti Ngurah Swetia, moderated the discussion.
Goenawan called for efforts to prepare capable candidates for the 2004-2009 presidential term. However, he was not optimistic that the moral damage suffered by all national and regional leaders during 30 years of New Order rule could easily be overcome. “Most of them (current leaders) are only opportunists,” Goenawan asserted. When asked about the need to replace the current administration, Goenawan said that Gus Dur has proven incapable of running his administration. Meanwhile, the opposition gets stronger. Goenawan sees the question as not if, but how to replace Gus Dur and with which person. “Can the powers inside and outside the parliament replace him? If they can, will the replacement be a good president? Who will be the new president? Can Megawati do better?” he said. Goenawan also discussed the prospect of national disintegration. He partially blamed the emergence of separatist movements in Aceh and Irian Jaya on the iron fisted policies of the New Order regime.
“The New Order government maintained national unity by force, not by thinking and imagination. The current events in Aceh and Irian resulted from violence committed by the New Order government,” Goenawan asserted. Unfortunately, he added, Gus Dur’s administration has not offered a clear agenda for solving these problems. Consequently, the options are limited to two difficult choices: the suppression of the pro-independence movements or granting freedom. Although the government wants to avoid using force, Indonesia will disintegrate without halting the independence movements. Goenawan is visiting the USA to attend the premiere performance of King’s Witch operetta at the Lincoln Center in New York City on November 21. Goenawan collaborated with composer Tony Prabowo on the operetta. He also attended to the cultural symposium at the White House on November 28 at the invitation of US President Bill Clinton.
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