Reminiscing about the 1998 Reform Era brings forth a mixture of emotions. On the one hand, we are grateful for the reforms. On the other hand, we mourn the tragedies that remain unresolved.
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Reminiscing about the 1998 Reform Era brings forth a mixture of emotions. On the one hand, we are grateful for the reforms. On the other hand, we mourn the tragedies that remain unresolved.
It is still fresh in our minds that the resignation of New Order Era ruler President Soeharto marked the culmination of weeks of violent drama, in which four Trisakti University students lost their lives, dozens of malls were set ablaze and looted and people of minority groups were subjected to violence. These were major sacrifices for the massive shift the country was going through.
Within a short period of time through a number of People’s Consultative Assembly’s Decrees (TAP MPR), Indonesia created a legal system that included a two-term limit for presidents, freed the economy of practices of corruption, collusion and nepotism (KKN) and ended the dual role (dwifungsi) of the military and the police. The people’s six reform demands at the time also included an amendment of the 1945 Constitution, serving justice to the New Order ruler and his cronies and expansive regional autonomy.
President BJ Habibie, who replaced President Soeharto, could hold on to power for only 17 months amid widespread demand for reform. It must be acknowledged that a number of significant improvements were achieved during his short presidency, including press freedom by abolishing the need for press agencies to have a publishing right (SIUPP) that had shackled freedom of expression in the New Order. Habibie’s administration also managed to sharply reduce the rupiah’s volatility, increasing the currency’s exchange rate from Rp 17,000 to Rp 8,000 per US dollar – something subsequent administrations have never been able to repeat.
We remember all the good and the bad of our journey thus far as a country and a nation. What is important is our outlook based on how we remember historical moments in the spirit of National Awakening Day on May 20. In the past 20 years, we have had five administrations, each of which left its own legacy in politics, economy, culture and social life.
We now have a highly dynamic democracy. However, some say our democracy remains procedural. Our position as the world’s third-largest democracy is mainly characterized by the direct elections we hold. Transactional processes remain widespread in our country, as is evident especially from the numerous cases of political leaders ensnared in corruption cases.
Despite the significant reduction of KKN practices, the Reform Era has yet to produce a sturdy economy, despite our country having entered the G-20 elite group and having increased its international stature. The rupiah’s volatility and our high dependency on debt for infrastructure development are two major signs.
In short, after 20 years, the Reform Era has given us a number of improvements, but we need to acknowledge that our progress has been insufficient. If we really are a nation of learners, then the sacrifices of the Reform Era should be the foundation of more meaningful achievements.
We are saddened by this bitter reality. We have much work to do. We have yet to gain a sufficient level of Aufklärung, or enlightenment, to respond to existing challenges. Moreover, a great disruption is coming nearer and new jargon, such as Industrial Revolution 4.0, is becoming more prevalent.