Broad Horizons, Grounded Soul and Ties with the People

KOMPAS

PDI-P chairman Megawati Soekarnoputri

Megawati Soekarnoputri smiled as she greeted the arrival of the Kompas team at her residence on Jl. Teuku Umar in Menteng, Jakarta, on Monday afternoon (9/1/2023). In the living room, filled with the fragrance of orchids and jasmine, the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) chairwoman’s welcome was accompanied by three party executives, namely PDI-P secretary-general Hasto Kristiyanto and PDI-P executive board (DPP) chairs Ahmad Basarah and Nusryirwan Sujono. For the next two hours, she recounted her memorable moments of leading the party, which turns 50 on Tuesday (10/1), the nation’s challenges, as well as leadership characteristics and the 2024 elections.

Megawati occasionally laughs on recalling a ridiculous incident. This was the case when she recounted how she had been summoned by the Attorney General’s Office (AGO) during the New Order era. She laughed heartily as she recalled one question asked by the prosecutor who had interrogated her: “’Sister, have you ever seen or heard of the red or green dragons?’”

Though the prosecutor explained later that what was meant by the “green dragon” was Abdurrahman Wahid, the former chairman of the Nadhlatul Ulama (NU) executive board and the 4th president, and hinted that the “red dragon” was herself, the question still didn’t make any sense to Megawati because dragons were fictional creatures. She was almost angry, as the question that followed labeled her as a traitor to the country.

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Later, when Megawati served as the Indonesian president, she attended an event commemorating Adhyakasa Day. To the Attorney General at the time, she asked whether the prosecutor who examined her was at the ceremony. “The Attorney General immediately replied, ‘At your service’, though I had just asked. Now, he was the one that respected me as President,” Megawati smiled.

According to Kompas’ records, Megawati was questioned for 10.5 hours at the AGO, without any legal advisers from the party’s defense team, as a witness in relation to suspects Budiman Sudjatmiko and Muchtar Pakpahan, who were accused of subversion (Kompas, 11/9/1996).

Now, he was the one that respected me as President.

According to Megawati, various incidences have happened as she led the PDI-P from the 1990s that have shaped and broadened her horizon as a leader. The country needs an experienced leader, not just someone who sits quietly behind a desk waiting for their subordinates’ reports.

Her experience began when she was still young. She was born as the first daughter of the first Indonesian president, Soekarno, and grew up in the environment of the state palace, accustoming her to national figures, their circles and political knowledge. The country’s post-independence political dynamics also helped forge her ealry experience.

KOMPAS/RONY ARIYANTO NUGROHO

PDIP Chairperson Megawati Soekarnoputri when receiving a special interview with Kompas Daily at her residence on Jalan Teuku Umar, Jakarta, Monday (9/1/2023).

Political party success

One of the fruits of her leadership is her party’s electoral success. Out of the five post-reform elections, PDI-P has won three. In fact, in the 2014 and 2019 elections, the bull-logo party not only won the legislative election (Pileg) but also the presidential election (Pilpres).

From that success, many leaders were born: from regents, mayors, governors, councilors, and ministers to presidents.

Kompas asked Megawati for her recipe for success in producing a line of leaders at various levels. Megawati said that to become a plenary leader, candidates needed not only electoral support, but also a broad perspective. Bung Karno, for example, had already begun to analyze social conditions and put his ideas into writing at the age of 16. His analyses in various fields have transcended the times and remain relevant to this day.

It is impossible for someone to become Indonesia’s leader if they do not have insight or broad horizons of thought.

As she spoke about this, Megawati’s voice rose, especially when discussing the eradication of Soekarno’s ideas, which she called “de-Soekarnozation”.

“It is impossible for someone to become Indonesia’s leader if they do not have insight or broad horizons of thought. They must be able to be a beacon for the nation’s future,” said Megawati.

Leaders, she continued, must also have a strong bond with the people. They must not abandon the people in any situation. With a heavy heart, Megawati recounted the events of the PDI-P’s extraordinary congress (KLB) in Sukolilo, East Java, 1993. At the time, the New Order government did not want to acknowledge Megawati as the PDI-P chairwoman-elect, according to the most votes gained from the congress’ participants.

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Instead of acknowledgement, the KLB participants were themselves in danger, because the congress venue was full of intelligence agents and there were several indications of an impending attack. This included several jerricans of kerosene and towels spotted around the building. Knowing this, Megawati instructed the congress participants to go back to their rooms and lock their doors.

“At the time, I would have certainly taken responsibility. I would not have left them. That is what a leader is, someone who is physically and mentally bound to the people,” said Megawati.

RON

Megawati Soekarnoputri

Thus, becoming a leader was not automatic. Figures could not simply claim they were capable of leading the nation, let alone serve as president. In this context, Megawati was not the slightest bit concerned about other parties’ pressure on the PDI-P to announce its 2024 presidential candidate.

“First, ask those that are waiting, ask all of them. Ask yourself first: What do you want?” said Megawati.

When asked about the ideal figure to lead Indonesia in 2024, Megawati said it came back to the will of the people as to what kind of leader they wanted. However, Megawati was of the personal opinion that leaders were people who were consistent and focused on fighting for the ideals of the nation’s founding fathers. These ideals, set forth in the Independence Proclamation, must be translated into development programs that were comprehensive, not piecemeal. Moreover, Indonesia had abundant resources.

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Since she was young, Megawati had often heard Bung Karno say that Indonesia was a strand of emeralds along the equator. It was something he was proud of when dealing with leaders of other countries.

“When I was vice president and president, I made it protocol for foreign guests not to ask what Indonesia has. They should instead ask what Indonesia doesn’t have. Because then, I would be able to answer with pride, ‘What do you want, we have this and that,’” she said.

She regretted that Indonesians tended not to work hard to optimize this potential. However, she saw hope in today’s younger generation, whose creativity was beginning to emerge in all fields through micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs).

“But they must be guided and supervised so that competition improves. Healthy competition is what we must encourage. Whoever the leader might be, they must have a broad horizon of thinking, as I said earlier. Without that, they wouldn’t have a handhold,” Megawati concluded. (SUT/GAL/NWO/HAR/BOW/NIA)

This article was translated by Kesya Adhalia.