Leadership Succession

For Indonesia, we must not play around placing leaders at all levels, starting from the village head, let alone the president.

KOMPAS/HERYUNANTO

Illustration

In management science, appointing a leader is a critically important aspect for the sustainability of an organization, be it a company, social community organization, or government institution - especially for regional government organizations, and even more so for a nation.

Almost all books about management state that at last it depends on the man who manages it. The success or failure of an organization depends greatly on who leads it. In fact, there is a jargon that states that it is better to be led by a good, capable person, even if the management and organizational rules are not good, than to have good organizational rules but be led by a bad person because bad people can always manipulate the rules, no matter how good. that rule.

We have witnessed many companies that experienced rapid progress after a change in leadership. However, there are also those that experience setbacks after a change in leadership, as well as regions or countries.

Given the importance of the position of leader, in modern management, one measure of the success of a leader at all levels is his ability to prepare a successor who is better than himself, in an orderly leadership succession process. .

Also read: Republican Leaders

When President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) in 2022 stated that he would participate in the presidential election process, I had a good suspicion that it was his effort to find the best Indonesian figure to become the next president, continuing his leadership .

Because the presidency is a political position, I do not overlook the fact that the move also aims to ensure that the next president maintains the continuity of the government's policy baseline.

President Jokowi has indeed implemented various fundamental policies for this country, including the policy of a uniform price for fuel throughout Indonesia. This has greatly alleviated the cost of living for our fellow brothers and sisters in the Baliem Valley, Wamena, the Jaya Wijaya Mountains in Papua, and others, where fuel prices are usually ten times higher than those in Jakarta.

Also, for our brothers and sisters upstream in the Kapuas, Barito, Mahakam, and other rivers, the price of gasoline can be five times higher than in Jakarta because it has to be transported by kelotok boats up the river.

PERTAMINA

Inauguration of a gas station with the One Price Fuel program in Mapia District, Dogiyai Regency, Papua, Tuesday (9/7/2019).

The dissolution of Petral also brought great public satisfaction and reduced costs. From President Soeharto to President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, our oil needs, as a large oil importer, were regulated by one company in Singapore.

Infrastructure development is happening across the country. Dozens of airports, sea ports, dams, toll roads, national roads, MRT, LRT, high-speed trains, internet, and many more.

The majority shareholding of Freeport, which has been a long-standing discourse, was only successfully executed during the Jokowi era (December 2018) after nearly 50 years of Freeport McMoran holding the majority of shares. This is a tremendous achievement, not only in terms of dividends but also in terms of the company's policies, which are determined by the majority shareholders, including the policy of constructing a smelter in Gresik.

The takeover of potential oil and gas sources in the Rokan Block in Riau from Chevron and the Mahakam Block in East Kalimantan from Total Indonesie is also considered phenomenal. We also witness the development of the tourism sector as a driver of economic growth through the development of new tourist destinations at an unprecedented pace, such as in Raja Ampat, Labuan Bajo, and Lake Toba.

There is also modernization happening in the TNI's weaponry. We are strengthening national defense with dozens of advanced fighter jets, submarines, and more. Some are done by reviving the national industry. Pindad's production for assault rifles is no less than that of Europe or the United States.

President Jokowi has indeed made various fundamental policies for this country, including the policy of a single price for fuel throughout Indonesia.

Next is the plan to move the capital city, which has been long aspired to, to East Kalimantan. Also, the downstreaming of mining, which is very beneficial for our country's future development because it is not possible for Indonesia to become a developed country if we only export low-priced raw materials.

In the political field, the ban on organizations such as HTI, FPI, JDI, JT, MIT, and others, whose ideological struggle aims to transform the state into a caliphate, deserves praise. It is only during Jokowi's presidency that these organizations that disrupt and potentially change the foundation of this country are prohibited. Surely, Jokowi hopes that these policies can be continued.

Learn from other countries

I truly admire the succession of leadership in China which in just 50 years has brought phenomenal progress to a country of more than one billion people. The process of succession to national leadership in China, whose political system since 1949 has been controlled by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), takes place at the single party congress forum.

It is unimaginable that Mao Tse Tung could be replaced by Deng Xiao Ping, a reformist figure, after going through a tumultuous period of cultural revolution that led to civil war.

In many aspects of national policy, especially in the economy, Deng took a different path from Mao. Thanks to Deng's chosen policy direction, China's economy began to rise. However, Mao still receives a very high level of respect. His giant photo is displayed in the large Tiananmen Square in Beijing.

Deng was replaced by Jiang Zemin. After him, Jiang was replaced by Hu Jintao and then Xi Jinping. All of them were the best cadre, very mature, and prepared as national leaders through a long leadership career ladder.

AFP/NOEL CELIS

Chinese President Xi Jinping delivered a speech at the closing session of the National People's Congress (NPC) at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on Monday (13/3/2023). President Xi Jinping was reelected by acclamation during the 14th National People's Congress on Friday (10/3/2023).

Deng, a political activist who helped found the country of China, once served as the Deputy Prime Minister (1952), Secretary-General of the Communist Party (1954), and a member of the Politburo (1955). In 1978, he began leading China until his death in 1997. He is remembered in history as the leader who initiated China's economic rise.

His successor, Jiang Zemin, an engineer who initially worked in a factory, was then trusted to lead several research institutions in various regions of China. In 1980, Jiang became an official in charge of import and export. Then, in 1983, he became the Minister of Electronic Industry, since 1989 he became the Secretary General of the Communist Party of China, and became the President of China (1993-2003).

Hu Jintao continued Jiang's leadership from 2003 to 2013. He received higher education at Tsing Hua University, one of the best universities in China, and then worked as a construction worker in the Gansu Province. Later, he was entrusted to lead several political positions and bureaucracies at the provincial level, became a member of the Politburo (1992), Vice President of China (1998), and became the President of China from 2003-2013.

His successor, Xi Jinping, has been serving as president since 2013. He previously served as vice president from 2008-2013. Xi graduated as a chemical engineer in 1979 from Tsing Hua University. In 1983, he became the Deputy Secretary of the Communist Party in Hebei Province. He then became Vice Mayor of Xiamen in Fujian Province and Governor of Fujian in 1999. In 2007, he served as party secretary in the city of Shanghai and also on the Central Committee of the Communist Party. Xi has been serving as General Secretary of the Communist Party since 2012.

I truly admire the leadership succession in China that has brought phenomenal progress to the country with a population of over one billion people in just 50 years.

In Singapore, the founder and first prime minister, Lee Kuan Yew, brought extraordinary modernization to Singapore, which was initially a slum where people liked to spit everywhere, turning it into a modern and orderly developed country. If Lee wanted to continue to be the ruler of Singapore until he passed away, the people would undoubtedly support him.

However, he chose to prepare a replacement, namely Goh Chok Tong. Around the time of the replacement of Singapore's PM, I met my Singaporean business friends, and asked what they thought of Goh's appointment as Singapore's PM. They answered, ”Nonebetterthan him”.

Goh was indeed well-prepared to become Singapore's leader by PM Lee through various assignments as a minister. Goh is the best figure supported by the majority of the people because he has no social defects and always successfully carries out his duties. It is evident that he has brought significant progress to Singapore.

If he wants to continue being the ruler of Singapore, the people will also support him. However, Goh is preparing his successor, Lee Hsien Long (BG Lee), the son of Lee Kuan Yew. BG Lee has had an illustrious military career (joining the air force in 1971 and retiring in 1984 with the rank of brigadier general), served as a Member of Parliament, Secretary-General of the ruling PAP party, Minister of Trade and Industry, as well as Minister of Defense.

EDGAR SU / POOL / AFP

Lawrence Wong (second from left) is sworn in as Prime Minister of Singapore, at the Istana, in Singapore, 15 May 2024.

BG Lee has also made Singapore a highly advanced, prosperous, orderly, and efficient country. He will be stepping down this year, ending his tenure. And, he has prepared Lawrence Wong as his successor. Wong has been Singapore's Finance Minister since 2021 and Deputy PM since 2022.

A few days ago, I asked my business partners in Singapore about Lawrence Wong and they all said that "He is the best", there was not the slightest negative note about him, he was always successful in carrying out his duties.

Objective criteria

For Indonesia, which has a population of 280 million, a land area of almost 2 million square kilometers and a sea area of around 3.2 million square kilometers with more than 17,000 islands and such a great potential for natural resources, it is not to be taken lightly when placing leaders at all levels, starting from village heads, sub-district leaders, district heads, mayors, regents, governors, ministers, let alone the president. Also, officials in the bureaucracy, police and military, political parties, as well as directors and commissioners of state-owned enterprises should not be taken lightly.

Also in private companies because leaders play a very strategic role in the progress and decline of an institution which will lead to the progress or decline of the country. Remember, at last, it depends on the man who manages it.

It is rightful for us in Indonesia, at all levels of leadership, to make maximum efforts in preparing the best potential future leaders, both male and female.

However, it must not be forgotten, looking for the next better leader at all levels must fulfill elements of objectivity, no nepotism (tends to choose family members), no collusion (tends to choose friends), no money politics (tends to choose friends). selling positions), not patron-client or based on buying politics, but adhering to meritocracy, based on a merit system, choosing with consideration of competence and morals. Hopefully.

Siswono Yudo Husodo Chair of Trustees of the Pancasila University Foundation

KOMPAS/RADITYA HELABUMI (RAD)

Siswono Yudo Husodo.