Indonesia’s President, Your Fate Now
Radhar Panca Dahana
Have recent world changes really been inevitable?
Out of the many revolutionary discoveries in the field of technology, radical changes also happen in the sociopolitical field, which certainly will have a radical impact on the other dimensions of our lives. An impact that for people in many circles is inevitable. What resulted from the European elections a few days ago shows how populist parties, which can be considered to be on the extreme right, gained unexpected results, with votes and seats amounting to two to three times than in the previous elections.
Just a week before the election, Italian Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini, who is also the main leader of the Italian populist party, presided over a large meeting of European populist leaders in a gothic church in Milan, Italy. In front of his colleagues, Salvini vowed to make a populist alliance – from at least nine European countries – into one of the top three in the European parliament. And, they "will change history". He had proven it. Even beyond expectation. In several countries, populist parties even conquered mainstream parties, such as the National Rally Party, led by Marine Le Pen, which for the first time defeated REM, the incumbent party led by Emmanuel Macron.
A major tragic event of democracy happened in Israel, a country that is considered the main representation of the world\'s best democracy. The fifth election of Netanyahu as PM, the duration of power that surpassed Ben Gurion, the father of the nation who founded the nation of Israel, was marked by policies that damaged or betrayed democracy, among other things, through the formal silencing of independent nongovernment media, amendments and revisions to the law that would shield him from the many criminal charges of the Attorney General.
This situation made French Prime Minister Edouard Philippe say, "history must be rewritten". In Russia, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov assaulted the heart of Western democratic civilization with its biological child named globalization as a model which is far from perfect. "Western liberalism is dying, a new world order must immediately replace it," he said.
Indonesia’s challenges
Where will the pendulum bring us, the world community, which can no longer protect itself, from the influence of the upheaval that occurs in other parts of the world? Where is Indonesia in the global commotion? What can the country do? What can be done by its president, the leader of a country with the fourth-largest population?
As one of Asia\'s main leaders, the Indonesian president actually has a strong position, and can also play a strong role in Asia. As the third-largest Asian country in terms of population, the fourth-largest in the economy, and a claim to be the second-largest democratic country in Asia, Indonesia should be able to use external forces plus its great internal potential to become a great and advanced nation.
All of them confront the Indonesian president on a number of things, which can be obstacles but can also be challenges.
It has taken part in determining the direction of regional up to global politics, economy, security and culture. But, please remember the simple adage, the greatness of a nation is directly proportional to the greatness or majesty of its people. A large nation is determined by many factors, ranging from the intelligence (literacy) of its population in various dimensions, governance, natural resources, economic capabilities, to cultural maturity and other things. All of them confront the Indonesian president on a number of things, which can be obstacles but can also be challenges.
First, with per capita income based on GDP in 2018 of around US$4,200 (sic), Indonesia only ranks 106th in the world, 26th in Asia, and has a mediocre 5th place out of 10 ASEAN countries. Compared to China, South Korea or India, which four or five decades ago had an equal position, Indonesia is left far behind. Compared to Japan, whose money at the time of the revolution of independence had the same value as the rupiah, we are like a firefly who sees stars in the distant sky.
Economic growth does not move away from the range of 5 percent per year, even though it is considered to outperform the growth of the world, which is indeed in a crisis, so that it will not give a significant leap, as Russia and India did, especially China which has double-digit growth. Therefore, the prognosis of PricewaterhouseCoopers, which states that Indonesia will become the world’s fourth economic giant (surpassing Russia, even Britain, France, Germany) in the next quarter century, becomes a great challenge or dream that will not be realized unless we can meet many preconditions.
Indonesia\'s position with a GDP of US$7 trillion in the prognosis will be realized if the economic growth is at least twice that which we have achieved today. Natural resources are still well maintained. HR, especially with a large population and young people making up half of it, must be filled by those who have (very) high literacy, are full of creation and innovation, have a healthy body and soul, and are strong in cultural traditions. Massive infrastructure development is not only a means of transportation, but also in all areas of development of individual human beings and the nation, including financing infrastructure, connection networks, technology, science/education, culture and other things. The government can create a kind of stabilizer (renewal of the system and strong law enforcement) and become a trigger for strengthening public participation.
Several of these preconditions may be too much to realize after taking into consideration that the natural resources are almost drained, young people are exposed to negative and destructive beliefs, a political condition that always provokes commotion in many sectors.
The paradise of a century of independent Indonesia, a paradise of the "golden age" of Indonesian civilization.
Second, the "heavenly" prediction, that is feared to be a kind of anesthetic that creates imaginative awareness in certain circles, also becomes an indicator for the creation of actual and factual reality for our nation that is lulled as if we have been on track toward prosperity 1.5 times what China has achieved thus far. There appears a kind of fake consciousness in the community about the correctness of our current process and progress, in which all elements or dimensions of nationality and statehood proceed as they should, toward the paradise of 2045. The paradise of a century of independent Indonesia, a paradise of the "golden age" of Indonesian civilization.
Unfortunately, "the paradise is gone," said Rendra. Precisely, the paradise is not manifested in the world. In fact, the imagination of "Eden" or a paradise for the continental world when imagining our country, has also faded and its pillars are porous. The mistake of looking at oneself, the delusive current reality, the obsessive future, up to the illusory comprehension of religion, become the biggest obstacles and challenges that must be faced by the current President, to simply approach the ideals or obsessions of the people.
The emergence of erroneous awareness that produces various forms of fake truth as this post-truth content and character has created insignificant damage starting from the way we build the state, behave in politics, have relations with humans, perform the self-existence, up to believing in our own respective beliefs. This phenomenon occurs everywhere, and every nation responds in its own way, with results that are not uniform.
However, third, we see how several countries in Asia experience massive destruction and penetrate the deepest dimensions of humanity, when globalization of fake consciousness becomes a side effect or waste of progress in the continental norm. Several Arab countries, the Maghreb and African region, are experiencing a "spring season”, even though what actually happens is a harsh summer that creates damage to almost all life settings.
This is all really giving an alternative for Indonesia to determine the way and system of its life.
Compared to other parts of the world, Asia still holds many variants of governance that enable the region to grow dynamically. In addition to a number of democratic countries, such as South Korea, Indonesia, India and Japan, Asia still affirms the form of monarchical power, including in the form of emirates, autocratic in several ex-communist and semi-dictatorial countries such as the Philippines, Singapore or Cambodia. This is all really giving an alternative for Indonesia to determine the way and system of its life.
The President’s challenges
Indonesia’s current president must face a challenging reality that has almost no precedent in history. Inevitably, he is also forced to create a new response, create a new (soft and hard) device, based on comprehension, contemplation, as well as a new vision and ideas.
Without all of them, it is certain that this country will be trapped in conservatism, even orthodoxy, which is not only confined to what we call a democratic trap, middle income trap, failed state, demographic disaster, and so on.
However difficult it is for any policy or action to be taken, Indonesia’s current president must at least resolve and create several critical things, such as public frustration due to conservatism, even orthodoxy to almost all forms of world government, with the result of the spread of awareness and fake belief, the creation of fake-truth, which is even more destructive. However, this condition has already been created, among other things, causing European people to start leaving the mainstream parties and choose populist parties simply because there is no other choice.
This state of affairs, which also has a strong symptom in this country, is a strong warning for defenders of traditional human values that are considered noble. Whatever their arguments, a new innovative response must be made, since almost half the population of this country turns out to support or be part of that frustrated group. And, they come from groups who are not just ordinary, not only political, academic, cultural, even religious elites, but also figures who have been known to have integrity and defense of the basic values of humanity. The first abovementioned imperative actually leads us to solutional decision-making, as the second imperative, which is placing one vital dimension of life as one of the best solutions in this country: culture. Placing the highest level of culture, which is not done by other nations, will position every human being in his highest position as a defender of nobility and glory. Human education and development (resources) that are said to be the focus of the development of the working Cabinet, must inevitably be based on the strength of this culture, the best power we have.
Third, increasing cultural literacy must prove how humans in this country not only survive, but also give birth to the best creations and innovations. All of them will be a force that is difficult to stop when any great effort made by human/nation is confirmed by faith or monotheism that is not illusory, spirituality which becomes identity, and the second best power of this nation. With cultural literacy and religious literacy, the perseverance, discipline and consistency intended solely for the benefit of the people and the blessings of the Creator will become the new character of our nation, a nation that is istikamah (having strong will) in work and sincere in its tendency or pamrih (intent) in its work results.
Even if Indonesia can be successful, it must become a common glory, not owned by or because of one group.
That is the basis of our communalism which creates mutual cooperation, a value that is believed by the founders of the nation to be the first and foremost from all the bases of our state and national life. How complicated and heavy, the fate of Indonesia’s current president. Therefore, it would be a mistake and also a big sin if every element of nationality does not work together to help the work of the one we have chosen and agreed upon together. Even if Indonesia can be successful, it must become a common glory, not owned by or because of one group.
Radhar Panca Dahana, Cultural observer
