REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, By: Nasihin Masa
Sonia Gandhi is chairman of India National Congress (INC). The party was founded by Jawaharlal Nehru, Rajiv Gandhi's grandfather. INC is similar with Indonesia Democratic Party of Struggle (PDIP) that is close to the founder's family. Rajiv, Sonia's husband was killed, like Indira, Rajiv's mother. India adopts a system, if a party win legislative election, the chairman becomes a prime minister, but not for Sonia. The Italian woman was questioned by public about her origin. She is not a native of India. Incidentally, since 1989 Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) rose in parliament. The party led government alliance since 1998 despite narrow principles. In 2004, INC won over BJP and led the government alliance. Sonia was questioned to become the prime minister. Finally Manmohan Singh chaired the position. He was the first figure of the party who became government leader.
Shashi Tharoor, a writer and novelist, exposed the irony of this rejection. Sonia did not become prime minister, but Singh was also not an ethnic figure who could be the prime minister traditionally. Although the president, Abdul Kalam was a Muslim, the finance minister was a person who was suspected of carrying the Christian mission. Sonia wanted to knock down the narrow principles with that way. It was an interesting configuration rule. Singh was even two times elected as prime minister and it happened in Nehru's period. In Singh's period, India made a big leap in economic sectors.
Today, we are witnessing that Megawati gave decision based on public's demand. As chairman of party, also as a symbolic figure in PDIP, she actually named Joko Widodo (popularly known as Jokowi) as presidential candidate of the party. Like Sonia, Megawati was denied by public, but this rejection was different from what happened to Sonia. Megawati was rejected by a narrow vision, but she was quite popular and her electability would go up in presidential contestation. There was a calculation, if Megawati remained as presidential candidate, she would lose the chance, especially because Prabowo Subianto's presence, chairman of board of advisory council in Gerindra party.
There was a rumor that basically Megawati still wanted to run the presidential candidate. She concerned, if the president was not Soekarno's clan, it would be difficult to control PDIP, especially if the candidate won. It is just like an iron law of politics, the winner gets the power. However, what happened in Singapore, it did not happen in Indonesia. Lee Kuan Yew did not give his power directly to his son, Lee Hsien Loong. At that time, Hsien Loong was too young, so the power was given to Goh Chok Tong, while Lee became a senior minister and his son became a minister. Thus, the power remained in Lee's control. After Hsien Loong was mature enough, then the power was given to him.
Did Megawati combine Sonia and Lee's scenario? She could put Puan Maharani, her daughter to learn to become a minister and she remained control PDIP like Sonia controlling INC. The problem is not such a simple. On the other hand, we must not under estimate to Megawati.
In the first case, we see that there are two problematic facts. First, the basic rejection of Sonia was different with Megawati and the political system was also different. There was no doubt about Sonia's capabilities. The opposite was actually happened to Megawati. In addition, government system in India is parliamentary, so that the winner automatically becomes the prime minister, while Indonesia has presidential system. Parliament and presidential system have different election mechanism. Second, Megawati's effect was not same as Lee's effect in getting public supports over her. Mr. Lee was the father of nation who was successful until he retreated as prime minister.
This political calculation ignored the character and vision of Megawati. In a talked show in television, she shed tears when asked about her mission. Megawati answered that these all for Indonesia. We hope it was the purpose of all candidates. Currently, we are losing an incredible confidence to politicians. They actually practice an idiom, the tongue has no bone. A politician is same with a big liar. He no longer has a conscience and selling his faith. We were surprised by a legislative candidate who wears headscarf, but she carried out a meditation and took a dip in the river. If she could change her faith, then the conscience and mandate of people would be the same. Everything can be changed with treasures and high positions.
We hope that Megawati does not have a special motive for her political dynasty. Let's give full mandate to Jokowi to work well. There must be no intervention for the purpose of corruption, collusion and nepotism. If it is true, Megawati has made a great decision. We also do not know whether Jokowi will win the next presidential election or not. Until now, he has high supports that far behind his opponents.
In his bestselling book, Abdul Kalam asked, "what will I give to this nation?" He replied, "The glory and honor" in the eye of the world, also "the smile" on people faces. "It can be achieved only through economic and educational development," said former Indian president. We need honorable and noble man to be a reference for Indonesia.
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