Indonesia: President’s image consciousness ‘could backfire’

...[T]he President did not respond sufficiently to recent religious tensions, such as acts of violence against Muslim sect Ahmadiyah and the HKBP church in Ciketing, because he was respecting his constituents’ preferences on the issues.

Ahmadiyya Times | News Watch | Int'l desk
Source/Credit: The Jakarta Post
By TJP | Headlines | October 2, 2010

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono must stop skirting issues that could compromise his image, because such a strategy could backfire if his inaction ends up exacerbating social issues, experts say.

A political expert from Pelita Harapan University, Tjipta Lesmana, said the President had attended to issues where action was likely to benefit his image, and kept silent on more controversial issues.

“The President will quickly attend [to an issue] if it enhances his image,” he said. “He keeps silent on those things that can injure [his reputation].”

He said the President had not commented on Wednesday’s deadly clash between Flores and Ambon ethnic gangs in South Jakarta, despite that the incident had seen gangsters carrying out murders unchallenged in the city in broad daylight.


Shotgun and sword-wielding gang members engaged in a deadly fight in front of the South Jakarta District Court, killing three people although 286 police officers were deployed.

Burhanuddin Muhtadi, a political expert from the Indonesian Survey Institute, said the President divided his approach toward crucial issues depending on “electoral politics” by playing to his constituents’ views.

“Electoral politics and political image come in one package,” he said.

He added Yudhoyono had urged a comprehensive settlement of the Tarakan ethnic clash because his constituents widely supported the need to restore peace in the East Kalimantan town.

He said the President did not respond sufficiently to recent religious tensions, such as acts of violence against Muslim sect Ahmadiyah and the HKBP church in Ciketing, because he was respecting his constituents’ preferences on the issues.

The President instructed Tarakan officials to “make real efforts” to prevent the conflict between Bugis settlers and the indigenous Tarakan from flaring up.

He said the attack on two HKBP leaders by religious fundamentalists made him “unhappy”, and has ordered the disbandment of Ahmadiyah, which some consider heretical.

“Religious minorities are the ones who suffer when the President plays it safe by putting his constituency above the Constitution,” Burhanuddin said, adding that religious violence had the potential to “threaten the country’s plurality”.

“We have experienced a surplus of politicians but a paucity of statesmen since reform set in,” he said. “Statesmen would place the Constitution above the constituency.”

Sociologist Wimar Witoelar said Yudhoyono must put straight his priorities and make steadfast decisions in light of the country’s many issues. “During times of crisis, his approach must change,” he said. (JP/gzl)




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