Pork Barrel Initiative

It is imperative to help people, let alone you are a lawmaker, but it is more important to help them in rational way and for long term sustainability.

The Golkar Party proposed initiative, dubbed pork barrel, raised many questions. It is much condemned, but it is still rolling down due to SBY's indecisiveness. (see Reference #1). The idea helping people by direct intervention seems ridiculous, because it is not their main job. The lawmakers' much expected job is to make good law and oversee the government's job. If they can do this well, they have already fulfilled our hopes.

Our country has been transforming itself from centralized development to decentralization one. It has been done since 1999 and until now problems still appears. We call it decentralization, but why 70% our budget is controlled by central government. (see Reference #2). This imbalance budget shed light on still-uneven development. This is one root of problems that has to be firstly handled.

And even though that 30% of central government budget will be allocated to regional government, the new anxiety emerges. The Supreme Audit Agency, BPK's report shows most of local government fails to perform satisfactory financial statement. (see Reference #3)

Moreover, we have several overlapping of budget and development due to our still-improving system. Until now it is not clear who is really in charge in province. Is it the directly-elected governor who actually has no area but has own development program on it or is it the also-directly-elected regent/mayor who has the real area and own development program. The theory it can be done by dividing the job, but the practice shows it can't. My friend in a Ministry told me that overlapping happened. Some equipment from the central government's budget had been sent arbitrarily to a regency and the regency's officers did not know what to do with the equipment because they have no program on it.

In short, many problems have arisen concerning with regional development and they have to be handled right off the bat. So lawmakers, if you want to contribute something during your term, just use your own 'tools and vehicles' to make or change law. Those actions will be more useful for our country rather than to give money or projects directly to your constituent and inappropriately hope that they will vote for you in the next election.

Reference:

1. http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2010/06/21/golkar-continue-push-%E2%80%98pork-barrel%E2%80%99-initiative.html
   
2. http://cetak.kompas.com/read/xml/2010/05/30/04524053/.sistem.anggaran.belum.dukung.otonomi
   
3. http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2010/03/17/inconsistency-enhancing-accountability.html
   

Adding Salt to Seawater

Democratic Party should be praised for 2 (two) things, namely: (i) its process of chairman election and (ii) the result itself. The process shows that the party members can vote on their own candidate freely without intervension and guidance from its patron, SBY. SBY-approved candidate, Andi Mallarangeng has been abandoned by the party members. The democrats show us the real democracy. And the party' last congress resulted in the new direction of the county's leadership. The newly elected party chairman, Anas Urbaningrum is young and dynamic representing regeneration in the party leadership. No other party does the same. And Anas is the next Democratic presidential might-wannabe. Despite this is an internal affairs, but we are yearning of the new leader for a better tomorrow of Indonesia. We have fed up with the old generation.

The downside of the story is the absence of meritocracy in the party development.

Recently, some of activists, bureaucrats, professionals come flocking to join the Demoratic Party. It seems everybody loves a winner. The liberal Muslim scholar, Ulil Abshar Abdalla will join the party and so will General Elections Commission member, Andi Nurpati. But what raises my eyebrow is Todung Mulya Lubis. I wonder why he does not apply for Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) chairman instead of joining Democrats. KPK, rather than Democratic Party, needs him a lot. To give a help to the winning party is like to add the salt in the seawater.

The nascent democracy sometimes appears comical. The party is not developed by system, where patchwork rather than meritocracy prevails. The popular outsiders are invited to strengthen the party. Can't we see the party's program to groom its leader from insiders as a result of the long-term forming of cadres?

Maradona

It is difficult to answer this question: who is the best ever player in world? Is it Pele, Franz Beckenbauer, Maradona, or Zinedine Zidane? Certainly this question is invalid, because it is not fair to compare them who played in different situation and era. It is better to say that they are considered as the best player at their times. Are you satisfied with this anwer?

Pele is the best when we talk about 3 times of winning World Cup trophy in 1958, 1962 and 1970. Beckenbauer is the best when we remember how he lead German to beat the much tipped Netherlands led by much praised Johan Cruyff in the 1974 World Cup final. Zidane is the best when we saw him playing attractively for host-country France to grasp the World Cup in 1998.

In my opinion, Maradona is the best. Yes I have the bias judgment here. Frankly speaking I have hardly seen Pele and Beckenbauer playing – despite I have seen some footage – as I saw a dazzling Maradona. I never forgot that if he got the ball to dribble then at least 4 opponent players came to guard him or Maradona will rampage their defense. The England knew this in 1986 World Cup, when Maradona could dribble the ball through 5 English players before conquering the goalkeeper Peter Shilton. And every time he got a chance and shot it to the goal, then it would be the dangerous shooting. There is no player ever like this.

Even Michael Platini praised Maradona when he was asked who is the best between Maradona and 1998 World Cup winner, Zidane. Platini answered what Zidane does with a ball, Maradona could do with an orange. I don't know whether it is a real compliment or maybe Platini was merely jealous to Zidane since he never appeared as the champion of the World Cup.

Now Maradona comes back to 2010 World Cup as a coach of Argentina. He pursues the record as the player and the coach winning the trophy the way Beckenbauer did in 1990 World Cup. Should Maradona succeed in this tournament, then I never cast doubt that Maradona is the best in the football history.

The Mystery of World Cup Champion

World Cup final is likely not an usual game in which we cannot forecast the champion. In contrast, in this event, we can predict who will be the champion. Certainly we cannot single out exactly the ensuing champion right now, but it will be either Brazil or Uruguay or Argentina, Italy or Germany or England or France. Based on the long-standing history analysis of World Cup, the countries have the possibility to be a winner beyond the previous mentioned would be Spain and Netherlands. So frankly speaking, the spirited supporters of South Korea or Swiss should not dream of grasping the cup.

It seems the championship trophy will be awarded to the countries have a long tradition of football. The surprising country blessed with luckiness will not prevail. Compared to European Championship, the trophy could go surprisingly to Denmark or Greece, we have never seen this happening in World Cup. This final is not the place for underdogs. They may be invited to the game, but not to win it. In biblical words, many are called but few are chosen.

If we see the last 40 years of World Cup finals, the new countries added to the list are Argentina in 1978 and France in 1998. Who are they? Are they new countries in football arena? Absolutely not. Argentina was the runner up after having been beaten by Uruguay in the first World Cup in Uruguay in 1930. France reached semifinal but lost to Brazil in 1958. And in this 1958 World Cup, Just Fontaine set a goal tally record of 13 and it remains until now. We can see, it is not easy to join the elite group. 

 

SMI Goes, Jupe comes

I am neither a fan of Sri Mulyani Indrawati (SMI) nor a detractor of her. She might be good in reforming her ministry and then the bureaucratic reform becomes a buzz in SBY’s administration. However, we still have Gayus. Many people award her as a hero in tackling the 2008 crisis impact. But what is the pivotal policy which can allow us to avoid the global crisis, so that we can admire her? Is it the policy for Century Bank? 
  

Global crisis in 2008 resulted in decreasing demand all over the world. The agony of this condition would go to the countries which depend mainly on exports. Indonesia can escape from the crisis because its export is relatively small. German has the worst impact of this crisis, not because of they have an incapable Finance Minister, it is merely the consequence of its export-oriented economic structure.   

However I have much respect to SMI. She is a smart and brave woman. It is not easy for her who has had an academic and professional reputation, to make herself get insult from the lawmakers which are more suitable to be her students. To be public officers in the tumultuous democratic era is not easy, sometimes the debate with lawmakers is not rational, it becomes a stage for politicians to show off their legislative’s power.

Is SMI guilty on Century Bank debacle? The answer might be the task of special committee. However, we can answer this question, if SMI conducted wrongdoing in that case, what will her motive be? 

First, SMI want to benefit from the bail out money to Century Bank. She did hanky-panky with the Bank’s management. However, the investigation proved nothing of this accusation. SMI is not the country's richest woman, but he has no reason at all to steal the state's money. The appointment of World Bank to fill the high ranking position - certainly followed by high salary - shows it is not difficult for her to make much money through her professional skill.

Second, SMI want to help SBY's funding team to win the presidential election. From the protracted bickering of inquiry team, there is no evidence to link the bail out of Century Bank to the Democratic Party campaign funding.

So, SMI is clean in terms of benefiting money from her position. She is not guilty for sure.

The last thing to say about SMI, she is a professional in her field, she devoted herself in economics both theory and practice. She had used her knowledge in making financial policy for her country. And she stepped down, not because of her incapability to do the job, but it was merely politic matters.

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Julia Perez (Jupe) is famous artist. As to SMI, I neither admire Jupe nor hate her. So far I see no significant achievement of her, in film, television, etc. She is famous because of her private life problem widely covered and published by media, rather than any accomplishment she has made.

If Jupe is still Jupe with her sexy activities, then we have nothing to discuss about her. But now, we get startling and shocked due to her candidacy as Regency head of Pacitan Regency, East Java. This is following Ayu Azahari' previous failed bid as deputy head of Sukabumi Regency, West Java.

Why must we get annoyed with those candidacies? Do they have no right to give contribution in politics? Why should we be bothered? Can we deny that, in democratic system, it is the people who have the right to decide the one who becomes their leader?

Absolutely, democracy is not about the wrong man/woman in the wrong place. Democracy is a system with the single ultimate purpose, namely to give people prosperity. And as consequence the leader or public officers has to be selected based on capabilities, experience, moral, etc.    

We must reject Jupe merely because of our common sense. Although Jupe has the right to put herself in candidacy, but she has nothing in terms of capability, experience, leadership and, last but not least, "brain" to lead people in regency to become more prosperous. The party invites her only because of her popularity to galvanize a constituency.

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Our democracy is going wild. Everyone can speak loudly to express what they think or do what they want. Democracy is simplified only to get the power or to defeat the opponent by any means. Logics do not prevail.

SMI stepped down not because of her lack of capabilities and Jupe can run confidently for top position not because of her capabilities either. What an irony. These are dangerous phenomena. Meritocracy as the essence of democracy implementation does not prevail at all. Consequently, we will have public officers and leaders who will take care of the people’s prosperity from the ones who only have interest in power, titles and prestige.       

By doing this, we let our country mire into the dark side of democracy in which people quarreling, fighting for everything except for doing good for the people.    

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