Sometimes, it's the little things that count. President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono should receive recognition for his decision to refuse a pay increase, despite the House of Representatives earlier agreeing to give him a hike of some 10 percent.
At a time when sensitivities are high and envy is too, his move is in solidarity with the majority of Indonesians who now shoulder an increasing burden.
A token gesture though it may be, it comes at a time when the grass roots are increasingly fed up with the behavior of state officials, especially legislators, who summarily approve themselves pay increases in times of national hardship.
We applaud the President for his initiative and hope his actions are an example others will follow.
It is not, however, sensible to oppose all pay increases for high-ranking state officials. It is obvious that better remuneration is necessary for positions that warrant technical expertise and competence. But such increases should be based on merit.
Positions of high office should first and foremost be a public service. But to get the best there are certainly occasions when one has to fork out more than average to attract talent. Especially when such positions carry with them critical responsibilities that affect the entire nation.
The President, for example, as the most important decision-maker in this country, could be considered worthy of receiving a 10 percent increase to his current salary of Rp 62.6 million a month (US$6,225). Particularly since the pay for the job has not been increased since 2000.
What is not acceptable is elected officials of dubious quality, who are eager to grant themselves perks or raises. These are the very same people who, despite national censure, go on worthless overseas "study trips" to holiday on the public purse.
It seems bizarre that they can guiltlessly engage in this unnecessary folly, when they know their less fortunate countryfolk are queuing for hours just to receive a mere Rp 300,000 in government benefits.
The President was smart enough to recognize that accepting any pay rise would only give more political ammunition to his critics and lower public perceptions of him.
He also refused to increase the pay of his deputy, Vice President Jusuf Kalla; a successful business magnate. The operational budget for both the presidential and vice presidential offices will also remain at its current level of Rp 2 billion and Rp 1 billion, respectively. These budgets have not increased since 2003.
The additional raise of about Rp 6.2 million a month to the president's salary would have had little effect on the state budget. That is a mere Rp 75 million a year. But the political fallout would have been high.
Ultimately Susilo's decision was a political one – to bolster his image as a compassionate democrat – but it was not necessarily made out of feelings of compassion. But while we cannot read Susilo's heart, we can certainly read his actions.
It is this ability to exhibit a sense of crisis that has meant Susilo has stayed in the nation's good books despite the tough economic medicine he has made the country swallow. His ability to project a frugal lifestyle and the lack of corruption scandals within his office are also assets.
The President is willing to cancel foreign visits when natural disaster strikes. He has a gift for mingling with people and listening to their concerns.
Apart from building a strong political coalition with the Golkar and the Prosperous Justice parties, these virtues of Susilo's presidency are the main reasons why there has been a relatively muted response to the hefty fuel price increases.
No one should doubt the willingness of the Indonesian people to endure sacrifice for the greater good. It was a feature during the war of independence and has been evident again in other times of hardship.
And more sacrifices will be needed in the coming years ahead. But with a leadership that is willing to show it is in touch with the people, we are confident that the nation will preserve its traditional spirit of gotong royong (mutual assistance).