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Indonesian president's honeymoon is over

Source
Agence France Presse - May 19, 2000

Jakarta – In the words of a close advisor, Indonesian President Abdurrahman's Wahid's honeymoon, especially with the country's press, is "sliding away fast" after only six months in office.

The clinically-blind moderate Muslim teacher – popularly known as "Gus Dur" – who was hailed last October as the nation's first democratically elected president in decades, has won admiration for his shrewd taming of the powerful military.

His accessability, relaxed style – often greeting visitors barefoot – and his regular candid press conferences, had all augured well for him.

Wahid's choice of Megawati Sukarnoputri as his vice president also gave hope that the bitterly-opposed post-Suharto factions might be able to pull together.

He had, he said then, a vision of a democratic Indonesia whose revitalised institutions would enable it to function successfully after decades of authoritiarian rule. Most critics then swallowed their reservations over his "make everyone happy" cabinet.

But now the tables seem to have turned. "Gus Dur, how low can you go," read the front page headline of the serious weekly magazine Tempo. The journal was appalled by an attack by members of the Muslim Nahdlatul Ulama movement – which Wahid used to chair – on the Surabaya-based Jawa Pos newspaper for its criticism of him.

Few were standing up for the Jawa Pos newspaper, whom some said had "had it in for" Wahid for a long time, but the shock waves of Wahid's methods – or if he was not directly responsible, for failing to intervene to stop the attack – were widespread.

The Jawa Pos and other publications, including Tempo, have also questioned Wahid's appointment of his brother Hashim, a man with little to no financial or economic experience, to the Indonesian Bank Restructuring Agency (IBRA).

The Jakarta Post Friday referred to the appointment as "nepotism in every sense of the word."

"By defending the appointment the president has undermined the trust that the nation gave him in October," the Post said in an editorial. "The betrayal," it said, struck at the heart of the reformation movement to eradicate the corruption, collusion and nepostism of the Suharto decades.

But the doubts and unease had begun before then. The often unclear comments Wahid is known for have turned from being seen as clever political chess moves to fatuous talks and sometimes downright dangerous bombshells, according to social commentator Wimar Witoelar.

The sacking of two economic ministers – State Enterprises and Investment Minister Laksamana Sukardi and Trade and Industry Minister Yusuf Halla, was criticized by the markets.

The escalation of violence in Aceh, the Maluku islands and in Irian Jaya as Wahid made lengthy overseas trips to more than 20 countries, also attracted criticism.

Wahid's own political allies slammed him for not consulting parliament before the government signed the controversial Aceh peace agreement in Geneva. In addition, they said, signing the pact with the separatist "Free Aceh Movement" was tantamount to recognition.

And to cap it all last week, as the rupiah slid relentlessly against the dollar taking the stock market with it, suggestions arose that if Wahid was unable to run the government, he had better apppoint a prime minister who could.

Criticism is also mounting over Wahid's handling of the riot-torn Malukus, an area he officially ceded to the attention of Megawati. Tamrin Amal Tomagola, a sociologist at the state University of Indonesia Friday criticised the president for his inconsistent words.

"He himself promised that the Jihad Force [militant Muslims sailing from Java to the Malukus despite a presidential order not to] will be stopped but you can see the facts for yourself," Tomagola told Detikcom online news agency.

Reformist Emil Salim, Wahid's economic adviser, conceded that the president's barbed comments "sometimes work and sometimes don't" and suggested that the fault lay in Wahid's "un-politician-like" honesty. But, Salim stressed that Wahid was a consumate politician and insisted talk of impeachment was extreme.

The main problem in his administration lay with the political coalition that was supposed to be supporting him, but instead was moving against him and undermining his decisions, Salim said, hinting at a broad cabinet reshuffle in the offing.

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