Jakarta – During his last State of the Nation Address on Friday, President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo opted to take the easy way out. He washed his hands clean of the past decade of pragmatic rule with an apology that does not do justice to the harm he and his government has inflicted.

There was arguably not much substance for what would be the President's last big speech to the legislature. In fact, there was much more meat in the opening address delivered by House of Representatives Speaker Puan Maharani – but more on that later.

In his speech, Jokowi chose to stick to achievements that can be measured in numbers or brandished in plain sight. He boasted about the many units of physical infrastructure built to connect the archipelago – a key component of his administration's work.

He also extolled the successes in universal health care, low inflation and a 99 percent rate of coverage in electrification – wins for anyone having to deal with a nation so vast and demographically challenging.

As a leader, however, he failed to address the hijacking of rule of law and the weakening of democratic institutions to achieve these ends.

Then came the second apology in a week.

For the vast majority of Indonesians who live closer to the periphery, feigned remorse may be enough. But in the eyes of some of his biggest former proponents, Jokowi's words amount to little more than hot air.

Some insiders insist the signs were there from the very beginning, but that we were all just too absorbed by the creation of a myth that a man of no particular significance was able to rise up to lead a big nation.

Instead, democracy would die in the dark under Jokowi's watch.

So much damage has been done; from the defanging of the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) in 2019, to the crass political machinations in the lead-up to the 2024 elections, which have led to a nepotistic and oligarchic rule unafraid of quashing dissent.

After all is said and done, the most we get is a lousy apology.

There's also the legacy of a fragmented political landscape.

With no reconciliation in sight between the President and Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) chair Megawati Soekarnoputri, House Speaker Puan was the most senior PDI-P executive present at Jokowi's last address to the joint legislative assembly.

Megawati and Jokowi have not seen eye-to-eye since sitting on opposing sides in Feb. 14 presidential and legislative elections.

For all Jokowi has gained in autonomy from his former political sponsor, there is a trail of enmity left in its wake, remedied largely by continuing the death loop of handing out political favors, arm-twisting and rule-bending to secure an election victory.

Even Puan, who had become a lightning rod in the spat between the incumbent and her mother, a former president, had some tough words to say about the state of democracy in her own address.

"The people voted based on what they know and understand – regardless of the quality," she said in her speech.

"Yet elections have come and gone and people have been voting even before the Reform Era; does that mean the elections at the time were free, honest and fair?" Puan proclaimed, to sheepish applause.

It was a pointed yet refreshing reminder of what has transpired.

But while she made some jabs at the government, Puan's speech also betrayed a sense of desperation to appease Jokowi and his cohorts in hopes of keeping the door open for future coalition talks.

At the far end of the spectrum, People's Consultative Assembly Speaker Bambang Soesatyo served pantun and pleasantries obviously aimed to curry favor with the next president.

In summary, everyone on the podium that day displayed a lot of unstates(wo)man-like behavior, considering how important the annual addresses are in setting the tone for the year ahead.

Jokowi did not even promise that he would continue to take part in the nation-building process or cheer on his successor from the sidelines. Perhaps it is beyond his remit, or perhaps he does not really care.

Source: https://www.thejakartapost.com/opinion/2024/08/19/washing-hands-clean.htm