.SBY perlu memilih masa lalu atau masa depan. Disebutkan 2 nama utk calon wakil presiden bagi SBY. http://www.thejakar taglobe.com/ opinion/article/ 16121.html Dennis Heffernan, Jakarta Globe, April 12, 2009 In His Next Decision, Yudhoyono Faces A Choice Between Past and Future A young woman from Al Jazeera asked me the other day if the 2009 election represented a watershed. “Nope,” I said, “it’s just the last hurrah of the Suharto era. Half of the candidates running were generals in Suharto’s army. Sure, this election could further consolidate this wonderful democracy, but it is not a watershed.” If you want to see a watershed event, just wait and see what happens in 2014. In that election, all the candidates will most likely be “next generation” candidates who were too young to experience those wonderful Suharto years. By then, if any of Suharto’s generals are running, they’ll be in their dotage and campaigning from wheelchairs. Still, 2009 does present an opportunity for laying down a healthier foundation for Indonesia’s future as a democracy, specifically in the opportunity to select a capable, young vice president who can not only set the stage for a new generation, but also improve the quality of governance today. Take the question of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono’s running mate, for example. Pre-election, Yudhoyono likely believed he needed to choose a vice president who would be acceptable to his coalition partners. What Yudhoyono should realize, however, is that regardless of who he selects, his final choice will earn him a couple dozen enemies among the unselected and perhaps one friend, namely, the vice president — which, as Yudhoyono’s experience with Jusuf Kalla illustrates, is not necessarily a certainty. So, as strong as he looks after his victory last week, why can’t Yudhoyono forget all this coalition nonsense? He should choose as his running mate a competent, articulate, young person of integrity who possesses real leadership and a common touch with ordinary Indonesians. Of course, Yudhoyono might say to himself, “It’s probably safer to choose one of those Golkar dinosaurs, or a nice imam masquerading as a politician.” Alternatively, he might realize that picking a young person would enhance his image as a good leader with the nation’s best interests in mind. He could choose someone of promise who could be given the benefit of five years’ experience at the top of government, working right next to him. That’s what Bill Clinton did with Al Gore and what Ronald Reagan did with George Bush Sr. Some would argue that if we are looking for possible successors, the president should choose an experienced politician as his running mate. But think of it: There’s almost no experience that can truly prepare one for becoming president. So why not take someone who has most of the qualities of a good national leader, and then mentor and develop that person? There is an added benefit to picking the right vice president, and not just for the country; it is also in the interest of Yudhoyono’s ability to govern effectively should he win a second term in July. Choosing the right ticket mate reduces the president’s exposure to what is called the “lame duck” effect. In a second presidential term, one gets closer and closer each day to the point where the legislature says, “You know, this person isn’t going to be around much longer.” Because of this, the power of the president erodes as he passes the midpoint of his term in office. The president needs a strong running mate who shares his vision. Two names fit the bill. If the president has a strong vice president who is seen as a viable candidate for the 2014 elections, the lame duck effect is reduced. The other major concern in selecting a vice president is, what happens if the president has a sudden and serious health problem that incapacitates him? The vice president would need to be ready to take on the national leadership at a moment’s notice. Keeping that in mind, it becomes even more obvious that the president needs to select a vice president who is strong, aligned to the president’s values and shares his vision for Indonesia’s future. Let’s assume this is a reasonable idea. Ideas are always the easy part. The first question is, what are the critical qualities of a future leader of Indonesia? •Integrity and honesty • Self-confidence with the ability to trust others • A common touch with ordinary people • Courage to make tough decisions • Fairness and respect for others • A strong sense of public service, which means putting the national interest before self-interest • Strong work ethic • Sense of humor about one’s self and life in general • Good character judgment, which means being able to recognize and choose the best people So, who we talking about here? There are two leaders who could fit the bill: One up-and-coming figure is Anies Baswedan, one of the real outstanding members of the new generation. As rector of Paramadina University, he has brought strong change to the university and made vast improvements there. Although he is just 40 years old, he is wise beyond his years. He has had a great education with a degree in management from Gadjah Mada University, a master’s in public policy and a doctorate in philosophy. He’s a good family man and a good Muslim with a modern outlook. Another example is Finance Minister Sri Mulyani. She has done an outstanding job, is trusted by Yudhoyono and is one of the few stars in his cabinet. She’s very hard-working, sometimes sleeping overnight in her office when necessary. She’s a very good economist and has been well educated both in Indonesia and abroad. She’s a strong leader in her ministry, she knows her priorities and she gets things done. So there we have it. The question still remains as to whether Yudhoyono will reach out for the future or just keep a leg in the past. This is a great opportunity to be the bridge to a stronger, more stable and consolidated democracy. So, if you happen to bump into the president in the next few weeks, let him know about this idea. And let him know that we’re watching along with the 171 million very smart voters who are the heart of this great young democracy. They deserve the best effort. Dennis Heffernan is a senior partner of Van Zorge, Heffernan & Associates, a business and government relations consulting company based in Jakarta. Nikmati chatting lebih sering di blog dan situs web. Gunakan Wizard Pembuat Pingbox Online. http://id.messenger .yahoo.com/ pingbox/ [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
