December 28, 2012
Professor Dr. Ir BJ Habibie: Freedom Man as well as Father of Indonesian Democracy
by Zairil Khir Johari, Executive Director, Penang Institute (received by e-mail)*
The diminutive elderly as well as dignified male waved his arms energetically as he explained his favourite recipe."After neutralising a duck with ginger, we steam it to prepare a meat. At a same time, we feverishness up a oil. And then," he pauses for effect, "Just when a oil is hot enough, we send a duck in to thermal shock."
Habibie a engineer-cook smiled satisfyingly. His use of technical jargon in describing a recipe was specially endearing of a man. "Voila! And which is how you prepare a best duck in a world golden upon a outside, white upon a inside."
I was during a loss for words. Had we not well known any better, we would never have figured this humble, passionate as well as grandfatherly male to be a former Head of State to nearly a entertain of a billion people in a republic with a unapproachable enlightenment as well as history.
One is rught away put during ease in a participation of BJ Habibie, third President of a Republic of Indonesia. Ever ready to solace his surrounding company with a tale or two, Habibie's biggest strength is maybe his capability to seamlessly weave together his multiple facets scientist, technocrat, statesman as well as now, very reputable as well as dignified elder statesman.
The former President was in town to broach a speech during a Penang Institute's invitation, during which he talked of aeroplanes (his honour as well as happiness a N-250 turboprop), pluralism (a celebrated concept in Indonesia though a tainted word in Malaysia), love as well as apply oneself (for country, enlightenment as well as community), as well as what he thought was a biggest present which a Chinese ga! ve to In donesia a Islamic religion (long prior to a Arabs came, we were told).
However, no domestic leader is without his detractors, even a single as warm as Habibie. we had approaching his visit to bleed a little critique as well as even a peculiar disparagement, though we was definitely repelled by what can usually be described as a vengeful, intemperate as well as grossly personal attack by former Malaysian Information Minister Tan Sri Zainudin Maidin in his mainstay in a inhabitant every day upon Indonesia's a a single preferred son.
Without mincing his words, Zainudin marked down Habibie a "dog of imperialism" in a severe square which additionally likened a former President to a span of "scissors in Suharto's fold", as well as a "traitor to a Indonesian race."
Habibie, he opined, is to censure for a "political chaos" which has enveloped a nation upon a count of a fact which Indonesians have been right away "split" in to 48 domestic parties. The sarcasm of Zainudin's arguments is not even worth indicating out. Exactly what is wrong in carrying 48 domestic parties in a multi-ethnic, multi-cultural nation of 240 million people separated in to 33 provinces spread opposite 17,508 islands? Is leisure of association not an expression of approved rights?
I suspect it would be asking as well most to expect an ideologue as well as outspoken sycophant from a very party which frowns upon leisure of assembly as well as of speech to learn a elemental precepts of democracy.
In his article, Zainudin additionally cynically attributed Habibie's reduced reign in bureau (one year as well as five months) to his decision to allow a referendum for self-rule in East Timor, presumably underneath a weight of Western pressure. In alternative words, is Zainudin suggesting which Habibie is a traitor as well as imperialist stooge for giving a long-oppressed people a right of self deter
By a same token, would Zainudin additionally indicate which Palestine should not be allowed self-rule? ! Or which Malaysia should not have been granted independence because it would have been treacherous to a British monarchy to do so?
The fact is which a East Timor referendum stays a single of Habibie's proudest achievements. To his mind, he had righted a wrong. Historically, East Timor was not even a Dutch colony (it was underneath Portuguese control) as well as should not have been part of Indonesia. Hence, to lay claim to a land was, in Habibie's own words, same to colonising them.
Zainudin, though, is scold upon a single point. Democratisation as well as decentralisation have been in truth Habibie's biggest legacies. After all, it was underneath his ephemeral presidency which sweeping reforms were made, together with a lifting of restrictions upon a formation of domestic parties, a unconditional release of domestic detainees, a provisions for press leisure as well as a setting of a two-term extent for a presidency. Even more significantly, it was additionally by his decree which a conditions "pribumi as well as "non-pribumi" were abolished from all official circumstances.
One can usually consternation whether Malaysia would ever see such transformational reforms. Having said that, it is additionally true which no a single is perfect. Certainly, it is worth noting which Habibie himself had been a party to Suharto's iron-fisted order for over three decades, even if it was in a mostly technocratic role.
One can additionally say which he did not go distant sufficient as President, though deliberation which he had come in to bureau during a most tumultuous time, with an manage to buy in free-fall, riots in a streets as well as a rebel troops forward upon him, it is not difficult to imagine which a obtuse male would have yielded. But not Habibie.
For when a impulse of history was thrust upon him, he did not disappoint his people. And which is a measure of a man. Let him be remembered as a devout Muslim as well as egghead who championed freedom.
Zainudin, upon a alterna! tive han d, has been suggested to be of a completely opposite pedigree. His bequest will perpetually be cemented by this carnal attempt during cheap propaganda. Nevertheless, we daresay he has committed domestic hara-kiri, for not usually has UMNO mislaid a await of assuage as well as sensible Malaysians, Zainuddin's ultimate faux pas may have ensured which they will additionally remove a await of their phantom voters.
*Also published in The Malaysian Insider captioned "Dog of Freedom" dated December 28, 2012
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