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 petite elderly as well as cool male waved his arms vigourously as he explained his prime recipe."After neutralising a duck with ginger, we steam it to hope for 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 into thermal shock."
Habibie a engineer-cook smiled satisfyingly. His use of technical lingo in describing a recipe was characteristically endearing of a man. "Voila! And which is how we hope for a most appropriate duck in a world golden upon a outside, white upon a inside."
I was during a loss for words. Had we not known any better, we would never have figured this humble, passionate as well as grandfatherly male to be a former Head of State to scarcely a quarter of a billion people in a republic with a proud 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 regale his surrounding organisation with a story or two, Habibie's biggest strength is maybe his ability to seamlessly weave together his mixed facets scientist, technocrat, politician as well as now, really reputable as well as dignified elder statesman.
The former President was in locale to deliver a debate during a Penang Institute's invitation, during which he talked of aeroplanes (his pride as well as happiness a N-250 turboprop), pluralism (a distinguished judgment in Indonesia though a foul word in Malaysia), love as well as respect (for country, enlightenment as well as community), as well as what he thought was a biggest present which a Chinese gave to Ind! onesia 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 expected his revisit to elicit a little critique as well as even a odd disparagement, though we was definitely repelled by what can usually be described as a vengeful, unstinting as well as grossly personal conflict by former Malaysian Information Minister Tan Sri Zainudin Maidin in his mainstay in a national daily upon Indonesia's favorite son.
Without mincing his words, Zainudin labelled 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 blame for a "political chaos" which has enveloped a nation upon a equate of a actuality which Indonesians have been right away "split" into 48 domestic parties. The sarcasm of Zainudin's arguments is not even worth pointing out. Exactly what is wrong in having 48 domestic parties in a multi-ethnic, multi-cultural nation of 240 million people separated into 33 provinces spread opposite 17,508 islands? Is leisure of organisation not an expression of democratic rights?
I suspect it would be asking as well much to expect an ideologue as well as outspoken sycophant from a really party which frowns upon leisure of assembly as well as of debate to grasp a elemental precepts of democracy.
In his article, Zainudin additionally cynically attributed Habibie's short power in office (one year as well as 5 months) to his preference to allow a referendum for self-rule in East Timor, as if 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 suggest which Palestine should not be authorised self-rule? Or which Malaysia should not have bee! n grante d independence because it would have been fraudulent to a British kingdom to do so?
The actuality is which a East Timor referendum remains 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 partial of Indonesia. Hence, to lay explain to a land was, in Habibie's own words, akin to colonising them.
Zainudin, though, is correct 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, including a lifting of restrictions upon a arrangement of domestic parties, a umbrella release of domestic detainees, a supplies for press leisure as well as a setting of a two-term extent for a presidency. Even some-more significantly, it was additionally by his decree which a terms "pribumi as well as "non-pribumi" were abolished from all official circumstances.
One can usually consternation either Malaysia would ever see such transformational reforms. Having said that, it is additionally loyal which no a single is perfect. Certainly, it is worth observant which Habibie himself had been a party to Suharto's iron-fisted rule for over 3 decades, even if it was in a often technocratic role.
One can additionally contend which he did not go distant sufficient as President, though deliberation which he had come into office during a most tumultuous time, with an economy in free-fall, riots in a streets as well as a rebellious military descending upon him, it is not formidable to suppose which a obtuse male would have yielded. But not Habibie.
For when a impulse of story was thrust upon him, he did not defect his people. And which is a measure of a man. Let him be remembered as a righteous Muslim as well as intellectual who championed freedom.
Zainudin, upon a alternative hand, has been reveale! d to be of a completely different pedigree. His bequest will forever be cemented by this carnal attempt during cheap propaganda. Nevertheless, we daresay he has committed domestic hara-kiri, for not usually has UMNO lost a support of moderate as well as essential Malaysians, Zainuddin's latest gaffe may have ensured which they will additionally remove a support of their phantom voters.
*Also published in The Malaysian Insider captioned "Dog of Freedom" antiquated December 28, 2012
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