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Demoralization of National Spirit

Sep 30/03

Many times we asked ourselves why there is always a big gap between the government and the people, especially in Indonesia. There is a common belief in the country: Either you are with the government or you are against them, but there can not be a government for the people. People have been a passive receiver of government’s policy, even during the reformation era. The long and continuing process of inefficient, irresponsive, ineffective, corrupts governance, in general, will demoralize the nation’s spirit.

The gap between the government and the people is actually not a new issue in the country. It has ever been since the colonialization era or during the feudal Javanese society. Civil servants in Indonesia do not really serve the society but rather are being served by the society. Even during the development period in the New Order era, the old feudal society tradition did not change. And in the reformation era, high ranking government officials still do not change their attitude about the ‘exclusiveness’ that they have enjoyed in the past.

Sadly, the political elites in the reformation era are still not aware that – or pretend as if not - the bad governance is one of the main causes of the social and political regresses in the country. And to a greater extend, their attitudes affect the national identity crisis and national integrity. People no longer trust the government and the political elites. The government and its apparatus have failed to generate an efficient, responsive, effective and a clean governance. The high echelons of the government and the legislative members are more worried of how to maintain their position than how to dedicate their position for the people. As a result, people become retreating from the politics.

A continuing distrust from the people will induce the people to form massive self-reliant groups. Government is then no longer needed at least in a small scale and small level of communities. Like in many remote areas of Indonesia, people rely more for their security and safety on the informal and traditional leadership. In many areas, these strong small communities can be assets to nation building, but at the same time can be liabilities or threat to nation building. The government in Jakarta is so far away and often so unrealistic for their policy. The failure of the social interaction between the government and the people will further separate the people from the government and further motivate them to form small but yet very strong self-reliant communities that could jeopardize the nation’s unity.

It is then very important for the middle class – the social strata expected to be the buffer of national unity - to promote and to participate in the creation of good governance that not only will enhance a strong civic society but also strengthen the national unity. There is no need of military intervention in the civic and democratic state to reorganize the society. People will feel the national spirit through their ability and opportunity to participate in the country’s politics. But the necessary condition is to have an efficient, effective, responsive, democratic and clean government that will bring the country out from the national identity crisis. 

Reza Adenan is studying for International Study in Canada.   

 

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