Don't be losers Yogya, the future is yours
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Saptopo B Ilkodar, Yogyakarta | Wed, 12/15/2010 10:07 AM | Opinion
The ongoing debate over the government-sponsored bill on the special
status of Yogyakarta has exacerbated challenges facing the sultanate
city. The problems intertwine and have to be dealt with properly by
the Yogyakarta people, or else the future history books will label
them as losers.
The first challenge is the adverse impacts of the Mt. Merapi eruptions
over the last couple of months.
Until today thousands of people, especially those whose houses are
totally damaged, are staying at refugee camps. The most pressing need
that both the central and local governments have to fulfill is
rebuilding their livelihoods, including recovery of their rice fields,
farmlands and businesses that they lost and the education of their
children.
As soon as the government lowered the Merapi status by one level from
the top alert, many of the displaced persons returned home, only to
face new problems such as the absence of clean water, electricity
supply and malfunctioning public facilities.
They have no access to clean water since their wells where they used
to get water are blocked by volcanic materials. Other wells may remain
unaffected, but the pipelines connecting them and the people are
broken.
The second problem is the local people's perception of Merapi and the
danger of its potential eruptions.
Soon after an infotainment program of a private TV channel broadcast a
forecast of a bigger explosion of Merapi, people left Yogyakarta en
masse. It was worsened by rumors of eruptions that spread through
short messages. Those clearly show that many Yogyakarta people believe
in baseless prophecy.
What matters is the phenomenon is occurring in a city laden with
prominent universities and schools, which is why Yogyakarta is dubbed
the city of education. Such a status suggests that all aspects of life
are guided by common sense and scientific inquiry. But that's not the
case in Yogyakarta.
Meanwhile Yogyakarta is also known as a center of Javanese culture,
which respects supernatural things. It is at that intersection that
Yogyakarta society should handle their current problems properly.
Remember that at the time of the first eruption on Oct. 26, people
were split over long-time Merapi spiritual guardian (juru kunci) Mbah
Maridjan, who was among those killed by pyroclastic ashes gushing out
of the volcano. Some ridiculed his choice to stay at his home rather
than evacuating himself. Others believed that his choice amounted to
his responsibility and loyalty to his job. Here logic confronted
cultural beliefs.
Realizing the complexity and huge challenges in rehabilitating and
rebuilding after the Merapi eruptions, activists and local leaders are
calling on local people to live in harmony with Merapi. In the
previous two months they have pushed for scientific logics and
dismissed Mbah Maridjan's belief in a harmonious coexistence between
Merapi and local people.
The problems indicate that Yogyakarta's society really needs a
cultural leader in the broadest meaning, in which science and
education are seen as part of culture. The leader, of course, should
be the sultan.
It was ironic, however, when it appeared many people believed in Mbah
Maridjan more than in the sultan when it came to the Merapi eruptions.
Even Mbah Maridjan often stated that he would leave Merapi only if the
order came from the person who gave him the mandate to guard the
volcano, who was the late Hamengkubuwono IX, the father of the current
Yogyakarta sultan and governor Hamengkubuwono X.
Observers noticed that many people challenged the governor's order for
civil servants to go to work by bicycle, his idea to build a parking
area under the sultanate's northern square and his decree on the
regional minimum wage. Conversely, people have noted very well his
political maneuverings which have been on the rise in the last few
years. They also carefully take note of whether he will give an
inaugural speech.
The third problem is the heated debate over whether the special status
of Yogyakarta includes the appointment of the sultan as the ex-officio
governor of the province, a regulation that has been in place for more
than 60 years. Taking history into consideration, the majority of the
provincial legislature agrees convention should be maintained as an
inseparable part of the special status of Yogyakarta, rather than
accept the central government's proposal for the governor to be chosen
via a direct election in accordance with democracy.
All political parties at the House of Representatives, except
President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's Democratic Party, stand to
maintain the existing practice. Yogyakarta people have staged rallies
in a show of support for the special status.
In the name of harmony and politeness almost no one in Yogyakarta
dares to openly express a dissenting opinion. Not even scholars who
took part in the drafting of the bill on the special status of
Yogyakarta. The question is whether the appointment mechanism is the
best way for Yogyakarta tomorrow and beyond.
It is true that everybody should take history into account, but they
should also consider the sultanate tradition concerning succession.
Who will be the next sultan? How about his capacity to lead people in
the face of more complex challenges standing in between Yogyakarta and
a dream to become a world-class city of education without having to
lose its cultural roots?
Looking at daily life in Yogyakarta, the city appears no different
from those in the rest of the country.
Like other provinces, Yogyakarta faces problems of corruption, acts of
violence, crimes and many other social illnesses. So, where do
Yogyakarta's values lie?
Just as other provinces in Indonesia deal with drug abuse, free sex,
traffic congestion and so forth, so does Yogyakarta. It is in this
context Yogyakarta society should exercise their wisdom in responding
to the debate over the bill.
Most likely, Yogyakarta's society will prevail in the discourse. But
surely this would be a superficial victory that would have only short-
term benefits. Who can guarantee their victory will be beneficial for
all of Yogyakarta's people in the long run?
The writer is a lecturer at the Faculty of Social and Political
Sciences at UPN Veteran in Yogyakarta.
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