Press review: Indonesia under Megawati

Commentators expect Megawati to be put to the test

Indonesian papers reflect on the tests facing the country's new president, Megawati Sukarnoputri, and urge respect for her ousted predecessor Abdurrahman Wahid.

Some commentators wonder whether she is capable of tackling Indonesia's deep-rooted social and economic problems.

Indonesia's leading English-language daily, the Jakarta Post, highlights the need for constitutional controls.

"The nation continues to owe it to itself to pay Abdurrahman Wahid the respect he deserves," the Post says in an editorial.

Mutual trust is not only important in order for the executive and the legislature to devote their energy to weathering the crisis, but to restore the public's confidence in politics

Koran Tempo

"Perhaps, if a lesson is to be drawn from Gus Dur's [aka Mr Wahid] most current experience, it is to reflect on how power can alter even the most principled of individuals and that therefore, in any democratic society, constitutional controls are absolutely necessary."

Media Indonesia says Megawati must learn from the mistakes made by Mr Wahid, who eventually fell because the parliament ruled he had breached the constitution.

"A new president brings new hopes... but hope is one thing, reality another thing," the daily said.

"From early on, we would also remind Mega to treat Abdurrahman Wahid in a respectful way. This nation has to start learning to respect its leaders."

The Islamic Republika, in a long opinion piece from a Muslim student leader, warns that "the fifth president and the vice-president will not receive the goodwill of the people to the extent that Wahid did".

Constitutional 'vagueness'

In its editorial, the leading Indonesian daily Kompas focuses on the nation's constitution, which contributed to Mr Wahid's hanging on to power for months.

Some fear Megawati may rely too much on political allies

"Almost everyone admits that there is vagueness in the 1945 constitution, so that every time it gives rise to differences of interpretation that end up without a decision acceptable to all."

The Koran Tempo daily says in an editorial that the first thing Megawati should do is to build a basis for trust between herself and parliament.

"Mutual trust is not only important in order for the executive and the legislature to devote their energy to weathering the crisis, but to restore the public's confidence in politics," it says.

The daily says Megawati was torn between the need to pick professionals for her cabinet and accommodating political parties in return for backing her rise to power.  

'Regal' approach

The Indonesian daily Riau Pos says the parliamentary parties' support for Megawati "means that the factions and groups have achieved a compromise previously hampered by differing opinions on the gender issue, Mega's capabilities, religion, political vision and other debates that have gone on for too long".

"As we are all aware, from one end to the other our nation is beset by conflict without resolution. Meanwhile our economy overall is still unstable and international confidence in our ability as a nation is falling. Now we are giving President Megawati the opportunity to begin this very troublesome task."

Megawati rarely speaks in public or offers clear opinions about what policies Indonesia should pursue

Business Indonesia

Business Indonesia describes Megawati's behaviour as epitomising "the aloof, regal approach that she often takes toward governing this vast country, which is beset by a daunting array of political, economic and social problems".

"Still, no one is certain what a Megawati presidency will mean for Indonesia. A former housewife and college dropout, even her close aides admit that she often has trouble making decisions and has done very little during her tenure as vice president to show she can run a country of Indonesia's size and complexity."