Sultan for the People or Presidency?: Ngawi, East Java

By Barrie | April 23rd, 2007 | No Comments

Many have praised the recent decision made by Yogyakarta Sultan Hamengkubuwono X not to contest the gubernatorial election next year, labeling it a wise move. Had he not declined his gubernatorial nomination, he almost certainly would have taken office for at least one more term. Indeed many in Yogyakarta expected him to be in power for life. His decision contributes greatly to the development of democracy and civil society in the country.

Whatever motives are behind his move, by freeing himself from the daily chores of being governor, the significance of his position will come to the fore, at least in Yogyakarta.

Anyone who serves as Yogyakarta’s governor is in a position comparable to the prime minister in Thailand, who wields political power but can never assume the cultural and spiritual power the people endow on the king as Bramantyo Prijosusilo explains.

Although the sultan has been criticized for his interest in Armani suits, golf and glitzy shopping malls more so than hand-woven lurik clothes, traditional sports and the noisy markets, his decision to simply be the sultan of Yogyakarta and allow someone else to take the gubernatorial reigns indicates that his heart rests with his people.

There is a discrepancy, however, between the sultan’s speeches and writings and the policies he enacted during his governorship. Claiming himself to be a champion of tradition and wong cilik (ordinary people) in the face of sweeping global capitalism, his decision to allow the erection of big shopping malls across the city suggests that business interests are a top priority for him.

His granting of a permit for the construction of a huge shopping mall in Ambarukma, which overshadows the old holiday residence of one of his grandfathers, is one specific example of the worrying discrepancy.

One may ask why these huge malls were allowed to open in the first place? The opening of these malls has not in any visible way reduced the number of visitors to the large Beringharjo traditional market in front of the sultan’s palace. Upon entering Beringharjo, one finds the traditional bustle of people, nearly all busy buying and selling everything and anything that a Yogyakarta resident might need.

These facts cause one to question the real motives behind the sultan’s recent decision to decline another term as governor. In a traditional Javanese sense, the sultan’s is the highest office one can achieve. But if this sentiment is also shared by the sultan, why then did he accept the position as governor in October 1998? Does the sultan have higher political aspirations? Does he want to become the president of Indonesia?

Since the times of reform in 1998, especially after the huge peaceful rally he organized on the eve of President Soeharto’s resignation, there have been occasional voices suggesting that the sultan would be an ideal presidential or vice presidential candidate. Poet Darmanto Jatman was the latest to raise the issue in his column in local daily Kedaulatan Rakyat.

Surely the sultan is aware of these sentiments, which are especially strong among the people of Yogyakarta. The fact that he has never mentioned anything about becoming a Presidential candidate indicates — in a Javanese way — that he has thought about it.

Would it be good or bad for the development of democracy in Indonesia and particularly in Yogyakarta if the sultan were to contest for the presidency in 2009? In a Javanese frame of mind, the sultan’s is the highest office a Javanese person can attain. Nothing, not even the presidency, is higher than the position of sultan. From this point of view, assuming the sultan runs for the presidency and wins election, it would still be deemed a demotion.

If he contests the presidential election and loses, it would be a grave embarrassment for the people of Yogyakarta and perhaps even for himself. The question to ask is this: Does the sultan think it is worth the risk of losing?

As sultan, without being a governor or even president, Hamengkubuwono X is not without power, at least cultural and spiritual power. He has enough leverage to influence national policy, as well as provincial policy. The title of sultan puts him in the position of being the people’s mouthpiece, particularly when addressing globalization, which endangers traditional values and lifestyles. Sticking to the position of sultan, without endeavoring to become president, would better enable Hamengkubuwono X to strengthen democracy and civil society in Indonesia.

An important point to note here is that as sultan, Hamengkubuwono X also serves as the kalifatullah, which, under Islamic law, gives him the exclusive authority to lead Muslims in a jihad.

If Hamengkubuwono X were to assert this authority, he would deal a significant blow to the Islamic extremist ideology here, which, swept by waves of globalization, has unlawfully been calling for a jihad against the West for quite some time. He would also deliver a decisive counter-argument to those who argue for an Islamic caliphate in Indonesia or, as some terror groups desire, in Southeast Asia.

No one can prevent the sultan from running for president, as is guaranteed by the Constitution. It must be underlined, however, that although much good could arise from the sultan becoming president, the presidency is not the only vehicle he can use to build democracy and civil society and to improve the people’s welfare. In fact, he might risk more than the effort is worth.

The writer (Bramantyo Prijosusilo) is a rice farmer and artist living in Ngawi, East Java. The opinions expressed are his own.