Love and Forgiveness in Governance: Exemplars: Abdurrahman Wahid

by Ernest Ogbozor

Abdurrahman Wahid (also known as Gus Dur) was the first elected national president of Indonesia after the exit of Suharto in 1998. Mr. Wahid, a politician with a strong Muslim background, ruled Indonesia between 1999 and 2001. Wahid was noted for his support for ethnic and religious tolerance in Indonesia. He opposed the idea of making Indonesia a fully-fledged Islamic state, in order to protect Indonesian minorities. He said, "Clergy should act on the basis of morality, not law. We have to understand the minorities have their own thoughts about law and state. Because of this we should be careful. We should practice secularism without saying it's secularism."[1] He was also known for asking for forgiveness — and for forgiving someone who offended him — when the need arose.

Towards the end of Wahid's term, he had a long battle with the Indonesian parliament that led to his asking for forgiveness from the parliament. Wahid said, "Don't be too hasty in judging me and then trying to oust me."[2] "If I am found to have done something wrong, then I ask...to be forgiven."[3] Wahid was nearly blind at this period in time, his message was read by his spokesperson. President Wahid said that the Indonesian economy was on the brink of collapse after many years of authoritarian regime before he took over power. He told the Indonesian Parliament during his trial that "even if this state replaces its president 100 times, there is no one who can solve its problems quickly."[4] He underlined that he was doing his best to fix Indonesia's economy and that asked that he be given a chance to continue.

In response to the accusation that the head of Indonesian military — General Wiranto — had committed human rights abuses in East Timor, Wahid responded: "If Mr. Wiranto is judged guilty by a court I will forgive him."[5] Abdurrahman Wahid was unlike many political leaders in the world today, who are reluctant to ask for forgiveness (or forgive others) because of their exalted positions; forgiveness was embedded in his character. Wahid came from a prominent Muslim family, and he stepped into politics in the mid-1980s when the government moved to force all organizations to accept the state ideology (Pancasila). He also opposed Suharto's efforts to appropriate Islam for his regime's purposes.[6]

Mr. Wahid was an advocate of free market principles. "Without profit motive there's nothing," he said. "Otherwise we will be like North Korea. So the basics will not change. Suharto just tried to satisfy his cronies, his friends. We have to build an economy with the will of the majority. Suharto tried to rob this country by allowing conglomerates and cronies to control the economy. The majority of the population lives at the subsistence level. We will give them subsidies, not the conglomerates."[7] Asked how he would stop new cronies, Mr. Wahir replied: "Education and rule of law. If we can establish rule of law, then every action will be judged by the regulation."[8]

 

[1] "Abdurrahman Wahid | World News | Theguardian.com," accessed August 14, 2013, http://www.theguardian.com/world/1999/oct/20/indonesia.marktran1.

[2] "CNN.com - Wahid Calls for Calm - April 27, 2001," accessed August 14, 2013, http://archives.cnn.com/2001/WORLD/asiapcf/southeast/04/27/indonesia.wahid/.

[3] Ibid.

[4] Ibid.

[5] "I Trust Wiranto, Will Forgive Him: Gus Dur | The Jakarta Post," accessed August 14, 2013, http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2000/02/07/i-trust-wiranto-will-forgive-him-gus-dur.html.

[6] "Abdurrahman Wahid | World News | Theguardian.com," http://www.theguardian.com/world/1999/oct/20/indonesia.marktran1.

[7] Ibid.

[8] Ibid.