From opposition to recognition

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Life develops in cycles. Human beings are never always on top of a particular cycle; all is in flux. As someone moves from the top of a cycle to the bottom, someone else at the bottom moves toward the top.

This same “law of nature” can also be seen in politics. Who could have imagined a female university dropout, albeit mature in political practice as a result of direct tutoring from an expert who happened to be her father, one day becoming the country’s president?

The woman in question is Megawati Soekarnoputri, chairwoman of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P). Growing up in the exclusive palace environment during Sukarno’s presidency, she obtained firsthand experience in dealing with people from all levels of society and handling domestic and international matters while accompanying her father to a number of important events, which helped shape her character and, most importantly, her political skills.

It is true that many people underestimated Megawati due to her lackluster educational background and minimal organizational experience, which are often cited as important assets for anyone with political ambitions. Nevertheless, her relationship with her father, especially during difficult times, helped her survive some tough periods later on in her political career; a capacity that perhaps even she was unaware of before the end of the New Order regime, which had caused her hardship not only politically but also economically.

The downfall of Soeharto in 1998 and the subsequent Reform Era led her and her party to contest the general election in 1999. The PDI-P won the legislative election, but that success did not result in Megawati becoming president. She was appointed vice president and only secured the top job after Abdurrahman “Gus Dur” Wahid stepped aside two years later following a vote of no confidence by the People’s Consultative Assembly (MPR).

This year is election year. Whether Megawati will once again run for president in an attempt to prove her electability in a direct presidential election, in contrast to the semi-direct one in 1999, or whether she will stand aside and allow a new generation — in the form of Joko “Jokowi” Widodo — to battle it out, only time will tell.