Beyond Consolidation

President Joko Widodo must change his leadership style. Like a good orchestra conductor, he must not allow the members of his cabinet to play their own tunes. He jokingly described how some of his ministers preferred traditional keroncong music, while others liked rap, heavy metal and pop. But such dissonance has gone on far too long, particularly when they play to the tunes of their respective political parties.

A year ago when this "nobody" emerged from nowhere, he instilled a new optimism and a breath of fresh air, visiting people and places unannounced in an effort to seek the truth. It was a good sign that he was ready to address the problems of ordinary people. There were hopes that his government would reduce the power of corrupt oligarchies and bureaucrats. Voters also hoped that he would be a different type of leader from those who came before him, who were strong on rhetoric but weak in implementation.

October 27, 2015