17 May 1986
Jakarta, Indonesia
After five years of premiership and eight years of presidency, the 72-year old Subandrio has already felt a president’s weight after months of serious work. His recent trip to the Federal Kingdom of Germany has compelled him a week of rest on the Presidential Palace. In addition to it, his recent fury towards the agitating military exhausted his energy. A few weeks ago, Umar had given the torch to
Try and
Wahono, as stated in the 1986 Year Congress of PRD. Umar’s popularity never returned after multiple accusations of corruption and budget embezzlement. Instead of continuing the stubborn path, he relented and passed on.
At Subandrio’s party, a great change is going to happen. The faction led by Mahathir Mohammad was squeezing LKY and Musa Hitam from the majority. Mahathir and his countryside politicians felt cheated with the urban Federal District’s rapid development. The fact that LKY and Musa Hitam fitted to the city-dwellers also confirmed this new faction, Melayu Bersatu Faction [1], to kick the Malacca Faction out from leading the PPP. Worse, the Melayu Bersatu Faction attracted Sumatran folks also, a base that Subandrio’s Hatta Faction endure on.
The PRD, conveniently, allied themselves beside Mahathir’s Melayu Bersatu Faction, with malicious intent on reducing Hatta and Malacca’s Faction. It was unfortunate that Mahathir’s ideologues were no different than Hatta during his prime times. Yet, due to Subandrio and LKY, the hatred had grown larger than common sense could fathom. Despite the similarities, Melayu Bersatu Faction has similarities with PRD regarding the pro-farmer and increasingly populist concept. Subandrio can guess a pact between these two groups, Melayu Bersatu attracting Malayans while PRD for Javanese and Sundanese ethnicities.
For the Malacca Faction, LKY has met Habibie for a negotiable alliance, therefore aligning themselves as a nationalist outlook. The Premier does have some nationalistic tendencies. His campaign was always civic nationalism and state multiracialism. He embraced the arrival of Jews into North Madagascar, while others criticized and condemned that particular race deeply. The other faction that had no interest in aversing the Jews were Habibie’s Nusantara Faction, no wonder they’ve discovered that both men aren’t so incompatible after all.
The President stopped his political analysis for a moment. He had no business in lobbying anew, he had determined to step down after ending his presidency in 1988. So far, the President’s aide-de-camp has been Adam Malik. He was also retiring, and gave the Hatta’s Faction leader to Sabam Sirait, Subandrio’s secretary, by January next year. Besides, the domestic political circus was entirely pointless looking at the world clown that is happening now.
“Mr President, the UASR demand us to renegotiate our trade deals, it is said that the Egyptians demanded more.”
The Suez Canal had been Indonesia’s main trade to Europe and holds vital importance of flowing technology to our own nation. While Japan and Hong Kong have given decent electrical appliances, Indonesians have bought any German industrial advancement that the country can purchase. As the European nation’s industry was the best since the 19th century, Indonesia could not resist the lure of the Rhenish industrial competence. Everything, from mining tractors to agricultural shovels, is bought to satisfied the Indonesian elite market along with the industry that tried to copy it. So, Suez Canal had been the bloodline of Indonesia's future. The UASR understood this and wished trade deals to help prioritise Indonesian ships to pass through without delays. That befell with the cost of livestock subsidies, something the UASR are lacking off from her growing population. Last year, the UASR demanded another product, this time processed food subsidies. Now, Subandrio suspected it would be coffee.
“Bring them to the table, Mr Anwar. Besides, Nasser would not be staying long.” Subandrio answered. He shrugged the country of being too cautious. The Suez Canal was an international passage owned by the Egyptians, yet they have abused the passage to increase relevance. He could not argue too much, though, Indonesia is doing the same thing in the Malacca Straits.
Any third nation, despite historical discrepancies, will fall under any case in these two contexts: lack of power rotation and lack of delegation. Starting in the 80s, President Nasser had effectively centralized the nation under his rule except for Hussein and his huge Iraqi Ba’athist Army. His popularity had never waned caused him to suffer a disease like all leaders before him, he built his own cult of personality. In Yugoslavia, General Kadijević was wise enough to care for the national state rather than own cultural and ethnic groups. He stopped the early dissolution of Yugoslavia from the rising protests from each cultural identity. In the UASR, Subandrio has no hesitancy that Saddam will eventually form his independent Iraqi state after the death of Nasser. The sickness had been too Egypt-centric, especially with Nasser’s new pharaoh-Esque new capital proposal West of Cairo, it raged much of the Syrian and Iraqi’s plea that wished for funds to divert from there. Corruption also started to infect the government. According to our intelligence, local Jordanian legislatures are starting to receive Saudi’s money to rebel that supported some militias including the new movement in Palestine. Inevitably, the UASR will be spliced sooner or later.
The Arabian money was draining away in Libya also; the Gadhafi dictatorship was losing control after a small militaristic Islamic rebellion sprouted on Benghazi, crippling the nation’s oil production. The Iraqis are sent there, only to realize they are fighting Saudi militias in this proxy war. The French have been funding Gadhafi too, but that will certainly hamper UASR’s stability. The idea of Islamism has been prevalent in the heart of Islam, Saudi Arabia. So, much of the young populace in the Middle East are feeling less hopeful about the old Pan Arabism from socialism characteristics and promoted more on fundamentalism and Wahhabism. Moreover, since the French were restoring connections with the Germans, the UASR carelessly advocated for Pan Arab to expand in French Africa, hinder further relation improvements.
That worrying trend of Wahhabism also caught notice by Subandrio in Indonesia. Although Indonesia’s friendliness to Iran does help decrease discrimination, the rift between moderate and purist Islam has deepened. The NU is frightened with Muhammadiyah and the more radical Front Pemuda Islam. The essence of religious uniformity was already dangerous to Indonesia that two of the major rebellions are sourced by that background. Short term benefits for Subandrio’s party is obvious, the PUI will split shortly. The premise which he worried about is the uncertain future of Indonesia.
“No, Sir. I don’t believe so. But the problem is your initiative of a neutral Indonesia.” Anwar noted.
Buggers, President Subandrio comprehended the Foreign Minister’s understanding. Indonesia’s status to be non-aligned nations has disintegrated after the 60s and 70s. Much alone to the 80s, where business with First World Nations have become the most frequent occurrence. The fourth NAM (Non-Aligned Movement) Summit will convene in Nairobi, Indonesia will attend even though the fiery eyes African nations will give. UASR’s renegotiation may hamper Indonesia’s return as the original NAM member. Being non-aligned essentially rendered all nations friendly towards Indonesia. However, looking at the fruits of capitalism and American scientific advancement, the LKY cabinet has no plan on returning to non-align.
Official Indonesia’s stance had been leaning, if not very, towards the Western Bloc. Fortunately, Indonesia’s was not entirely shifted to one side after a negotiation with communist France, it soothed the old guards thinking for neutral Indonesia. The recent French appeasement towards the Germans, however, may cause the entire question to return. The PRD, not surprised, brought on this issue to the Parliament, mocking the government as too US-leaning. More harsh comments came from PPI and PUI, seeing the ‘demoralization’ of the society from their perspective.
Subandrio continued to converse about the President’s wishes to join the Summit. The Foreign Minister, yet, showed less enthusiasm for this event. He considered that showing presence at that Summit only bring nuisance and chaos to the Parliament, which the cabinet has enough of. The debate with Foreign Minister Anwar continued, meanwhile a small knock arrived Secretary Sabam Sirait.
“Afternoon Mr President and Foreign Minister, the plane scheduled to Japan has arrived. You need to go to Halim Airport, Mr President.”
The 4th Summit of the East Asian Community is in two days, President Subandrio acknowledged. Four years of decreased tariffs have earned East Asia the greatest economic boost in history. While China lagged in Madame Mao, the First Island Chain [2] has improved dramatically. The average economic growth of EAC members is the highest in the world, GDP rise is also competitively rising against the European stagnation. Japan, obviously, is the leader and host of the EAC. The nations presented the most sophisticated tools and methods, which then powered by South East Asia’s relatively cheap labour to push the production.
Premier LKY already warned Subandrio that any raise in lower-wage salaries will ruin this opportunity. Currently, Japan is still keen on investing in Indonesia, despite has noticed the cost of labour in the Philippines and South Vietnam are much cheaper. The disparity between high-tech cities and slow-growth rural have maintained Indonesia’s paradox: being quite ahead on society while still benefiting as a developing nation. Plus, Premier LKY also stopped the nationalization of companies, a trend that he himself implemented years ago. For him, the current dynamics had transformed that further nationalization would mean more disadvantages than advantages of the nation’s economy.
That’s what Subandrio always criticized LKY for; just the economic mindset. On the President’s behalf, society progressed not solely from a better economy, it needed welfare to protect. Indeed, more money makes society better apparently, but what’s the use of money if there’s no guarantee of healthcare, pensions and insurance. Besides, Indonesia’s core doesn’t imply prioritizing economies, it has five principles, two of which stressed man’s justice and prosperity.
Meanwhile, the United States has expressed a possible overhaul to restructure the Pacific islands administration. Since most of the UN’s Pacific Trust Territories was transferred to American control (some of the previously were NZ or Australian controlled), the Americans were planning on giving each cultural regions referendum, either joining America as commonwealth territories which can be admitted to statehood, or demanded independence. The Glenn Administration has decided to resolve the acquired Pacific islands once and for all. With that, he invited Indonesia to help the Americans to be one of the Pacific’s defender. Moreover, this case will not be a one-party opt, Subandrio affirmed, as even the Conservatives are willing to let them go, even preferred independence rather than admitting them.
This new trend of the US gave a new idea of a possible Pacific Alliance consisted of the US, Indonesia, Australia and NZ. Subandrio told the President that reaching out to Australia will still be different from the war and much effort will be exerted. New Zealand, however, is amenable to heal old wounds and continue cordial relations.
“Alright, Secretary Sabam. Also, do you received any whereabouts on Toba?”
Toba was a registered Indonesian cargo ship that lost contact near Socotra Island. Hopefully, the tropical storm only disrupted radio transmission.
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[1] An idea of Melayu Bersatu Faction is like the current party in Malaysia, UMNO.
[2] First Island chain derived from here.
This is an intro to Subandrio's thoughts, next up would be his visit to Japan.