A Leader Should Be

A Leader Should Be

Yesterday, I accidentally saw a new article on my mother’s phone. The article told about a minister's displeasure over Jakarta representative's criticism, Sandiaga Uno, against our President, Mr. Joko Widodo. The minister said that it is inappropriate for a deputy governor to issue such a statement about the president. Then I think, what's wrong with us to criticizing the leader, if there are still people who criticize the leader, it is mean that people still thinking, not blind, and still smart. If you won’t to be criticized, so don’t be a leader.

Then, why that criticism was blasphemous, and the esteemed netizens instead defended a leader who was obviously guilty? Are they do not thinking? Just be honest and admit that our current leader do make mistake indeed.

After saw that article, I red another article, and again, make me feel upset. The article reported about the salary of Megawati Sukarnoputri as chairman of the board of the Pancasila Ideology Development Board (BPIP), which has an outstanding nominal, Rp.112.548.000/month. It is only the chairman, how about the others? A member of the Steering Committee receives a financial right of Rp 100,811,000. Head of BPIP get financial rights Rp 76.500.000. Deputy Head of BPIP get financial rights Rp 63.750.000. BPIP deputy obtained financial rights Rp 51,000,000. Special Staff of BPIP get financial rights Rp 36.500.000. Very fantastis, isn’t it? Taxes paid by the people with difficulty, even allocated to fill the pockets of officials who even work is not felt at all benefit by all the people. Just be honest, what is that agency’s actual use? Is it really more important than our nation goal of prospering the people?

Then, what is the respond of Mr. President? Well, he just mentioned that the salary is in accordance with the applicable provisions. He mentioned about the NEW rules that is Presidential Regulation No.7 of 2018, which was recently issued on May 23, 2018.

It is only member’s salary of BPIP, not include MPR, President, DPR, Ministry and the others, who certainly also have a large salary. Can you imagine? The taxes that people paid with tears and blood is to fill up the pockets of them, while they do not care about the people at all. See this fact makes me want to cry.

If Mr. President is  smart or at least has a good heart, he will be thinking that the money will be better if we use to the people. Or maybe to pay our huge debt that more growing everyday. Maybe he need to be showed a list of commoners in this country, so  he will knows that the poor people in this country is still very much. And I believed if that commoners know about this very huge salary, I’m pretty sure that their hearts will scream with incredibly painful wounds.

And worse, the leaders who said that they are represented the people and sat in the chair of the DPR and the minister was not willing to cut his salary. I wondered, if the purpose they were sitting on that chair was not for the people anymore, but to receive a high monthly salary.

This reminds me of the story of Khalifah Umar bin Khatab's, who was carried a sack of wheat in his back, the only supply he had when he saw that a mother was cooking stones for her child. Umar is afraid if later Allah ask his responsibility about his leadership. He is afraid to Allah. And that is what leaders should be. Afraid to Allah.

And believe me, Mr. President and the others who are the leaders in this world will be held accountable one day, in a desert, in front all of the people, on a day when there is no doubt about it. And at that time, Allah will ask them for their leadership during their tenure. And ask them about the cries of the people they once ignored.