Ulasan berikut pernah beredar di milis alumni Mahasiswa Teknik Geologi "GEA" ITB.
Saya juga kurang lebih setuju dengan Pak Ari... Bukan nggak mau negara federal atau serikat, tapi apakah kita punya kemampuan untuk jadi negara federasi. Dan, maksud saya bukan hanya ditinjau dari sudut SDA* saja.
Do we have the capacity of power to be dispersed among many sources, but still retain a cohesive central character? Somewhow the real problem is to get the cohesion in a country of so many races, so many local languages and religions and so many backgrounds of one kind or another. What can become of us if we return to categorize and divided people by place of birth, races, ethnicities, religions, etc.? That's not what federalism all about.
Moreover, modern federalism is an enormously complicated thing - it's far and away the most sophisticated of all forms of government. It makes the greatest demands on the intelligence, ability and wisdom of men. It distributes power on two different levels between governments and make it work! It also means that if anyone who are unhappy in Jakarta or Bandung could always go to Ambon or to Bali or to Aceh, and if they were unhappy there, they could go to Timtim and Manado, and so forth. Well, then, OK, fine, ... we're going our own ways, Timtim, Aceh, Irja, etc. But, can you sleep well knowing for sure once you "desperately acting wise" you let people killed each other? The country falls apart. Can we deprived the people once we call brothers/sisters of their own prosperity just because we cannot bear "this overbearing" regime corps of conduct? I would say "No".
Guys, the dream has always been EQUALITY. Even in federal states. And, can we overcome the danger of aristocracy to get that equality? There are a bunch of aristocrats rule this country. That's why democracy is in the most tyrannical form of government we've ever known.
Have some hope however little, we all wait for the light at the end of the tunnel!
Note: SDA* adalah singkatan dari Sumber Daya Alam.
