FEBRUARY 11 — When he campaigned for the presidency last year, Joko Widodo symbolised the rebirth of the Indonesian grassroots’ power against the status quo. Now, as president, as a matter of course, he became a symbol of the state. There are signs, however, that Jokowi hasn’t fully grown into his role as head of state.

The recent controversy surrounding his presence at the MoU signing between the Malaysian car manufacturer Proton and Indonesia’s Adiperkasa Citra Lestari (ACL) is a potent example of how easily state symbolism can be abused.

The presidential presence, at a ceremonial function allegedly held only by two businesses, as ACL’s president director Abudullah Mahmud Hendropriyono claimed, was an inept use of Indonesia’s state symbolism at best. Jokowi’s presence no doubt gave the impression the business project between Proton and ACL had the official backing of the government.

True enough, the following day the Malaysian media was filled with reports claiming Proton would assist Indonesia to re-launch its now defunct “national car” project. The project, started during the rule of President Suharto, aimed at producing indigenously made automobiles to meet the domestic market demand.

The world press reported the event in a similar vein, especially when Proton chairman Mahathir Mohamad, Malaysia’s former prime minister, announced that the MoU was the result of  discussions between Prime Minister Najib Razak and the Indonesian president.

Surprisingly, however, following public outcry, the president’s aides denied the government’s involvement in a new “national car” initiative. Unless we are prepared to say Mahathir lied, it’s difficult to accept the government’s denial as more than a disaster management tactic.

It’s also hard to avoid the conclusion that by having the president there, Hendropriyono hoped to acquire prestige and credibility to ACL’s standing as successor to the last national car project.

Presumably, considering ACL’s inexperience, such prestige in the form of official government support would be reassuring to the “foreign” money lenders to the company Hendropriyono alluded to.

The former head of Indonesia’s State Intelligence Agency (BIN) also tried to defend the president’s presence by likening it to US President Barack Obama’s presence at the contract signing between airplane maker Boeing and Indonesia’s Lion Air back in 2011.

Unfortunately, the analogy is hardly appropriate; given the fact Boeing is a famous and reputable American company while ACL is an Indonesian company that is not even registered with Indonesia’s car makers association.

Boeing’s track record as a giant in airplane manufacture made it safe for Obama to be seen associating himself with the company. In contrast, Jokowi’s open support for ACL whose track record is non-existent, is risky. Any scandal or corporate misdemeanor by the little-known company would undoubtedly be linked back to the president.

What is important to bear in mind is that the Indonesian national car project narrative is littered with failures involving much bigger companies than ACL. Well-established Indonesian corporate entities such as the Bakrie Group, the Kalla Group and Texmaco have all attempted to produce commercially successful national car variants — and failed. Even Timor Putra Nasional, which had enormous political backing from President Suharto, had to cease operations in the end.

By being seen to favor a novice company like ACL, owned by a political ally, the president has abandoned the state’s impartiality, as well as breaking his own promise of a government based on meritocratic principles rather than cronyism.

On his return from three ASEAN countries, Jokowi was met by acting chief of National Police Comr. Gen. Badrodin Haiti. While, in terms of government efficiency, this was a marked improvement over his predecessor’s usual full-cabinet turnout, it yet again struck the wrong note for inappropriate use of state symbolism.

By agreeing to be met by an official whose appointment was done amid controversies such as Haiti, Jokowi may again have compromised the state impartiality in the face of a current standoff between the police and the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK).

As head of government, Jokowi has the prerogative to use his influence to direct government policies. He may use the prestige of his office to lend support to private initiatives. As such, he must take care that his office should never be used in ways that are deleterious to the government. He must also remember that as head of state, he represents all Indonesians and should be seen as impartial and unswayed by competing interests. — The Jakarta Globe

* This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of Malay Mail Online.