There is Always Hope (Thoughts on Indonesia's Economy)

 Do not trust hope. It has forsaken this land. (Eomer)
There is always hope. (Aragorn)
Forgive me. I was wrong to despair. (Legolas)

All Quotes from Lord of The Rings: The Two Towers

I was 9 years old when the Asian Financial Crisis began to affect Indonesia in 1997. All I remember was at that moment prices went more and more expensive and currency dropped even more as 1 $ at that time were equal to 12,000 Rupiah. Previously, 1 $ Rupiah was around 4,200, so it was clear that we suffered from a very serious economic crisis back then.

So serious the crisis was, even most of Indonesian people, including us, thought there's no hope for this country to go back to what we already achieved during "Orde Baru" era. We were one of the most important countries in South East Asia, with significant achievements in politics, economics, sports, entertainment, education, etc. We even achieved rice self-sufficiency in the late 80s. But the crisis in the late 90s has crashed this country down to its lowest point. We lost everything we already had like a millionaire who's suddenly attacked by bankruptcy. It was not simply an economic crisis or a political crisis. It was the whole-life crisis for the nation. It affected my life too, and I believe, many other people's lives, individually. Life will never be the same again since then.

So all of us was suddenly drowned into frustration. Criticizing the government, blaming each other, and mocking our beloved country suddenly became popular, without knowing who the original trendsetter was. I have to admit that I was, and maybe, am still one of the people who follow such trends. After the crisis, I tried to learn and experience many things about this country because the crisis was shocking to me and I wanted to know what actually happened. The result was not really good. The more I know the history behind the crisis, the more I hate my country even more and I started to question my nationality. Then, at some moments during my highschool days, I reached that point of being very apathetic. I reached that point where I said,  "I don't care about this country anymore." So I stopped reading the newspapers and watching news on TV. I only read books to achieve high scores in the class without even care what the book is actually about. I started to live a meaningless life as an Indonesian just because I have no other choice (Well, God let me born in this country and changing nationality is not an easy thing to do. So what should I expect?)

But at the last few months of my life, I've been working as a web editor. I gathered some news on Indonesia's economy and published it in a newsportal. Thanks to my boss anyway, I got some insights I didn't get anymore for the last few years. Then I found out that Indonesia is currently the biggest economy in South East Asia. It's surprising because I thought we would never be able to revive from the severe situation. And it's true. Since 2006, our economic growth has gone better. When other countries (including US and European countries) were attacked by international economic crisis in 2008, we survived. Even when I did my own reporting myself at Indonesia's statistics bureau a few months a go, I got some information that Indonesia's industry has developed quite well. Moreover, the development is equitable in all fields (be it manufacture, mining, agriculture, chemical, or service, etc). Of course, the industrial development is still centralized in Java and Sumatra, but other islands show some development as well.

Then I started to think "it's not so bad anyway." I used to despise all the cabinets after Suharto and Habibie era. I even once really had no sympathy for President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono. But now I think he's not so bad. At least the current government is able to make things better, even though the progress is going very slowly but at least we are moving forward, not backward. I know, it's not entirely "thanks to Mr. President" because he and his staff also have many flaws in making decisions and setting up policies. Of course, every individual in micro economy scope also contributes for the bigger scope of macro economy. We, who sell and buy things everyday, also contribute for this little success we achieve, even when we don't realize it.

You see, when we were attacked by the first crisis in 1997, we were not so ready to get used to it. We didn't know what to do with our business. We're busy finding out ways on how we could cope with the economic crisis and fulfill our daily needs. But in the 2008 crisis, we were not so not-ready anymore. We've been through this before. We have experienced a lot. And even when the government said the fuel prices would be raised, we hardly gave a damn because we're ready for all the consequences. It's like, "Wow, even if the worst thing on earth should happen, bring it on!"

And how come we cope with this? From my long-life experience as an unhappy Indonesian girl, I conclude that maybe we're just getting used to the pain itself. If we suffer from pain too much, we will hardly feel pain anymore. Even if we're so getting used to it, maybe we will befriend with the pain itself. Somehow it makes us stronger and it keeps us moving on.

So whatever happens, bus drivers will keep on looking for more passengers as many people need to move from one place to another,  warteg owners will still serve you lunch because many people need lunch, and warnet will always be opened because many people need internet even though our internet connection is one of the worst in the world. These people, that might be said, all of us, keep on going. And even "keep on going" is helpful to contribute for the country.

That's why, I think that even though I still question my nationality, even though I'm still disappointed with my own country and what happened back then, maybe now I can get used to living in this country. There is still hope, however for this vulnerable country, especially for its economy.

And, if I were Legolas in LOTR trilogy, maybe I should say, "Forgive me. I was wrong to despair."