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| Untersuchte Arbeit: Seite: 122, Zeilen: 1-16 |
Quelle: Sen 2002 Seite(n): 15, 16, Zeilen: 15: 25 ff.; 16: third paragraph |
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| [By January 2001, it had become clear that Wahid would not last beyond the August session of the People’s Consultative] Assembly (MPR). The intellectual and religious oppositions on Soekarnoputri had not been revised, but Wahid had stopped being a credible president, and the only constitutionally legitimate alternative was for the vice president to take over (Sen, 2002).
The national press seemed to be relieved when Soekarnoputri took office on July 23, yet the international media remained skeptical. A blind cleric had been replaced by a not-so-clever housewife – neither are particularly powerful symbols of power in the West (Sen, 2002). The international media had always been comparing Soekarnoputri unfavorably with other female political figures in Asia such as Corazon Aquino, Aung San Suu Kyi, and even Benazir Bhutto. Soekarnoputri shares many of their political disadvantages – like Aquino, she was a ‘mere housewife,’ like Suu Kyi, her charisma is actually merely ‘reflected glory from her father,’ like Bhutto, she is weighed down by a ‘husband who is a liability.’ Nonetheless, Soekarnoputri possessed none of the redeeming qualities that make these women beloved by the Western media: She did not speak English fluently, and had not been ‘westernized’ in her social behavior as others were by long years of living in England and America. Western journalists have always written sniggeringly of her personal style (Sen, 2002). |
[page 15]
By January 2001, it had become clear that Abdurrahman would not last beyond the August session of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR).5 The intellectual and religious views on Megawati had not been revised, but Abdurrahman had ceased to be a credible president. The only constitutionally valid option was for the vice-president to take over. While the national press seemed to heave a collective sigh of relief when Megawati took office on 23 July, the international media remained doubtful. A blind cleric had been replaced by a none-too-clever housewife - neither are particularly potent symbols of power in the West. [page 16] In the international media, Megawati has always been compared unfavourably with other female political figures in Asia such as Cory Aquino, Aung San Suu Kyi and even Benazir Bhutto. She shares many of their political disadvantages - like Aquino she is a ‘mere housewife', like Suu Kyi her charisma is really only ‘reflected glory from her father', like Benazir she is saddled with a ‘husband who is a liability'. However, Megawati does not have any of the redeeming qualities that make these women favourites with the Western media: she docs not speak English fluently and she has not been ‘Westernised’ in her social behaviour by long years of living in England and America. Western journalists have always written sniggeringly of her personal style. [page 26] 5 The MPR is Indonesia's Upper House of parliament. It consists of all members of the DPR plus nominees from the regions and sections of society. Its only role in the Soeharto era was the five-yearly appointment of the president. |
The source is given in-text, but there is no entry for Sen 2002 in the references. It is not made clear how close the text is to the source. The two people referred to in this text are Megawati Sukarnoputri and Abdurrahman Wahid. The source Sen 2002 uses the first names, Dsi the second names. English spelling has been changed to American. |
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