A man of the people

Emha is a man of the people, and an original in his ideas and style. He is a free man who is able to pass all barriers unrestricted, expressing the hearts of the people in a spirit which respects the values of worshippers as they bow before the calls of the worldly. We embrace Emha as our spokesman for common sense in this collective confusion of a nation which results in poverty in the midst of an enormous wealth of resources, and unemployment that rises in proportion with growth in the economy and investment. May Emha always be a loyal guardian and spokesman for the heart of the nation. Salam.

By Adi Sasono (Former Minister of Cooperatives, leading member of the Indonesian Association of Muslim Intellectuals, ICMI).

Translated by Ian L. Betts