The Ballad of Rocky Gerung

RECENTLY, I have observed from afar that Rocky Gerung is undergoing a public scrutiny. This article attempts to offer a slightly different perspective.

Like some readers, I do not know Rocky personally.

I recognize him from television, the various controversies surrounding him, and certainly his critical stance towards the authority (Jokowi).

However, I am quite familiar with one of Rocky's intellectual circles in the past: the Democracy Forum (Fordem).

Before pursuing studies in the birthplace of The Beatles, at one time in the past, I learned quite a lot from Rocky's two friends in Fordem, who lived in Bandung and Jakarta.

Of course, I am not a member of Fordem. My generation came long after, even when Fordem itself had already disbanded.

Therefore, in this writing, I never felt quite worthy of explaining the details about Fordem, let alone about the remarkable individuals within it.

This piece stems more from snippets of conversations, questions and answers, perceptions, and my memory regarding those two individuals.

Democracy Forum

I believe Fordem is one of the Indonesian intellectual groups with a character that is increasingly rare these days.

Rocky Gerung was once part of that environment.

Fordem was founded in the early 1990s, when Indonesia's political economic space was severely limited.

The state's position was too strong, while civil society was too weak, resulting in limited room for differences. It is no surprise that "democracy" became the foundation of Fordem.

In this forum, great minds with truly diverse intellectual backgrounds came together.

I do not remember all of them. Names like Gus Dur, Bondan Gunawan, Rahman Tolleng, Arief Budiman, Todung Mulya Lubis, Daniel Dhakidae, Marsillam Simanjuntak, Romo Mangunwijaya come to mind.

Romo Magnis-Suseno and many other notable figures with long records in Indonesia's intellectual and civil society life.