By Benny YP Siahaan
When Local Election (Pilkada) Law was passed some time ago, it was like robbery in a broad daylight. I felt the Indonesian democracy is dead and here comes raised from the dead the zombie politics of Indonesia’s dark past.
As Jakartans (I hope I will be in Jakarta in 2017 for gubernatorial elections), it is unthinkable to surrender my voting right to Jakarta City Councilor like Haji Lulung and his colleagues to elect my future Governor? Come on, are we sane? “Not a chance!” My friend told me. Indeed, I would rather be Golput (non-voter) in local elections for City Councilors than to surrender my vote to political zombies and bastards of democracy.
But that what has been happening in Indonesia. The people have to face the tough reality and try hard rectifying the damage that was done by Red and White Coalition and those who walked out from the voting of Pilkada Law. Former President Yudhoyono, who got the most censures due to his Democratic Party members walk-out, tried his best to appease the disappointment of the people by issuing a Government’s regulation in lieu of Law (Perppu). But it is unclear whether it will be accepted by Parliament. What is clear, the people will try all avenues to get their voting rights back.
Zombie, the living dead, was famous in the US pop-culture-- the country I currently lives in. This provoked me to equate the Indonesian current political situation where the dead of Indonesia’s past under Suharto autocratic rule began to rise from the grave to feast upon the Indonesian living democracy in this era of reformation. “Enak Jaman ku toh” the recent slogan campaign of certain political parties during the past elections which romanticizing the “good” under Suharto era I believe were part of this zombie politics agenda.
Indeed, during Suharto era, members of parliament both local and national were like zombies. They just a rubber stamp machine of Suharto regime’s agenda and they do whatever they were told by their political master. But most ordinary people and real democracy were suffered most. Political oppression, no press freedom, undemocratic elections through members of local and national parliament (DPR and DPRD) and the President elected through People’s Consultative Assembly (MPR), were among the dark features of this era.
Hence, I define the current zombie politicians are those who were in part and active perpetrators of the New Order regime but still survive until the reformation era. In this kind category, many members of Red White Coalition belong to this group and I believe I do not have to mention those who should belong to this category. These political zombies are contagious since they are influential and powerful, and their infectious political behavior may affect young politicians to become and act like them. Do you think young politicians like Fadli Zon fits to this category?
On the other hand, according to Merriam Webster Dictionary, bastard means an offensive or disagreeable person or an illegitimate child. Here, I define bastards of Indonesian democracy are politicians who emerged during the reformation era in 1997-1998. Initially they were considered the true sons of Indonesian democracy and reformation era. But in the intervening years they betrayed the spirit of reformation and democracy that they once support, due to personal political gains and ambitions among other like through supporting Pilkada Law. Many would consider Amin Rais and Fachri Hamzah and others are fit to this category.
Then, the most pertinent question is how we as ordinary Indonesian people deal with these political zombies and bastards of democracy? I believe there are many ways, but at least two came to mind.
First, I think we must urge Jokowi government to enhance political education and political literacy of Indonesian people. Hence, in the next five years people like, allegedly thug, Haji Lulung or brainless celebrities will never be voted in elections. Otherwise they will become the next political zombies in Senayan or in local parliaments.
Second, we must urge the government to revise the regulations on the political party funding sources. Political parties in Indonesia mostly are self-funded and most of the funds are from their member contribution or donations from outside sources, but it is very difficult to control and verify the legitimacy of their source of funds. Hence, the corruption involving many members of local and national parliament speak for itself of these oddities. Germany is one of the countries where political parties are funded by national budget.
Through this, it is hoped that payback mentality and blind loyalty to their respective parties that considered lead to corruption practices may be reduced since they are funded by the people’s money anyway. Otherwise, just Jaya Suprana rightly puts it in his recent article in Suara Pembaruan daily, that Dewan Perwakilan Rakyat (DPR) name should be changed into Dewan Perwakilan Partai (DPP) since they think should be loyal to their respective political master (parties) and not to the people who voted them since their parties are the ones who gave them fund and opportunities to their current positions.
All in all, the basic idea of a democracy is that the voters should pick their leaders. Hence voting is a crucially important democratic right. Jokowi may win the election, but with current political constellation his power will be closely checked by the rival coalition. Nothing wrongs with that. The issue is that Jokowi’s rival is too strong and have shown tendency of power greed and politically corrupt like enacting Pilkada Law.
Worse comes to worst, should this unfortunate situation continues the world will see Indonesia as a kind of zombie democracy. It has the outward look like a democracy, but it lacks the soul, since the people, the owner and the soul of the democracy were robbed their voting right by their own parliamentarian whom they elect. What an irony.
Give our voting right back Red White Coalition! Hopefully, Insya Allah, Vox Populi Vox Dei, (the voice of the people are the voice of God), will prevail.
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New York, 20 October 2014