Ban on political forums muzzles campuses<\/p>\n
By Israr Ardiansyah<\/p>\n
YOGYAKARTA (JP): With open political discussions declared off-
\nlimits at university campuses, the question remains whether
\nstudents need to be involved in politics.<\/p>\n
Although the government believes in political education for
\nthe public in general, it prohibits university campuses from
\nserving as campaigning arenas.<\/p>\n
This policy has not prevented the government-endorsed Golkar
\nfrom recruiting rectors and professors as its campaigners. Golkar
\nhas also been accused of trying to persuade high school students
\nto cast their vote for them. Indonesia's voting age is 17 years.<\/p>\n
Many students say the result of the ban is university campuses
\nlocked in the doldrums of stifled political expression.<\/p>\n
In 1978, the government banned university student councils,
\noften seen as the prime mover in the founding of critical and
\ndemocratically inspired youth movements, in what it argued was an
\neffort to "normalize" life on campuses.<\/p>\n
The government also forbade student organizations from setting
\nup office on campus grounds. These organizations include
\nPergerakan Mahasiswa Katolik Republik Indonesia (PMKRI, Movement
\nof Indonesian Catholic Students), Himpunan Mahasiswa Islam (HMI,
\nAssociation of Moslem Students) and Gerakan Mahasiswa Nasional
\nIndonesia (GMNI, Indonesian National Students Movement), which in
\nthe mid-1960s had spawned the student activists who helped usher
\nin the New Order administration of President Soeharto.<\/p>\n
Daoed Joesoef, education minister in the late 1970s, earned
\nthe wrath of many students. Despite their protests of lengthy
\nstrikes and boycotts of classes, the policies remain in effect.<\/p>\n
With the loss of vibrant political activities on campus came
\nthe perception that students now prefer to study and party.<\/p>\n
The view is debatable, of course, as there is plenty of proof
\nthat students still wish to express their political beliefs.
\nWitness the hundreds of youths carrying university flags who
\nestablished non-governmental organizations to help poor farmers
\nand small-scale landowners.<\/p>\n
Many students remain a "moral force". It follows that they do
\nnot take kindly to political aspirations of professors and
\nseniors university administrators.<\/p>\n
Several rectors of notable universities, including Gadjah Mada
\nUniversity here (UGM) and University of Indonesia in Depok, West
\nJava, are legislative candidates for the ruling Golkar.<\/p>\n
UGM Rector Soekanto Reksohadiprodjo faced stiff opposition
\nfrom most students, who alleged the campus grounds had been
\ntransformed into a Golkar promotional stage.<\/p>\n
"It is the students' right if they choose to disagree with my
\ncandidacy," Soekanto told The Jakarta Post recently. "Students
\nalso have the right to practise politics outside of the campus
\ngrounds and choose their candidates from the parties."<\/p>\n
Non-voting<\/p>\n
The forced separation between campuses and politics, in
\naddition to the widespread discontent over the current political
\nsituation, has led some analysts to warn of a possible rise in
\nstudents boycotting the polls.<\/p>\n
A survey last month here found that 36.6 percent of UGM
\nstudents and 39.3 percent of those at Yogyakarta State Institute
\nfor Islamic Studies (IAIN) have decided not to vote because they
\nprofessed little confidence in the election process.<\/p>\n
They fall under the category of Golput (literally "white
\ngroup"), people who abstain from voting. Only 24.4 percent of UGM
\nand 32.5 percent of IAIN students planned to vote on May 29. The
\nremaining surveyed students said they were undecided while only 6
\npercent of IAIN students were of the opinion that the Indonesian
\nelections will be held in an honest and fair manner.<\/p>\n
"How can I have confidence in the coming elections if the
\ntotal number of appointed members at the House of Representatives
\nis larger than those who were elected?" said Titok Haryanto of
\nthe UGM Students Council.<\/p>\n
Many students apparently agree with him as several campus
\nprotests in April and May called for an election boycott.<\/p>\n
The popularity of abstaining from the vote is common among
\nstudents, says M.T. Arifin, a political observer from Surakarta.<\/p>\n
"Golput will be found among student groups. Generally
\nspeaking, they are indifferent to the situation. They believe
\nthat nothing is going to be changed anyway and that they are
\nright in their protest against the elections," said Arifin.<\/p>\n
Not significant<\/p>\n
Arifin believes many youths, student groups and urban groups
\nwill become nonvoters, but their number is not significant on the
\nnational scale.<\/p>\n
"Students are likely to change their minds once they graduate
\nand join the workforce, or even become officials," Arifin said.
\n"They would no longer be golput."<\/p>\n
Alfian Dharmawan of the Yogyakarta chapter of the United
\nDevelopment Party (PPP), said students become nonvoters because
\nthey do not have confidence in the local political parties.<\/p>\n
"Those nonvoters won't be able to share our pride when we, as
\nthe members of political parties, finally prove to have changed
\nconditions for the better," Alfian said.<\/p>\n
"I am a student, but I am into politics, too," he added.
\n"Substantial public changes cannot be separated from campus life,
\nit happens in all countries."<\/p>\n
He stressed that the absence of politics on campuses have
\nrobbed students of the testing ground to become national leaders.<\/p>\n
"The present government wants to make students into
\ntechnocrats and bureaucrats," he said.<\/p>\n
Arifin defended Golkar's recruitment of high school students.
\n"That's politics," he said. "Rectors wishing to become Golkar
\ncandidates? Go ahead as long as they are not active on the campus
\ngrounds.<\/p>\n
"Many of the intellectuals joining political parties are not
\nreally serious," he added. "They're doing it only for appearance
\nsake."<\/p>",
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