The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK)\u2019s recommendations\nregarding improvements to political party governance represent an\nimportant step in efforts to reform Indonesia\u2019s political system from\nthe ground up. The KPK aptly highlights that political corruption does\nnot emerge suddenly in the corridors of power but is rooted in\nweaknesses in the recruitment and cadre development processes within\npolitical parties.<\/p>\n
Proposals such as strengthening tiered cadre development, requiring\nprospective leaders to emerge from party cadres, and limiting the terms\nof general chairmen form essential foundations for healthier politics.\nThese are efforts to build meritocracy, reduce instant politics, and\nensure that those ascending to the pinnacle of power have undergone a\nlong process of organisational, managerial, and political learning.<\/p>\n
Nevertheless, there is one fundamental aspect that is often\noverlooked: politics requires not only a good system but also good\npeople.<\/p>\n
Formal cadre development\u2014with tiers from youth to intermediate to\nadvanced\u2014only touches on technocratic-administrative aspects. It is\nimportant but not sufficient. Many systems appear neat on paper but fail\nin practice because they are filled by individuals who are morally weak.\nThis is where the urgency lies in questioning the character aspect in\npolitics.<\/p>\n
In the Islamic tradition, leadership standards have long been\nformulated through prophetic qualities: amanah (trustworthiness),\nshiddiq (honesty), tabligh (transparency), and fathanah (intelligence\nand competence). These are not mere normative idealism but highly\npractical ethical standards. A trustworthy leader will not abuse their\nposition. An honest one will not manipulate data. A transparent one will\nnot hide interests. And an intelligent one will manage the state\nwell.<\/p>\n
The problem is that our political parties often value electability\nover integrity, popularity over moral depth. As a result, not a few\nleaders who \u201cpass\u201d politically fail ethically.<\/p>\n
Therefore, the KPK\u2019s idea of cadre development needs to be expanded\nmore substantively. Cadre development must not stop at formal training,\nseminars, or classical political education. It must become a process of\nforming complete human beings\u2014one that integrates technical capacity,\nmanagerial ability, and personal piety.<\/p>\n
Furthermore, the cadre selection process needs to touch on their\neveryday real lives. What is their lifestyle? Do they live simply or\nconsumptively-hedonistically? What about their family life? Do they\nuphold moral values in the private sphere? This is important because\nintegrity cannot be faked in the long term\u2014it is reflected in daily\nlife.<\/p>\n
Admittedly, the idea of monitoring personal life can be seen as\nsensitive. However, in the context of public leadership, it is relevant.\nA leader is not merely an administrative official but a role model. When\ntheir personal life is poor, there is a high likelihood that their\npublic decisions will also be prone to deviation.<\/p>\n
At this point, it is interesting to look at practices in other\ncountries for reflection\u2014not to be copied wholesale, but as a benchmark.\nIran\u2019s political system, for example, shows how the leader selection\nprocess is not based solely on popularity but passes through layered\nscreening that considers ideological, moral, and scholarly aspects.<\/p>\n
In Iran, political candidates\u2014whether for parliament or\npresident\u2014must undergo strict verification by the Guardian Council,\nwhich functions to screen the ideological fitness and integrity of\ncandidates. Additionally, the supreme leader (head of state, Rahbar) is\nchosen by the Assembly of Experts, a council of clerics that not only\nconsiders political ability but also the depth of religious knowledge\nand personal integrity of the candidate.<\/p>\n
This structure demonstrates that the leadership selection process is\nconducted in layers: from the people, then filtered by institutions that\nuphold moral and ideological standards. Even, Iran\u2019s political system\nexplicitly combines religious and electoral elements in one power\nframework.<\/p>\n
Of course, this system is not without criticism. However, as material\nfor reflection, it offers an important lesson: leadership must not be\nleft entirely to electoral mechanisms without quality filters. There\nmust be mechanisms to ensure that only individuals with certain\ncapacity, integrity, and moral depth can rise to the top.<\/p>\n
Indonesia certainly does not have to adopt that model wholesale. But\nits spirit is relevant: that politics requires safeguarding the quality\nof people, not just procedures.<\/p>\n
If combined with the KPK\u2019s recommendations, the direction of\npolitical reform in Indonesia should move towards three things\nsimultaneously: (a) strengthening cadre development systems; (b)\nbuilding strict and layered selection mechanisms; and (c) ensuring\nongoing character building\u2014even into the realm of everyday life.<\/p>\n
Political parties, in this regard, must transform. They cannot merely\nbe \u201celectoral machines\u201d but must become \u201chuman development\ninstitutions\u201d. They must dare to set high standards: only those who are\ntechnically competent, managerially mature, and personally pious are\nworthy of ascending to leadership levels.<\/p>\n
Indonesia does not lack intelligent people. What we need are\ntrustworthy leaders\u2014who see power as a responsibility, not an\nopportunity. Leaders who serve, not are served. Leaders who are close to\nthe people, as well as close to God.<\/p>\n
In the end, politics is not just about who wins, but who is worthy to\nlead. And that worthiness is not determined only by the most votes, but\nby the deepest quality of a human being.<\/p>\n
It is there that politics must return to learning from the prophetic\nexample: that power is a trust\u2014and a trust is only fittingly borne by\nthose who are clean, strong, and responsible, both before humanity and\nbefore God.<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/considering-the-kpks-recommendations-politics-needs-prophetic-character-1777600342", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }