New legislators unlikely to bring change<\/p>\n
Controversy over alleged nepotism in the provisional list of
\nlegislature candidates fielding more than 2,000 candidates issued
\nby the General Election Institute on Jan. 20 continues unabated.
\nPolitical scientist Arbi Sanit reflects on the issue.<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The legislature's close relationship with the
\npower elite is not a new phenomenon but the spotlight on the
\ngovernment is stronger than ever these days.<\/p>\n
Full attention has been focused on the ruling Golkar because
\nit has 30 \"nepotistic\" candidates, the highest number compared to
\nthe United Development Party (PPP) and the Indonesian Democratic
\nParty (PDI).<\/p>\n
The candidates have been put in the upper part of the list
\nthus making them more eligible to become People's Consultative
\nAssembly (MPR) members.<\/p>\n
A total 2,303 legislator candidates from three political
\nparties will contest 425 seats in the 500 strong-House of
\nRepresentatives (DPR) election in May. The remaining 75 seats are
\nreserved for Armed Forces members who do not vote in the
\nelection. The 500 DPR members plus 500 others appointed by the
\nPresident constitute the MPR.<\/p>\n
The placement of the names on the list is crucial. The higher
\na candidate's name appears on the list, the greater chance they
\nhave of being elected for DPR membership.<\/p>\n
Five nepotistic candidates already occupy these positions.
\nFurthermore, most of them are in a group with some 35 ministers,
\nbureaucratic elite and 10 indigenous tycoons and there is a
\nstrong probability all of them will become MPR members.
\nIt is almost certain that no businessman legislature candidate
\nwill become a member of the House. However, a minister who is
\nGolkar chairman has a greater chance of being elected as a member
\nof the House, thus fueling speculations he will become the next
\nSpeaker of the House.<\/p>\n
Based on the strength and position of the legislature
\ncandidates related to the power elite and their political
\nconfiguration, it is interesting to question what role will be
\nplayed by the nepotistic legislature candidates.<\/p>\n
Based on their serial number on the list which is close to
\ncandidates from the government and the private sector, the
\nnepotistic candidates in the MPR would be able to have a say on
\nthe political system and the direction of state policies, the
\nGBHN.<\/p>\n
Although they lack experience, their network (due to nepotism)
\nand their almost limitless funding makes it possible for them to
\nconduct an effective lobby among MPR members.<\/p>\n
This is the kind of power that could be used to make real
\nchanges for the benefit of the people, the young generation, the
\nprivate sector and themselves.<\/p>\n
They could fight for political reform, for example, through
\nleadership regeneration and employment opportunities as well as
\neconomic liberalization.<\/p>\n
But considering their track record in business it is very
\nunlikely they would exploit their power that way. Their most
\nlikely role would be to become supporters of the established
\npower with its high-growth economic policies.<\/p>\n
The nepotistic candidates have the potential to brush aside
\nthe interests of the people, which is the main task of the
\nrespected institutions, and put forward their own interests
\ninstead. In other words, they will play the role of torchbearers
\nof the New Order government.<\/p>\n
It is highly possible that this role would be sought after
\npurposely by the authorities to answer the increasingly loud
\ndemands from the people for political reform.<\/p>\n
Therefore, the nepotistic candidates would substitute people
\nin the representative institutions as a mere formality but no
\nchange is likely to come in either political system or policies.<\/p>\n
Their tendency to conduct business with the government and
\nbureaucrats will further solidify the client-patron relationship
\nwhich has proven to be the cause of a high-cost economy and
\nunclean government.<\/p>\n
Furthermore, they will likely reject a more competitive and
\nopen political system thereby strengthening various forms of
\npower concentration and threatening the democratization process,
\nslowing down the nation's road toward globalization. It is this
\nrole of nepotistic legislature candidates which underlies
\nwidespread criticism these days.<\/p>\n
The writer is lecturer in political science at the University
\nof Indonesia in Jakarta.<\/p>",
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