Of Bintang and boycotts<\/p>\n
Most people may be inclined to dismiss Sri Bintang Pamungkas'
\nstatement of his intention to set up a new political party, the
\nDemocratic Union Party, as rubbish. Such a view is
\nunderstandable. After all, Bintang is currently on trial, a
\nprocess which may end with his being put behind bars for some
\ntime. Moreover, the prevailing law closes the door to the
\nestablishment of new political parties.<\/p>\n
One might also choose to disregard the statement made the
\nother day by five United Development Party (PPP) branches. They
\nthreatened to boycott the election if manipulation prevails. This
\ncould well be seen as an empty threat because under the
\nchairmanship of Ismail Hasan Metareum, PPP is known for its
\naccommodating stance.<\/p>\n
But it would be wise to stop short of totally ignoring the two
\nstatements as nonsense. It is better to give them a closer look
\nto examine more carefully what is behind the moves.<\/p>\n
The first and most important point is that the two statements
\nmay represent the prevailing mood of society, notably among the
\npolitical elite. This mood is one of restlessness, a feeling that
\nsomething is wrong with the whole situation. And for certain
\ngroups and individuals this feeling may have reached the point of
\ndisillusionment and frustration.<\/p>\n
One should remember that in the last several years more and
\nmore individuals and groups have voiced their disappointment with
\nthe current political format, which only allows three political
\norganizations, with the government-backed Golkar as the main
\nforce. The government's strategy of maintaining Golkar as the
\nmajor player, as well as the organization's apparent all-out
\neffort at present to maintain its majority in the country's
\nlegislature, has drawn complaints from the political parties, PPP
\nand the Indonesian Democratic Part (PDI). Both parties have
\naccused the government of unfair election practices.<\/p>\n
Some observers attribute this dissatisfaction to the failure
\nof the three political groupings to accommodate the people's
\npolitical aspirations. Created by the New Order government some
\n25 years ago and aimed at preserving the nation's stability,
\nwhich is perceived as imperative for development, the current
\nsystem is viewed by many as \"out of date\" and unable to cope with
\nthe growing dynamics of society.<\/p>\n
The very success of national development has brought about a
\nbetter educated, socially and economically better off
\ngeneration, which is free from the trauma of the 1965 communist
\ncoup and the political turbulence of the early 1960s.<\/p>\n
Unburdened by these traumas, many members of this new
\ngeneration cannot understand or accept the establishment's
\nrepeated rationalization of why the current political system must
\nbe maintained. These young people demand more freedom. They want
\nmore room to channel their aspirations. Some have tried to
\nestablish or join non-governmental organizations only to find
\nthat there, too, they are not free from suspicion because their
\norganizations have been stamped traitors by the government.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, more and more people in the establishment have come
\nto feel that the current status quo is being too rigidly
\nmaintained. They, too, feel unhappy and perceive the need for
\nmore room to breathe. Some are really worried about the current
\ntrend, which they perceive as an inclination to return to the
\nsectarian politics of the early 1960s.<\/p>\n
And thus, in the last few months we have seen the
\nestablishment of new organizations, such as PCPP, YKPK, PNI and
\nParkindo. Interestingly, many key figures in the new
\norganizations are Golkar activists, or retired ABRI members.<\/p>\n
One could view this new development as a positive
\nimplementation of the freedom of assembly as stipulated in the
\nConstitution. But it is more likely that the emergence of all of
\nthese organizations has been sparked by that feeling of
\nrestlessness and disappointment.<\/p>\n
We believe that this feeling has not yet reached a crisis
\npoint, but without proper handling the situation could easily
\nworsen. The important point in all of this is that we have yet to
\nsee any positive or concrete move toward dealing with the problem
\non the part of the government. What we are hearing now is the
\nsame, oft repeated excuses and defensive lines, such as \"the
\nstatus quo must be maintained\", or \"the current political format
\nis a product of national consensus and there is no reason to
\nchange it\".<\/p>\n
It is a pity that many of our leaders still refuse to put
\ntheir ears to the ground and listen. If they would only listen
\ncarefully they would be able to hear the distant rumble.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/of-bintang-and-boycotts-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}