Party workers persevere out of loyalty and hope<\/p>\n
Top politicians like Amien Rais, Abdurrahman Wahid and
\nMegawati Soekarnoputri would not be able to campaign without the
\nloyal party workers who take care of the small details. Usually,
\nthe work of this largely uncelebrated group of people goes
\nunnoticed, and yet they persevere. The Jakarta Post
\ncorrespondents Tanra Alam in Palu, Joko Sarwono in Bogor,
\nO.K. Mirza Syah and Junardi Harahap in Medan, Ariefuddin Saeni
\nand Jupriadi in Ujungpandang, Israr Ardiansyah in Yogyakarta,
\nand reporter Santi W.E. Soekanto in Jakarta explore the loyalty
\npeople feel toward parties and party leaders.<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): A group of red-clad men, both young and old,
\nsweat in the sun as they struggle to hang a large banner atop an
\noffice building in South Jakarta. Their work completed, they take
\na breather and look up with pride at the banner.<\/p>\n
It reads: Pejah Gesang, Nderek Mbak Mega.<\/p>\n
This Javanese expression of loyalty is so strong it borders on
\nfeudalistic servitude. It means: In death, in life, we follow
\nSister Mega.<\/p>\n
An elderly woman in a small town in West Java told her
\nchildren she ran out of money. When they gave her some, she went
\nand bought bottled drinks and snacks, which she brought to the
\noffice of the local branch of the Justice Party (PK) to hand out
\nto party activists.<\/p>\n
\"Why in the world did you do that,\" her astonished son asked.<\/p>\n
\"Well, I just wanted to,\" the mother said, before telling her
\nchildren that supporting the Muslim-based Justice Party was also
\nsupporting Islam.<\/p>\n
Social psychologist Sartono Mukadis said few foreign analysts
\nhave been able to satisfactorily explain \"the amazing phenomenon\"
\nof the loyalty Indonesians have toward parties and party leaders.<\/p>\n
He said the loyalty supporters felt for Megawati
\nSoekarnoputri, the chairwoman of the Indonesian Democratic Party
\nof Struggle (PDI Perjuangan), bordered on cultism because, at one
\nstage, they become willing to die for her.<\/p>\n
\"Some of these people are those who suffered during the days
\nof Sukarno (Indonesia's founding president and father of
\nMegawati),\" he said. \"And then they repeat (the mistake) of
\npinning all their (hopes) on one person.\"<\/p>\n
\"How are you going to explain that rationally,\" he said.<\/p>\n
He quoted American scholar David McClelland, who placed social
\nmotives into three categories: power, achievement and
\naffiliation. \"Most of our constituents are people who do things
\nout of a need for affiliation,\" he said.<\/p>\n
He said such strong loyalty could not be purchased. \"If
\n(President B.J.) Habibie wants to be loved (by the Indonesian
\npeople), he can't (have it happen just like that). It's either
\nthere or it is not.\"<\/p>\n
He cited the case of Yogyakarta monarch Sri Sultan
\nHamengkubuwono X -- to whom millions feel such strong loyalty
\nthat it borders on servitude -- as an example of a person
\nwho had power bestowed on him by people who made a cult of him.
\nAnd yet, he refuses to be trapped, Sartono said.<\/p>\n
\"Imagine if he really went into politics full-force,\" Sartono
\nsaid. \"(His influence) would be awesome.\"<\/p>\n
Sartono urged Megawati to take care and not become trapped by
\nthe cultism which sometimes surrounds her. \"That's dangerous. Our
\npolitics is like a swinging pendulum. We have moved from hating
\nSukarno to idolizing Sukarno.\"<\/p>\n
\"It's time for her to say 'enough'. She needs to appear as a
\nhuman being (rather than a goddess),\" he said. \"Make mistakes for
\nonce, then ask for forgiveness. Act human.\"<\/p>\n
Sartono said Megawati's recent refusal to take part in a
\ndebate of presidential hopefuls might have been caused by her
\nfear of making mistakes.<\/p>\n
\"Her supporters may at first be disappointed, but in the long
\nrun she would gain stronger support,\" he said. \"If she keeps on
\n(as she is), she may find even bigger trouble when she is on the
\nverge of winning or even becoming president because people's
\nsupport for her will have become massive and monolithic.<\/p>\n
\"Anything that is massive and monolithic in politics is
\ndangerous,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Sartono added that there would be an even greater danger if
\nMegawati lost her presidential bid. \"Her supporters would not
\ntolerate a defeat, so we can imagine what it would be like (if
\nmillions of people refused to accept the defeat).\"<\/p>\n
Profiles<\/p>\n
Jhon Hendri, a trader who operates a small Muslim garment shop
\nnear the campus of Sumatra Utara University in Medan, North
\nSumatra. He does not make money from his activities in support of
\nthe Justice Party. He provides his car to transport party
\nactivists who provide free medical service to the poor in various
\ncities.<\/p>\n
\"I place my property, my time and energy and my mind at the
\nparty's disposal. I know I am not going to get any material gain
\nor positions in the party,\" he said. \"I only want the blessing of
\nAllah.\"<\/p>\n
\"I am doing all this for Islam and because I believe only the
\nJustice Party campaigns for Islam,\" the father of two said. \"I
\ncan see how the party activists are people who do not expect any
\nfinancial gain from their work.\"<\/p>\n
Jhon's parents are both supporters of the United Development
\nParty (PPP) but his wife and siblings are supporters of the
\nJustice Party.<\/p>\n
James Manalu, also in Medan, is an unemployed graduate of PGRI
\n12 high school. He mobilizes supporters for PDI Perjuangan's
\nrallies, he puts up banners and he helps secure gatherings. He
\ndoes this in the name of idealism and in the hope of improvement.<\/p>\n
\"I believe this party fights against corruption and
\ncollusion,\" he said. \"I don't mind working this hard for the
\nparty because I hope that my younger siblings will some day find
\nit easier to get a job.<\/p>\n
\"I don't want them to be like me. I could not become a civil
\nservant because I couldn't pay the bribe that the corrupt
\nofficials wanted.\"<\/p>\n
Bahar is a pete-pete driver, the local public transportation
\nin Ujungpandang. He lets the Justice Party use his vehicle for
\nfree. For every day of campaigning that his car is used, he loses
\nRp 25,000.<\/p>\n
\"I am just a common person, this is the only thing that I can
\ndo for my party,\" he said. \"If the party wins, that would be
\ngreat because it would then fight corruption so police officers
\non the streets wouldn't be able to extort money from drivers like
\nme.\"<\/p>\n
Rahmad Simanungkalit used to work in a hotel in Medan, North
\nSumatra, but it was burned down in last year's May riots. His
\nparents are both members of the Muslim organization Muhammadiyah,
\nand now they support the National Mandate Party (PAN), which is
\nchaired by former Muhammadiyah chairman Amien Rais.<\/p>\n
Rahmad, however, has been an active supporter of Golkar for
\nthe past three years. \"This party really takes care of the youth
\nand fights for their interests,\" he said. \"My activities (for
\nGolkar) tire me, but I get personal satisfaction from them.<\/p>\n
\"I was offered a chance to become a Golkar legislative
\ncandidate but I refused because the party needs people like me to
\nwork for it.\"<\/p>\n
Bobby Purba, an economics student at Medan Area University in
\nMedan, North Sumatra, helps put up flags and banners for the Love
\nthe Nation Democratic Party (PDKB), prepares equipment for party
\ngathering and goes out to gather new supporters for the party.<\/p>\n
\"I do this because this party believes in things that I
\nbelieve in, like peace and religious values,\" he said. \"Besides,
\nthis party supports reform leaders such as Megawati.\"<\/p>\n
Asked why he does not just join PDI Perjuangan, he responds:
\n\"Oh, that is because that party already has too many members. I
\nwouldn't be taken into account if I joined PDI Perjuangan.<\/p>\n
\"Here, I can still do things. I can still develop. If this
\nparty becomes big, I would be able to get a position ... maybe
\nbecome a legislative member someday.<\/p>\n
Natalina Sitorus, 25, a student at Sumatra Utara University in
\nMedan, North Sumatra and a member of the Indonesian Christian
\nNational Party (Krisna). She spends time at the party's office in
\nPadang Bulan, where she joins discussions, because she believes
\nthe party voices her aspirations.<\/p>\n
\"I am a Christian, a member of the minority, so I joined
\nKrisna,\" she said. \"Look at cases of (violence where) churches
\nwere burned, those are... problems that should be handled by
\nChristian parties.\"<\/p>\n
M. Rusli, 32, is a supporter of the New Indonesia Party (PIB)
\nin Ujungpandang, South Sulawesi. He mobilizes supporters for
\nparty gatherings. He hopes by becoming an active supporter of PIB
\nwill one day enable him to land a better job, such as being a
\nlegislator, and a better future. He mentioned a promise, given by
\nan unnamed person, that party members would receive access to
\nloans.<\/p>\n
\"Some of my friends are already legislative candidates. I hope
\nit's going to be my turn soon,\" he said.<\/p>\n
M. Khalid, 44, is a supporter of the Justice Party (PK) in
\nUjungpandang, South Sulawesi. He does not expect anything in
\nreturn for his activities in support of the party. He became a
\nparty supporter after meeting other supporters in a mosque.<\/p>\n
\"I really admire them because most of them are university
\neducated,\" he said. \"They really uphold morality. This is why I
\nbecame attracted to the party.\"<\/p>\n
Andi Makkulau Pasarai, 40, is a volunteer who secures
\ngatherings of the National Mandate Party in Ujungpandang, South
\nSulawesi. \"I am thankful I get to do this, escorting party
\nactivists to gatherings.\"<\/p>\n
He said he joined PAN because he believes Amien Rais, the
\nparty's chairman, has \"charisma beyond words\". \"His fight against
\ncorruption in Indonesia is what made me want to support the
\nparty.<\/p>\n
\"Besides, the party has programs whose objective is to create
\na prosperous society. It will help the small people and educate
\nthe younger generation,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Yos Sutiyoso, 43, supports the Indonesian Democratic Party
\n(PDI) led by Budi Hardjono, and is now the secretary of the
\nparty's chapter in Yogyakarta.<\/p>\n
\"I chose PDI because there's more space for me to work in. PDI
\nPerjuangan already has too many 'knights' so our ideas would not
\neasily be heard.<\/p>\n
\"Some of my friends criticized me or even terrorized me for
\njoining this party (because it is the camp that once toppled
\nMegawati), but I told them I remain idealistic,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Anwar Arifin, an ex-professor of communications at Hasanuddin
\nUniversity's School of Social and Political Sciences in
\nUjungpandang, resigned from his teaching position in order to
\nbecome a member of Golkar. He is now one of the party's
\nlegislative candidates for the House of Representatives.<\/p>\n
He said he left teaching for Golkar because he \"wants to make
\na participatory study of the party, which has been the target of
\nso much public condemnation.\"<\/p>\n
\"I am a scientist who has been working in the world of theory.
\nNow I want to compare theories with the real world,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Born in Sengkang on Dec. 11, 1947, Anwar said he wished to
\ndevelop Golkar through a scientific approach. He wants to
\nrepresent the world through Golkar, and believes the party will
\nhelp further develop academia.<\/p>\n
As soon as he joined Golkar, he became the target of criticism
\nfrom colleagues and students and was accused of supporting the
\nstatus quo.<\/p>\n
\"But this is a learning process which requires sacrifice. Our
\npeople are looking at Golkar in such black-and-white terms. But
\nin politics, there's no such as thing black or white.\"<\/p>\n
Andi Rudiyanto Asapah, a legislative candidate for PDI
\nPerjuangan, is a well-known lawyer in Ujungpandang. He entered
\npolitics because he wanted to \"introduce changes from within the
\nbureaucracy\".<\/p>\n
By joining the party, he was forced to leave his job as a
\nlawyer and sacrificed his popularity as a champion for the
\noppressed at the Indonesian Legal Aid Institute.<\/p>\n
\"I am just looking for a different medium. I have been
\nfighting for betterment from outside of the system. Now I want to
\ndo it from within the system,\" he said.<\/p>\n
He joined PDI Perjuangan because he believes the party will
\nfight for the interests of the poor, something that he said he
\nhas been doing all along.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/party-workers-persevere-out-of-loyalty-and-hope-1447893297",
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