Political dumbing-down<\/p>\n
Making backroom deals, it seems, has become the preferred
\nmethod of resolving political differences in Indonesia. And
\nPresident Megawati Soekarnoputri, nearly one year into her
\npresidency, has become so adept at this game that she felt
\ncomfortable enough to publicly tout some of her latest deals.<\/p>\n
In the run-up to next month's Annual Session of the People's
\nConsultative Assembly (MPR), Megawati has in the past week
\nsecured agreements from other political leaders through behind-
\nthe-scene negotiations that will ensure a smooth gathering.<\/p>\n
As chairwoman of the largest party, the Indonesian Democratic
\nParty of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan), Megawati struck deals with
\nher counterparts from Golkar and the United Development Party
\n(PPP), respectively the second and fourth largest parties, that
\nguarantee that there will be no deadlocks in the debate on
\nconstitutional amendment, one of the main agendas at the MPR.<\/p>\n
Since there will be no deadlocks, disagreements over the
\nproposal for the fourth constitutional amendment will be resolved
\nwithout having to resort to a vote, so she reasoned.<\/p>\n
When three of the four largest political parties in MPR have
\ncome to this kind of understanding, we can almost be sure that
\nthe MPR session will proceed without too much controversy.<\/p>\n
Some people, including Megawati, would consider this
\ndevelopment as significant progress. There had been fears that
\nthe MPR meeting would end in a deadlock because the factions were
\nstill oceans apart on many items in the amendment proposal.<\/p>\n
Their differences not only threaten MPR proceedings, but also
\nsubsequent major events in the national political agenda,
\nincluding the 2004 elections, which hinge to a large extent on
\nthe conclusion of the constitutional amendment debate.<\/p>\n
But this political expediency has come at the expense of
\ntransparency in the nation's political decision-making process.
\nThis process has in turn led to unhealthy speculation about the
\nconcessions made behind the public's back.<\/p>\n
What has Megawati secured from Golkar in return for her PDI
\nPerjuangan dropping its demand that the second round of a
\npresidential election be conducted by the MPR, and not by the
\npeople? What has she given up in return for the cooperation of
\nVice President Hamzah Haz and his PPP? What has Golkar's Akbar
\nTandjung, who is a suspect in an ongoing corruption case, gained
\nout of this process? Whatever concessions were made by these
\nleaders, the public have been excluded from the process.<\/p>\n
Anyone looking for reasons why political conspiracy theories
\nabound in this country need only look at the way major decisions
\nare made in this country which mostly preclude the people. This
\nprocess has also nurtured cattle-trading (the Indonesian
\nequivalent of horse-trading) practices in this country.<\/p>\n
But should a matter as crucial as constitutional amendment be
\nsubjected to the same process of cattle-trading? That is exactly
\nwhat Megawati and all the other political leaders are doing by
\ncutting deals behind the people's back.<\/p>\n
What they are doing totally runs counter to the spirit of
\nreformasi that calls for greater transparency and public
\nparticipation in the political decision-making process. They are
\nbucking the trend toward greater political openness that was
\nstarted with the launching of the reform movement in 1998.<\/p>\n
In a democracy as diverse as Indonesia, deadlocks as a
\nconsequence of differences in political opinion should be the
\nnorm rather than the exception. And voting is one of the ways of
\nresolving differences in a democratic and transparent manner.
\nWhile this may not be the preferred method, it is still
\npreferable to Megawati's backroom dealings.<\/p>\n
The aversion political leaders have shown toward voting in
\nresolving conflicts to a large extent reflects their own
\nautocratic traits. They cannot accept or tolerate differences of
\nopinion, and cannot resolve them out in the open. They feel more
\ncomfortable resolving these problems behind the scenes.<\/p>\n
Rather than helping Indonesia reach the political maturity it
\nneeds to make democracy function, present-day leaders are
\nencouraging a dumbing-down process through their backroom
\ndealings and cattle-trading practices.<\/p>\n
The 1998 reformasi movement put Indonesia at the start of what
\nwas then seen as a long learning curve toward democracy. What
\nlittle progress the nation has made since then however is now in
\ndanger of being squandered, because our political leaders are now
\ntaking us in the opposite direction.<\/p>\n
When it comes to practicing democracy, this nation,
\nparticularly our political leaders, appears to be becoming dumb
\nand dumber.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/political-dumbing-down-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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