Sutiyoso's reelection<\/p>\n
Jakarta governor Sutiyoso apparently believes in the curative
\npower of spanduk, those colorful, slogan-filled banners that
\nadorn Jakarta's bridges and roadsides. Ever since he defied the
\nwall of public opposition and won a second term as governor in a
\nsham election, they've been erected around the city to tell us
\nthat we, the people of Jakarta are in fact delighted at his
\nsuccess.<\/p>\n
And there I was thinking he was tremendously unpopular, we are
\nall apparently supposed to think, \"But now I've read the spanduk
\nI realize I was wrong about this man the whole city loves. I
\ncould kick myself\".<\/p>\n
Of course, no minds have been changed. Sutiyoso's track record
\nwas so poor and the election process so deeply flawed that the
\noverwhelming mood among Jakartans is one of cynicism and anger.
\nPerhaps most galling was the pretense that the process was
\ndemocratic, the fantastic gulf between what the elections
\npretended to be and what they actually were.<\/p>\n
I would like to propose two possible ways to close this gulf
\nand ensure the next gubernatorial election is less exasperating
\nthan the one we've witnessed.<\/p>\n
Firstly (and far from ideally), the election system could be
\nchanged to institutionalize the current reality. This is probably
\nthe alternative that Sutiyoso and his kind would like the best.
\nFor example, if the current reality is that the president decides
\nwho the governor will be and the election is just a rubber stamp,
\nthen how about getting rid of the election part of the process
\naltogether? Let the president appoint the governor directly and
\nstop pretending that there's any democracy involved.<\/p>\n
A second, better, approach would be to draw up and enforce
\ndemocratic gubernatorial election laws to ensure the best
\ncandidate won and punish any vote-rigging severely. This obvious
\n(but strangely illusive) option is what the people of Jakarta
\nwant, and would solve the kinds of legitimacy problems that
\nplague Sutiyoso in a way no congratulatory spanduk ever could.<\/p>\n
So what's it going to be, as we look forward to the next
\ngubernatorial election? Do the government and legislators want to
\ncontinue accepting and legitimizing this sleazy process, or will
\nthey work to implement proper democratic institutions? To
\ngenerate even more ridicule or begin to win trust? The choice is
\ntheirs, but do they even care?<\/p>\n
ANDREW TRIGG, Jakarta<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/sutiyosos-reelection-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }