Election razzmatazz
Where's my T-shirt, you would-be legislator? Have you no idea at all about priorities, and what else have you got in your political handbag? What about some money?
One unfortunate lady suffered the boos of the crowd as she stuttered and stammered over the word aspirasi (aspiration), which supposedly had something to do with what the people want (anyway, that's what it said in the write-up), and that this came from a PDI-P legislator candidate in Papua could explain the difficulty in getting the word out.
If it continues like this, then the elite will simply have to blame the ignorance on the voters, those poor unfortunates that the political parties would dearly love to get on board if only they had something worthwhile to offer. Words will make little or no impression, as people with anything at all between their ears (even if it's only vaguely working), will know that promises are not worth anything.
The thing is, who created this ignorance in the first place, and who has lived very comfortably because of it? Perhaps it is time to look into the bag of tricks and get the bribes out, as the people only want T-shirts, hats, jackets, money, rice, petrol for their motorbikes, cigarettes, cakes and biscuits -- for that's what it's all about: "goodies", and lots of them. Throw in a bit of music and a few dancing girls, tell a few political jokes and bring on the clowns.
What about drag acts, with the politicians dressing up in blonde wigs and miming erotic songs while playing pink guitars and wearing freakish outfits that would get you arrested in most cities of the world?
Better yet, let's really get imaginative and offer the punters a real show, dangdut a-bellowing, Inul a-wiggling, Akbar a- fiddling and Mega singing My Way to the full accompaniment of the PDI-P philharmonic paraphernalia -- and to hell with the expense.
Day one subdued and irrelevant, day two dull, dismal and disappointing (not for the people, but for the political parties), day three boring and day four even worse.
So maybe it's time to change tactics, and who's that joker who just suggested that telling the truth would be refreshing? Silly man.
DAVID WALLIS
Medan, North Sumatra