Ending the contracts of useless, corrupt politicians

Ending the contracts of useless, corrupt politicians

Benny Susetyo, Pr, Cultural Observer , Malang

The Movement against Decadent Politicians (GAPB) is now
becoming more widespread. Its activities are found not only in
Jakarta and other major cities but also in remote areas across
the country. The movement involves the political elite as well as
people on the lowest rung of the social ladder. Spearheaded by
the country's front-line non-governmental organizations and noted
figures, this movement is more than just the start of a
discourse.

The names of those categorized as rotten politicians will soon
be made public. Daring to take whatever risks it may entail, this
moral movement is demonstrating its boldness at a time when the
pillars supporting the nation are crumbling because of
corruption.

The motivation for its establishment is the result of
disillusionment with the direction of the reform movement, or
reformasi, that has been carried out with very mixed results by
politicians that claim to be reformists but have done nothing for
the good of the reform movement. Instead, these politicians have
been involved in corruption.

Acute skepticism is now plaguing the public. Legislative
candidates, who should be exemplary figures in society, have
largely exhibited some very bad conduct, ranging from
falsification of diplomas, registering with two different
political parties and resorting to bribery to ensure his or her
spot on a party's list of candidates. Even though they are just
candidates at this point, they have already shown behavior as
disgusting as a criminal's.

GAPB endeavors to arouse public awareness in order that the
voting public will also be responsible if there is a failure in
the establishment of a credible government. The fact that our
national system has almost entirely been damaged is attributable
mostly to the elite, but also to the absence of public awareness
to help control the elite so that they can be held accountable
for unhealthy practices. That is why it is necessary to foster
again this awareness so that reform can be introduced to all
national components that are likely to turn into traitors and
that prioritize their own personal bank accounts and their
party's over that of the nation.

Candidates of this type will become an additional burden to
the nation unless they are exposed and do not get elected. They
are like germs that will spread illness to the entire body of the
nation. They have failed or will fail to establish a governing
system that takes sides with the majority of the people. In
reality, instead of protecting the poor, members of the current
legislative assembly -- most of whom are now candidates again --
have allowed themselves to be enslaved by big business interests.

In this context, Arbi Sanit is right in his statement that
today there is nobody fit to lead the nation, a leader that would
devote himself or herself to the people. We only have leaders
that lead their own groups. If these leaders exhibit some concern
for nationwide issues, is intended solely for the benefit of
their own groups or parties.

Theoretically, a state and its instruments are established on
the basis of an agreement between the government (the ruler) and
the people (the ruled). Both are involved in a social contract
about an agreement on how the state should be managed: By whom
and how. This is the principle for the establishment of a
democratic state in the spirit of the ideas introduced by Jean
Jacques Rousseau, Montesquieu and John Locke.

In reality, however, this social contract has never benefited
the people at large here. The people, that form the majority, are
the object that the ruler, the minority, controls. In a
democratic state, the people are theoretically the subjects, but
in reality here they have degenerated into an object. It is sheer
irony to see how the so-called representatives of the people
prove to be the symbol of political crime with instances ranging
from money politics and graft to disgustingly siding with greedy
tycoons.

Unless rotten politicians are subject to controls and
prevented from proceeding in their political careers either as
people's representatives or as national leaders, this nation, to
borrow Prof. Syafii Maarif's words, will be heading towards its
doom. Surely, these rotten politicians will manage this nation
and state in their own way and will never take heed of the
public's aspirations.

It is evident even now how the state (read: The ruler) has
been doing its activities and stipulating various important
policies without the knowledge of the people. The rulers are busy
carrying out preferred policies, living in the lap of luxury and
involved in the rat race for lucrative positions.

Indeed, they mention the "people" in their policy making
speeches or campaigns but the word "people" serves only as an
ornament. It is even a greater tragedy to see how the
legislators, in their comfortable seats at the House of
Representatives, can do nothing to lift people out of their
misery as they have supported policies that actually lead to
people's misery.

The failure of these rotten politicians to carry out the
message of people's sufferings should serve as a lesson for all
Indonesians. The political careers of these people, now enjoying
an honorable position in the respected House of Representatives
and holding authority as government leaders, must immediately be
terminated through a collective people's struggle to fight
corruption. Sovereignty must be returned to the people, not to
the politicians.

We must warn these politicians that we only utilize them on a
contract basis to run the government as best they can. Now they
have failed to lead this nation towards political and economic
welfare and their contract will not be renewed. The only thing
left for us to do is to terminate immediately the contract with
them and then choose new politicians with a conscience out of 220
million Indonesians.

GAPB must be expanded to include all types of state officials,
such as rotten judges, prosecutors, lawyers, bankers,
businesspeople, political party chiefs, regents, mayors and
governors. It is clear that these rotten people weaken efforts to
eliminate corruption as it is often the case that some of them
are even involved. As a result, law enforcement has been impaired
because of the dishonesty of the law enforcers.

This nation must revisit one of the goals of the founders of
this state: The establishment of an intelligent and prosperous
society. This aspiration can be translated into reality only if
the political elite are willing to serve and dedicate themselves
to the people, not to political parties and capital owners.

Decadent politicians must not be limited to only the corrupt
politicians, human rights violators, environmental criminals,
sexual criminals or drug traffickers. The definition of rotten
politicians must also cover those who have simply sat by and done
nothing all these years and failed to establish a government
system that will lead to the promotion of humanitarian values.
The mandate given to rotten politicians must be revoked and our
contract with them terminated. This revocation and termination
requires an awareness of the community not to vote for them. They
must not be allowed more failure as otherwise the goals of the
reform movement will remain further away.

It is at this juncture very important for us to unite and
critically compile a list of rotten politicians, both at the
central and regional levels. A blacklist of candidates will serve
as a symbol of resistance against politicians that have taken
part in changing the country from bad to worse.

It is true that the general elections will not solve all the
nation's problems but this occasion may serve as momentum when we
terminate our political contract with these rotten politicians.
The public must be united and resolve not to vote for these
rotten politicians as they have openly shown that they have never
fought for the good of the society but have, instead, sold mere
rhetoric.

So, let us unite to block the way of rotten politicians!