Foreign policy issues in presidential election

Shafiah Fifi Muhibat, Jakarta

As campaigns for the July 5 presidential election escalate, candidates fiercely compete for attention. Ideas have been raised, policies have been proposed, and promises have been made. However, personality rather than policy is expected to be the major feature of the campaigns, since no candidate has presented coherent political or economic policies.

Neither have platforms been comprehensively formulated to actually offer alternative solutions to the country's ongoing problems. This lack of attention is particularly obvious in relation to foreign policy issues. The candidates' Vision, Mission, and Program collected by the General Elections Commission (KPU) hardly embrace foreign policy issues.

The candidates' agendas may list a large number of domestic priorities, but very few on foreign policy. This is due to the fact that citizens (i.e. the voters) are more interested in domestic issues that directly impact their lives, such as welfare, health, and education. International issues are regarded as something "foreign" and the sole concern of the country's top leaders.

The term "foreign policy" is still considered distant from the general public's day-to-day lives and to have no direct significance for them. With this view, it can be understood why people in most countries, including Indonesia, prefer to leave all foreign policy decision-making activities to their governments.

Deliberately or not, the lack of public attention toward foreign policy issues is aggravated by the centralization of the foreign policy decision-making process at the top level. Theoretically, the conduct of foreign-policy makers -- whose principal aim is to safeguard the nation's security -- requires the concentration of executive power. In the international -- or state -- system, in which each state is its own protector and must rely primarily on its own resources and strengths, the chief executive is considered the defender of national interests.

In this regard, both the citizens and the policymakers contribute to the widespread ignorance of the public. The level of public awareness concerning foreign-policy-related issues determines to what extent public pressure can influence foreign policy, because with lack of awareness, not to mention a poor understanding of the issues, the public can have little say on foreign policy issues.

This manner of thinking aggravates the condition where public interest toward foreign policy issues is critically low. An administration's performance is assessed by its success in the implementation of domestic policies. This is understandable yet troublesome, since, in reality, international relations issues can have implications on domestic affairs. Particularly in the current course of globalization, such implications are inexorable, and multilateralism is pervasive.

There has to be a balance between the commitment to accomplish Indonesia's domestic interests and the commitment to be an integral part of a stable international system. Both of these commitments are intertwined and will impact on each other.

A government is expected to act on behalf of its citizens, to protect them against obvious threats arising from overseas. A country like Indonesia should acknowledge that its very survival and prosperity depends, not just on its own efforts, or its collective activity with friends and allies, but also on the nature of the international system as a whole.

Moreover, whoever becomes the next president must comprehend that Indonesia will continue to deal with multidimensional problems. These problems, and the efforts taken in the process of resolving them, will undoubtedly impact the policy alternatives available for the government to pursue development. Indonesia's foreign policy, under the new government, should be formulated and executed based on this consideration.

Thus, presidential candidates must pay serious attention to a number of highly significant issues in external affairs: Among others -- the continuation of previous multilateralism approaches and integrative processes, mainly in the framework of ASEAN and APEC; the promotion of human rights and democracy, especially in relation to the restoration of Indonesia's international image; and the global fight against terrorism. The public may be ignorant of these issues, but it cannot be refuted that these issues directly relate to domestic affairs.

The presidential candidates should come up with comprehensive platforms that include sufficient foreign policies. Efficient and strategic planning in foreign policy formulation can be the base for conducting international relations that support the development and sovereignty of the state. This will be a true challenge for the next president.

The writer (shfifi@csis.or.id) is a researcher of the Department of International Relations of the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS).