Hasto Denies PDIP Orchestrated Demonstrations, Cites Government's Authoritarian Tendencies

Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDIP) Secretary-General Hasto Kristiyanto has denied allegations that his party is the mastermind behind a series of demonstrations across various regions in Indonesia over the past year. Hasto assessed that the accusations instead reflect the weakness of a government administration that tends to seek scapegoats when facing problems. He made the statement while attending the stage II (open) dissertation examination of political observer and founder of Voxpol Center Research and Consulting, Pangi Syarwi Chaniago, at the Doctoral Programme in Social Sciences, Faculty of Social and Political Sciences, Airlangga University, on Monday (20/7). “The various accusations against PDI Perjuangan show the weakness in our government system, so as I said earlier, it tends to make justifications, including when there is a problem, it tends to seek a political scapegoat. That shows the essence of an authoritarian character,” Hasto said. Hasto mentioned that a similar pattern occurred during the 27 July 1996 incident, or the Kudatuli affair, when certain parties sought a scapegoat to cover up internal power struggles. “It was the same as the past 27 July incident. A scapegoat was sought,” he stated. He added that the scapegoat narrative during the Kudatuli affair was also marked by the arrest of several activists, whereas the root of the problem actually lay in state governance that no longer made the people the source of power orientation. Beyond the accusations against his party, Hasto also addressed the state of Indonesian democracy, which he believes is in decline, citing research by the V-Dem Institute that suggests Indonesia is no longer a full democracy due to a tendency towards legal authoritarianism. He contrasted the external shock of the 1965 Cold War conflict that led to the dissolution of the PKI with the current internal shock stemming from changes in the political behaviour of those in power. Hasto said PDIP uses the 27 July commemoration to remind the public that an authoritarian character, built from a combination of military force, ruling parties, and mono-loyalty of the civil apparatus, ultimately cannot withstand the power of the people.