Indonesia Under President Prabowo Heading Towards a Prominent Nation and Democratic Surplus
Let us test this. Whether the democracy index rises or falls is determined by government policies. The question is, what government policies have caused the democracy index to decline?
It is said that democracy under Prabowo is deteriorating, yet the policies related to the decline in democracy occurred before Prabowo took the helm. For example, our Democracy Index has been falling since 2015 due to several influencing policies.
Police Chief’s Circular No. SE/6/X/2015 on Handling Hate Speech (SE Hate Speech). Consisting of four points, the SE Hate Speech regulates, among other things, the scope of actions that can be categorised as hate speech and related criminal acts. This has sparked debate because it is seen as potentially misused to silence freedom of expression and opinion.
Law No. 17 of 2014 on the MPR, DPR, DPD, and DPRD (MD3). This law is often criticised for containing controversial articles deemed anti-criticism and providing excessive immunity to DPR members. The main points of criticism include excessive legal protection for council members and the potential criminalisation of critical citizens.
Government Regulation in Lieu of Law No. 2 of 2017 on Mass Organisations. This Perppu grants the government authority to dissolve mass organisations unilaterally without going through court mechanisms (due process of law), on grounds of safeguarding state sovereignty, Pancasila ideology, and combating radicalism.
Law No. 30 of 2002 on the KPK, which is considered to weaken the KPK.
Imprisonment or reporting of activists by the Government. The Haris-Fatia case between state officials and civil society.
Joint Ministerial Decree of 3 Ministers Nos. 9 and 8 of 2006. This decree technically regulates the establishment of places of worship and the establishment of FKUB. This regulation is often criticised for its strict administrative requirements and potential to limit the right to worship.
Previous administrations made the palace something difficult for the public to access, or in other words, a closed palace. In President Prabowo’s era, the palace has become open through Roundtable Dialogues with the president.
In the past, media reporting was controlled. We still remember the ILC programme by Karni Ilyas being shut down.
The electoral system that deviated (fraud) before 2024. Under President Prabowo, the 2024 regional elections proceeded democratically, even with Gerindra as the ruling party losing regional elections everywhere.
Thus, the rise and fall of the Democracy Index is seen from whether state policies have closed the climate or the tap of democracy or not.
As the Minister of Human Rights, I state that during the 1.5 years of Prabowo’s leadership, there has been no law, regulation, or policy that creates preconditions for closing the tap and climate of democracy. This means that the Prabowo administration is maintaining the existing democratic space and even beginning to improve it so that Indonesia moves towards a surplus of freedoms.
What the Ministry of Human Rights has been doing is working hard to clear the blockages of democracy, evaluating various old policies that hinder democracy. For example, the Ministry of Human Rights is pushing for the birth of the Freedom of Religion Law, as well as revising the Human Rights Law and advocating for the revocation of the Police Chief’s circular on hate speech.
With just the data and facts above, what Mujani said is scientifically refuted. I assess that Saiful Mujani is an observer who ignores science because he is clouded by envy, spite, and hatred. Original science will never lose to artificial observations.
Natalius Pigai, Minister of Human Rights of the Republic of Indonesia