'Nepotism against principles of democracy'
JAKARTA (JP): The nepotistic national leadership recruitment process should be put to an end because it is against the principles of democracy, a political analyst said yesterday.
Cornelis LAY said the recruitment pattern means the political elite often fail to represent the increasingly diverse interests of the Indonesian people.
"The nepotism is against the principles of democracy. It's a feudalistic practice," he told 200 participants of a seminar titled Indonesian Political Elite Recruitment Process.
The one day seminar organized by the National Communication Forum of the Indonesian Nationalist Students Movement Alumni (GMNI) also featured political analysts from the military, Maj. Gen. (ret) Z.A. Maulani, historian Onghokham, cultural observer Eros Djarot, political observer Gen. (ret) Rudini, and legislator Sabam Sirait.
Cornelis said in a traditional community, factors such as kinship legitimates the power monopoly by an aristocrat.
"Such 'blue blood ties' become the only route leading to power. Besides, a person's seniority also plays a significant role in determining ranks and status," he said.
He added in a modern democratic society, legitimacy is obtained through a general election, in which representativeness is important.
Nepotism in Indonesian politics, Cornelis said, was obvious in the lists of legislative candidates made public last month. "Kinship was an important consideration there," he said.
Forty-nine legislative candidates secured seats in the House of Representatives because they have "blood lines" with certain political leaders, he said.
They come from the three political parties to contest in the May 29 election, Golkar, the United Development Party (PPP) and the Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI).
The most nepotistic is Golkar and the least is PPP, according to Cornelis.
"They are the offspring of officials, both civilian and the military. This starts a regeneration process of the new political 'caste'," Cornelis said.
Unlike their predecessors, who won power legitimation through history and service to the nation, this new future political elite is combining the traditional legitimation of heredity (reflected in the setting up of various organizations as a stairway to power) and the general election.
The "political clan" built business empires under the state's patronage and used their wealth to enter politics, Cornelis said.
Meanwhile, Siswono urged politicians from all political parties not to manipulate religious activities for political purposes.
Although the political climate is heightening in the lead-up to the general election, political and religious leaders should be able to convey their messages without mixing them up with political ones.
Siswono, a former GMNI senior activist, alleged that the recurrent mob violence in Central Java has occurred because religious and political events were mixed up.
The recent unrest in Central Java reportedly involved PPP supporters who were attending mass prayers which coincided with the party's 24th anniversary.
They were angered by the removal from the streets of their flags to be replaced with Golkar banners. (aan)