PAN agrees with Megawati that Indonesia does not recognise the term opposition
The National Mandate Party (PAN) has stated its agreement with the statement by PDI Perjuangan chairwoman Megawati Soekarnoputri that Indonesia’s presidential system of government constitutionally does not recognise the term opposition party as a state institution, unlike a parliamentary system of government.
PAN deputy chairman Viva Yoga Mauladi said that in Indonesia’s political system, there are only political parties that support the government or those that do not join the cabinet.
According to him, there is not a single article in the 1945 Constitution that recognises the terms coalition party, opposition party, shadow cabinet or balancing party.
“In empirical practice, these are merely political terminologies used to simplify and provide an explanation of a political party’s position vis-à-vis government power,” Viva said in a statement in Jakarta on Thursday.
Philosophically, he said, democracy does not require all political forces to be inside the government.
He said democracy requires two simultaneous functions, namely the governing function and the function of correction, control and oversight.
In modern democratic theory, he argued that a strong government must be balanced by strong oversight mechanisms to prevent abuse of power.
“Therefore, the existence of parties that do not join the government is not an enemy of the government, but rather one of the instruments of democracy,” Viva said.
Accordingly, he assessed that PDI Perjuangan’s position is needed in politics, namely as a “constructive opposition” force that is not part of the cabinet but carries out the function of checks and balances in providing correction and oversight, supporting government policies that align with the people’s interests and criticising policies deemed inappropriate.
“The government needs support in order to work, but democracy needs oversight so that power does not deviate,” he said.
Recently, PDI Perjuangan chairwoman Megawati Soekarnoputri said that she had spoken with President Prabowo Subianto about PDI Perjuangan not joining the cabinet.
She made the remarks during a speech at an event held by the Pancasila Ideology Development Agency (BPIP) on Monday (10/8).
She also addressed those who questioned PDI Perjuangan’s position of not declaring itself as the opposition. According to her, a country that adopts a presidential system does not recognise opposition.