Pig Feast, Oligarchy, and Criticism

Pig Feast: Colonialism in Our Era, a documentary film by journalist Dandhy Dwi Laksono, has become a significant talking point among democracy and environmental activists in this country. This article will not review the documentary itself, but rather use ‘Pig Feast’ as a lens through which citizens provide sharp criticism of the state’s administrators.

Environmental destruction, the greed of political elites, political brokers, and the hypocrisy of spokespersons for high-ranking officials have become starkly evident through various public justifications. This reality of hypocrisy extends to political brokers, spokesmen, and now paid ‘buzzers’ who use state funds to defend any government policy.

There is a profound lack of conscience among those politically aware of the nation’s struggles. Those who understand the suffering of the people cannot remain silent. Only those blinded by power and worldly wealth claim that current state policies are highly beneficial to the masses. The nation is currently filled with ‘political lackeys’ who provide information contrary to the worsening conditions of society. Spokespersons often claim that the actions of leaders are for the people’s welfare, yet the reality on the ground suggests otherwise. Our politicians often appear devoid of conscience, unwilling to hear the cries of the people.

The greed of brokers and political-economic oligarchies has blinded them, leading them to believe that whatever their leaders do is inherently correct. They claim government policies are based on serious studies for the people’s benefit, dismissing any field-level failures as mere technical errors. This is a hallmark of officials who act as mere lackeys rather than speaking with conscience regarding the palpable suffering of the people.

The state’s condition is worsening as corruption, collusion, and nepotism become unstoppable. Policies such as the Free Nutritious Meal (MBG) programme, costing trillions of rupiah monthly, and the establishment of Red and White Village Cooperatives in every village, have faced heavy criticism from economic and public policy experts. However, critics are often accused of being biased or hating the government. In reality, these experts provide evidence-based findings that such policies primarily benefit political elites and oligarchic circles. While some benefits may reach the people, the primary gains remain within the political oligarchy.

This represents the creation of a new oligarchy in both the economic and political spheres. Once again, spokespersons and top leaders claim that critics are unobjective. It is a tragic situation where criticism is treated as hatred. Criticism should instead be viewed as a constructive contribution from experts who love their country.

It is time for deep reflection on the current state of the nation. The people’s suffering is profound, yet political elites, economic brokers, and political lackeys must open their eyes. They must stop acting as mere sycophants who prioritise pleasing their leaders through falsehood and hypocrisy. Hypocrisy must be eradicated if this nation is to recover from failure.

Political policy should alleviate the suffering of the people and foster optimism, not deepen misery or bury hope. Policy should not exist to please lackeys or create new oligarchies that merely seek to maintain power in the next political cycle. While policy can be used to build a leader’s image of closeness to the people, it must not do so at the expense of the populace.

Any political policy must be based on the genuine needs of the people, not on building a persona of being ‘pro-people’ while sacrificing their dignity. Capitalising on people’s suffering through ‘pro-people’ policies is a serious crime. State officials, political elites, and government spokespersons must realise that the public is becoming increasingly aware that hypocrisy will eventually expose the government’s flaws. The era of excessive praise for top leaders must end, lest the people suffer further and lose all trust in the government.