RI democracy 'yet to take root'
RI democracy 'yet to take root'
Kurniawan Hari, Jakarta
While the July 5 election proceeded orderly and peacefully,
democracy may prove to take much longer to develop
in the world's largest archipelagic country, analysts and an
election watchdog say.
They argue that various violations by candidates and election
officials during the campaign period and on voting day show that
people here do not understand the true meaning of democracy.
"We're just experiencing a ceremonial democracy and do not yet
understand the essence of democracy," Arbi Sanit, a lecturer at
the University of Indonesia, told a discussion organized to
evaluate the country's first direct election on July 5.
All five pairs contesting the July election violated campaign
rules, ranging from election schedules to ads on electronic and
print media.
The five pairs were Wiranto and running mate Solahuddin Wahid,
Megawati Soekarnoputri and Hasyim Muzadi, Amien Rais and Siswono
Yudohusodo, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and Jusuf Kalla, and Hamzah
Haz and running mate Agum Gumelar.
On voting day, some election officials were found to have
punctured ballot papers for particular candidates. Some people
also mobilized people to vote for certain aspirants.
According to the Independent Election Monitoring Committee
(KIPP), 80 percent of election violations were committed by
General Elections Commission (KPU) officials.
The Election Supervisory Committee (Panwaslu) also reported
election violations in Tawau, East Malaysia.
The committee alleged that consulate staff punctured some
8,000 ballots in favor of presidential candidate Susilo Bambang
Yudhoyono and his running mate Jusuf Kalla before the election.
In Timika, Papua, authorities found poll officials pierced
3,200 ballot papers for the Susilo-Kalla pair.
Meanwhile, there was also mass voter mobilization at the Al-
Zaytun Islamic boarding school in Indramayu, West Java. This led
to a dramatic increase of polling stations from 20 to 83.
Voters in the boarding school mostly voted for Wiranto and
Solahuddin.
The General Elections Commission (KPU) has declared Susilo and
Megawati the winners of the first round of the election and will
therefore face each other in the Sept. 20 runoff.
Arbi said he hoped election procedures could be improved in
the near future because it would determine the legitimacy of the
elected president and vice president.
Indra J. Piliang of the Centre for Strategic and International
Studies (CSIS) and KIPP director Ray Rangkuti agreed with Arbi,
saying that laws and regulations dealing with the election were
full of flaws.
Indra said that people doubted the legitimacy of the current
House of Representatives members because they were appointed
through an outdated electoral system.
Indra hailed, however, the fact that voters had become more
independent and free from the control of political parties.
"I'm also glad because there were no reports of fatalities
resulting from different political choices. It shows the growing
maturity of the people," he said.
Ray Rangkuti said that campaign fund infractions and the video
compact disc (VCD) scandal in Banjarnegara, Central Java, had
tarnished the election.
Some presidential candidates were unable to explain the
sources of their campaign funds, while a VCD recording caught
police personnel in Banjarnegara promoting Megawati.
He said that there must be fair settlements of election
violations, otherwise whomever was elected president would face
strong resistance from the people.