Direct elections represent true essence of ‘reformasi’ Donny Syofyan  ;   A lecturer in the Faculty of Cultural Sciences  at Andalas University, Padang, West Sumatra

JAKARTA POST, 12 September 2014

                                                                                                                       

                                                      

The House of Representatives’ attempt to pass a bill that will end the direct election of local leaders constitutes another controversial legislative maneuver in the post-presidential election period. The Red-and-White Coalition says local administration chiefs must not be elected directly by the people, but by Regional Legislative Councils (DPRDs). Direct elections have been part and parcel of the nation’s reform agenda since 1998. The dilemma of trying to uphold the people’s sovereignty while attempting to curb the excesses of regional elections, however, should not be a strong excuse for affecting the country’s political direction.  The direct election is a “biological child” of reformasi that marked a break from the oligarchy-oriented electoral regime of the New Order era to egalitarian, transparent and accountable elections. Thus, the direct election is inseparable from democratic consolidation in establishing substantive democracy in Indonesia. A true democratic election means holding direct elections as a concrete way of upholding public sovereignty. In contrast, a system of representation will deprive people of their sovereignty and distort people’s will and logic.  Granted, local elections have led to many problems, with burgeoning vote-buying being the major consequence. Yet, vote-buying can be minimized as political parties have very tight control of their candidates. It is regrettable that they are reluctant to do it and enjoy the fraudulent practice instead. Worse, vote-buying also involves voters, suggesting that law enforcement for perpetrators is almost absent. In fact, existing laws and rules are more than enough to bring perpetrators to court, including the possibility of annulling the candidates. If all parties related to the local elections are committed to upholding the law, vote-buying will be easily minimized. Despite possible budgetary savings promised through the abrogation of direct elections for regional chiefs, the move is fatally flawed in the sense it seriously lacks foresight. Ineffective and inefficient direct local elections (due to their high costs) could be tackled through holding the simultaneous, direct elections of local leaders.   Referring to the local elections in West Sumatra in 2010, it proved that the election in 13 regencies/cities and the gubernatorial election made a 65 percent saving in state finances. Direct elections pave the way for ordinary people to be public leaders in the regions. The success story of Bima Arya Sugiarto becoming Bogor mayor is a clear instance of this. On many occasions, Bima has stated that the emergence of young people as winners in the elections in many regions shows the growing role of the middle class in Indonesian politics. The middle class is outside the circles of money and politics. They move not only in the virtual world but also in the real world. This trend is now eroding political pragmatism and building a new and rational political culture. In addition, direct elections provide local talent in the regions with more opportunities to be national leaders. Since 2005, direct elections have succeeded in satisfying people’s political aspirations marked by the coming of local leaders with above-average accomplishments such as Surabaya Mayor Tri Rismaharini, Sawahlunto Mayor Amran Nur or Banjar Mayor Herman Sutrisno. It is no exaggeration to say, therefore, that local democracy and political regeneration will wither before they develop to the full.  Elections by DPRDs will never strengthen the legitimacy of political leaders and educate citizens to be politically savvy. People will lose their political legitimacy as they are unable to ask for local leaders’ accountability, while the councils will exercise more control over the ruling administration, which in turn will create chaotic governance. It will muzzle the political rights of citizens in determining and voting for their leaders. Political liberalization, which is a major prerequisite for substantive democracy, will grow if direct elections continue. In 1996, sociologists Juan J. Linz and Alfred Stepan stressed that political consolidation required five basic requirements: a relatively independent political community, the growth of a free civil society, a usable state bureaucracy for the new democratic government, the rule of law that provides a legal guarantee for the freedom of citizens and an institutionalized economic society. Direct elections will set the scene for these five requirements, considering their pro-people over elite-based approach. Efforts to restore indirect elections are tantamount to bringing death to democracy in Indonesia. Indirect elections will set the limit of the democratic process only to the legislative without establishing mature democratic principles in civil society. The Home Ministry once recorded that 3,169 legislators in various provinces, cities and regencies had been entangled in corruption cases in the last nine years. The formation of any legislation should be based on rational power. The democratic progress that has been achieved should be increased by improving electoral institutions from time to time, not turning democracy backward due to short-term interests with a view to controlling local leaders. ●