(en) Indonesia, anarkis.org: Direct local elections or Direct
Democracy? [machine translation]
Seperti the brothers know, direct local elections (Pilkadal) will be held simultaneously
next December 9, 2015. Areas that tenure expired regional heads will be recycled. The move
is claimed to be a step forward for democracy in Indonesia, especially for mengefesiankan
and streamline quality. Really these claims? ---- Democracy The Disabled ---- Previously
complained about the quality of democracy in Indonesia is still bad, very expensive and
often only produce a political uproar. In terms of frequency and timetable for
implementation, the Ministry of the Interior stated that the number of 34 provinces and
497 districts / cities, meaning every three days there Pilkadal held in Indonesia! The
process of local elections and the presidential / parliamentary adjacent considered to
saturate voters so the impact on the participation rate. In the 2014 election, for
example, the number of white group (abstentions) to 57 million (29.8%).
In terms of cost, implementation Pilkadal financed by the public through the local budget
is fairly high and burdensome. As an illustration, the cost Jakarta gubernatorial election
of 2012 approached 316 billion rupiah, while in South Sulawesi in 2013 reached 337 billion
rupiah. For the district / city level, the election of Mayor of Bandung for example,
requires the fund to 46 billion rupiah, and to choose Regent Pangkajene Islands need a
budget of around 25 billion rupiah. The amount is certainly more useful when converted
into hospitals, bridges, markets and public schools, rather than hire bureaucrats who work
carelessly.
Meanwhile, when looking at the quality produced, Indonesian democracy is still far below
the expectations of even decline. Based on the election process, aspects of pluralism,
civil liberties, political and cultural participation, research The Economist Intelligence
Unit (2015) based in London, concludes Indonesian democracy index in the category of
disability (flawed democracy).
Then, what is produced? This flawed democracy successfully inaugurated 325 regional heads
corrupt or 90%, more than 256 endorsed the discriminatory local regulations, to issue a
mining license 4000 which has the potential to result in conflict and natural resources.
Achievement is what would be maintained so Pilkadal would be made simultaneously so
fanfare election of regional leaders more pronounced up to the corners of the archipelago.
Direct-to-late Yang Represented
Pilkadal elections and is the fruit of "representative democracy". Although the election
and Pilkadal done 'live', but do not imagine that people can access power or
decision-making processes or things that affect their lives directly. Instead of "of the
people, by the people, for the people," representative democracy is precisely cut
authority and access to power of the people and distort the people's sovereignty.
Representative democracy comes from the tradition of European feudalism. At that time many
people protested the behavior of the nobility were often as good as the liver raise taxes.
Because is it hard to listen to them one by one people talk to the king, the aspiration is
delegated to a few people. From there was born the concept of parliament in France
(originally called the king's advisory council or curia regis). Called 'parler' (speak)
because of the major activities of the advisory council is talking. The concept of
developing the world's first parliament in the UK, which contains the royal officers,
treasurer, businessmen, nobles, bishops, and the governors / regents.
In European feudalism, the power of a king is relatively limited. The king can not just
taxes, decides to war without consulting Parliament. Militarily, the king also does not
have a regular army, but must recruit the farmers of the region, by first asking
permission of the direct employer (of mayors / governors). Politically, the regents and
the nobles are more powerful in the region.
Therefore, the position of the parliament (which is referred to as "clear-minded group")
in such a politically important because it provides legitimacy to the king. Then develops
a division of tasks in the parliament in the form of youth parliament (House of Commons)
that handles the day-to-day government affairs, as well as senior parliament (House of
Lords), which deal with judicial issues.
The development of nation-states also helped establish the model of representative
democracy by adopting it as a modern democratic system. Its main characteristics are the
electoral process such as elections or Pilkadal, which is the maximum limit citizen
participation that can be tolerated.
In Indonesia, as one of the demands of the reform agenda, Electoral Law No. 3/1999 (and
various revisions and enhancements) are considered to carry significant political changes
brought direct elections, multi-party, until the local elections. But after a dozen years
later, democracy is still controlled by the oligarchic.
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"Voting" by Pawel Kuczynski
Why We Do Not Participate?
Responding to the situation, the activist movement in Indonesia endeavored to form an
alternative party as tools and strategies electoral politics, both at the local / regional
and national levels. Only by building a political tool that is relevant to the current
political system, they claim, we can intervene in the political situation in Indonesia.
This is a project to build Syriza and PODEMOS Indonesia, after the project Bolivarian
circles halting.
According to their electoral strategy is an attempt to intervene political channels that
exist, as well as education and propaganda stage openly to the masses, to double the
strength of non-electoral mobilization. A glimpse of the strategy is realistic, concrete
and has a fundamental reason. But what is new and different from the desired outcomes?
Nothing. The strategy of targeting only a mere change of political power.
We do not participate in electoral politics, not because they view that politics is a
world of evil, dirty, and can not be changed. Not too naive that all those who wish to
enter the political arena is evil or corrupt. Not because it treats elections as
anti-dogmatic attitude.
We do not participate precisely because to be realistic, there is no "fundamental change"
that could result from the takeover of state structures, but only maintain the structure
-segelintir dominance over the majority of other powerful people. Structurally and
professional, the state is always separate from the general public.
Politics, which essentially is a natural process for the people or the citizens in
managing its daily business, then dwarfed and dikoptasi within the state structure, into a
set of procedures to select a small group of individuals (politicians), to speak and
represent the people.
Not a few politicians who depart from activism movement and has a strong constituency
base, to be trapped in the system of power that dominates interaction protocol, agenda and
relations with it represents. This interaction-state system, has its own logic and its
agenda. Program and the political agenda that goes by this framework only helped to secure
a monopoly on power for an elite group of professionals, protect and run the interests of
the rich, rather than goals that are more common, which is to empower people and
redistribute wealth.
The system to be captured the dwarf citizen activists simply as "taxpayer," "voter" and
"constituents." It is built on the assumption that the political as if they are innocent
or not capable of managing their own affairs. Residents are expected to function passively
and allow the elite to find the best path for them. They only have to participate in the
"politics", especially on days when the elections' turnout "gives legitimacy to the system
itself, also at the time of payment of taxes of course to finance the system.
And above all, the statesman is more fun if we tend to be more focused on the personal
affairs of each and did not bother with the activities of the "politicians." If people are
increasingly able to abandon passivity and started active interest in political life, they
will create problem for countries with cases to rake over the discrepancy between social
reality with rhetoric that accompanies it.
What Alternatives Realistic?
So what could be the alternative to the political deadlock? How to connect everyone in
society with control over all matters that affect their lives? Can the people and the
working class into real political subject or, in other words, represents a direct itself?
And could it be a grassroots political embryos real social change?
These questions actually a reference point to fight the political elite and dumped
dependence figure, figure, figures and patterns of elitist and centralized approach.
Therefore, we must restore direct management over the political as community affairs, by
the citizens through democratic institutions, especially in the form of the board of the
citizens (as a form of real swaorganisasi). Foundation is a political culture that is
vibrant, lush and dynamic. By doing so, we will see discussions spilling on street
corners, parks, shops, and public spaces. People will gather spontaneously in the square,
or the village hall, starting a public meeting to debate their problems and decide on actions.
This democratic institutions must be open, political, and based on direct democracy. The
basic idea is simple: each person should be able to directly represent himself, and the
political process must be able to take place at the smallest level (community, workplace,
school, home, etc.). In a direct democracy, "representative" is not required and all
decision-making processes organized from below. Decisions resulting from the process will
be taken by the delegates are bound by the mandate are limited and do not have the right
executive. Therefore the delegation may be subject to recall or replaced / withdrawn at
any time if there is sufficient reason.
The political process is to let democracy take place without intermediaries and connect
the people and the working class with all matters relating to daily life. By doing so, the
people or the workers into a political subject of real or, in other words, represents a
direct himself. Only by establishing forms of this swaorganisasi, embryos real social
change can be grown to liquidate the state. []
The author is a member of the Association of Independence. This article was also published
in newspapers Bersyarekat! Edition # 2
http://anarkis.org/pilkada-langsung-atau-demokrasi-langsung/
