Jakarta Alone is Enough, Other Regions Must Not Follow Suit

Kompas/Raditya Helabumi

Vehicles are stuck in a traffic jam in Jatibaru, Tanah Abang, Central Jakarta, after office hours on Friday (3/11).

The New Year will arrive in a matter of days. Next year, several agendas await us, including regional elections in five regencies and cities around Jakarta, namely in Bogor city, Bogor regency and Bekasi city in West Java, and Tangerang city and Tangerang regency in Banten.

Observing Jakarta in the past year, it was not easy to forget the two bouts of the city’s gubernatorial election. The smell of fighting is still high in the air even today. It is clear in our minds how both sides abused various issues for the sake of an election victory, ranging from polite ways, to attack-parry-dodge techniques.

Hostility rose not only between candidates or campaign teams, but also between individuals and groups who opposed each other.

Battles of programs and arguments occurred in print media, electronic media, on television and online. Tense, heated and even vulgar attacks occurred on social media. It was not a good sight.

Ethnic, religious, racial and intergroup relational (SARA) sentiments emerged and went out of control. They multiplied and divided the nation, societies, communities and families. Social media has shown us its true, ugly form.

There was a story of a husband and wife from a simple, poorly educated family in North Jakarta who were forced to choose between the two candidates. In the election’s second round, they split their votes based on their beliefs.

Recently, it was proven that the SARA issues were produced and reproduced through meticulous planning. The legal process regarding this matter has begun, but hoaxes, slander, divisive issues and anti-diversity attitudes remain.

Social and political experts agreed that this was the most heated and vulgar regional election the nation has ever seen and one that threatened the nation’s pluralism and diversity. Perhaps, this was what Syarif Hidayatullah State Islamic University political communications lecturer Gun Heryanto called “a terrifying procedural ritual” in which any means are justified in the road to power.

Kompas/Totok Wijayanto

Jakarta governor Anies Baswedan (left) and Deputy Governor Sandiaga Uno are greeted upon their arrival at City Hall on Monday (16/10). The pair will lead Jakarta for the 2017-2022 period.

Tomorrow

Jakarta has decided that it wants a change in leadership. This is the fruit of a system of democracy that must be accepted and appreciated.

It is time for Jakarta to move forward – to be better than the years past despite persistent pessimism. What we all must do is to give time to governor Anies Baswedan and deputy governor Sandiaga Uno.

One thing we all can do is involve ourselves in reconciliation efforts after the divisive elections.

Anies said that leading Jakarta was not easy. Jakarta is the nation’s capital and one of the most watched cities in Asia. Nationwide, Jakarta is a benchmark. Regional development is based on that of Jakarta. For better or for worse, Jakarta influences the face of the whole country.

In terms of urban management, the past year has given us hope in the possibility of a new Jakarta that is clean, orderly and beautiful. Slowly but surely, Jakartans are beginning to enjoy a serving bureaucracy.

As the leadership change, it needs to be acknowledged that the hope for a better Jakarta dimmed. Nevertheless, people now have benchmark for development in Jakarta.

There must not be any stagnation – let alone setbacks – in the road to better things. The next year will be a test in responding to people’s hope.

Politically, based on experiences in Jakarta, the General Elections Commission (KPU) is moving quickly to make regulations to curb the spread of SARA issues in the 2018 simultaneous elections in 171 regions, five of which will be in Greater Jakarta.

Sociologist Thamrin Amal Tomagola said that what occurred in the Jakarta gubernatorial election must not occur in other regions as it would only foster conflict.

Jakarta alone is enough.