Restoring the Sovereignty of the People

KOMPAS/HERU SRI KUMORO

A mural depicting people fighting for power on a wall fence in Penjaringan, Jakarta, Tuesday (21/2/2017).

In the last few years, many people in many parts of the world have been upset because people\'s sovereignty as the governance of state power that is integrated with human values has experienced an existential threat. Elections or democratic festivities as a means for people to choose leaders to serve them have become a funeral route for people\'s sovereignty because they can be engineered to produce tyranny. Its dignity has been degenerated into just a political tool to vent the lust of power of the power hunters. Democracy kills democracy; power management that can build a civilization has been paralyzed in the face of death.

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There are many factors that cause such a problem but the dominant one is the spread of populism, post-truth, and the rapid advancement of the digital technology. The mixture of these three elements results in pseudo democracy because it tries to gain public support through instigation, provocation and lies as if it is a legitimate arena to consolidate support with lies (demagoguery).

A country that considers itself a champion of democracy is the United States.

Is it true that people\'s sovereignty is dying? There is no need to become so worried. First, historically doubts about the preservation of people\'s sovereignty have been going on for hundreds of years. A country that considers itself a champion of democracy is the United States. One of its founders who became the second president (1797-1801), John Adams, had warned of democracy as wasteful, tiring, and never lasting long. He emphasized that there has never been a democracy that has not committed suicide.

Yuval Noah Harari is no less fierce. He argues that artificial intelligence is able to detect aspirations, emotions, ambitions and thoughts that can be processed and controlled by algorithms. Thus, political institutions, such as elections, political parties, and parliaments, became obsolete. Democracy will fade, even disappear (Homo Deus: A Brief History of Tomorrow, 2017).

In fact, in the country of origin of democracy, Greece, Aristotle (348-322 BC) called democracy the worst system of government because the ruler is a group of people who are incapable of governing (mobocracy). However, the doubts and predictions of extinction can actually produce feedback that can encourage efforts to correct democracy. However, democracy is still considered the least bad choice compared to other power orders which lack humanism.

The resilience of democracy comes from human nature that longs for freedom, justice and equality. The challenge lies in the tendency of the soul and the instinct of greed, which justifies any means. With this paradox, democracy is not a stopping phenomenon but a system that keeps moving and is in a tug-of-war between the two tensions.

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History records that it takes extra-hard work and a long time to preserve people\'s sovereignty. Many have succeeded, although not a few have failed or have not reached the standard of democracy based on the spirit of human values.

However, as long as there is space and a spirit of freedom, no matter how small the portion, democracy can always correct its own mistakes. Freedom is a vehicle for rational discourse, constructive criticism, and an opportunity to organize the power of civil society to form pressure groups, interest groups, which can be an alternative force against tyrannical power.

Kompas/Heru Sri Kumoro

A mural calling for fair enforcement of the flyover pole on Jalan Ciledug Raya, South Jakarta, Saturday (20/6/2020).

The public is worried about the plan of the government and its supporting political parties to cancel the proposed revision of Law No. 7/2017 on Elections and Law No. 10/2016 on the Second Amendment of Law No. 1/2015 on the government regulation in lieu of Law No. 1/2014 on regional elections. In fact, the public really hope that the revision of the two laws can improve the quality of elections.

The expectation is in line with academic studies and public discourse that develop the idea of concurrent elections and asymmetric decentralization as political engineering to create effective and democratic governance.

The expectation, among others, is reflected in a survey conducted by Kompas in which about 60 percent of respondents said they wanted a revision so that the quality of the election can be improved (15/2/2021). The expectation is in line with academic studies and public discourse that develop the idea of concurrent elections and asymmetric decentralization as political engineering to create effective and democratic governance.

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In fact, the Constitutional Court Decree Number 55 / PUU-XVII / 2019 has offered several options, among others, mention that simultaneous elections to elect members of the House of Representatives (DPR) and Regional Representatives Council (DPD), president and vice president are held sometime after the election of members of Regional Legislative Councils (DPRD) and provincial heads.

KOMPAS/EDDY HASBY

Students from Jakarta, Bogor, Tangerang, and Bekasi came to the MPR / DPR building in May 1998 to demand reforms and the resignation of President Soeharto.

Disguisedly, the cancellation is made because the state needs political stability so that it can focus on its program to save the people from the Covid-19 pandemic. This argument is understandable because the big narrative of fighting the pandemic is about saving the people. The revision of the national election and regional election laws also safeguards people\'s sovereignty. Both agendas have no spiritual distance. Both are aimed at preventing the people from a threat of idols (berhala) that can paralyze the nation and state.

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In order to prevent public discomfort from escalating into unproductive controversies, the government and parliament are expected to provide a strong signal of intent and a clear timetable regarding the agenda for the improvement of a comprehensive political order. It is feared that without a clear explanation of the legislative program, the cancellation of the revision of the law could be accused as committing political persecution and undermining the constitutional spirit.

KUM

J Kristiadi

Since threat of berhala is rooted in the duality of human nature, efforts to avoid them need to be done through spiritual practice and restoration. In essence, the struggle is carried out physically and spiritually, accompanied by optimism and hope. The two things complement each other. Optimism is basically rationality.

If you haven\'t succeeded, you feel like a failure and be pessimistic. The attitude of hope lies on the belief in the nation\'s political creed, the power of Pancasila; if you haven\'t succeeded, don\'t give up, keep on fighting until your goals are realized.

J. KRISTIADI, Senior researcher at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS).

(This article was translated by Hendarsyah Tarmizi).