One effort that can be made now is to observe the performance of a number of members in the DPR and political parties. Do not vote for them in the next election if their current performance is not good.
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KOMPAS EDITOR
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Kompas/Heru Sri Kumoro
A number of DPR members were present in person at the DPR Plenary Meeting at the Parliament Complex, Senayan, Jakarta, Thursday (7/10/2021). The presence of members of the DPR in meetings is often questioned when discussing the performance of the institution.
Not taking a turn for the better. That is the public perception of the image and performance of the House of Representatives (DPR). The perception has not changed much, relatively speaking.
This was the perception discovered through the results of the Kompas national opinion poll conducted on 5-8 Oct. 2021, in which only 55.5 percent of respondents considered that the DPR had a good image. This percentage places the House the lowest among the 10 state institutions surveyed, including the Indonesian Military (TNI), the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK), and the National Police.
This perception was shaped in part by the legislature’s performance, which is thought to have remained weak, as well as the luxury lifestyle of some of its members. Criminal cases such as acts of corruption involving a number of lawmakers also helped shape this perception.
The transparency of DPR members in managing funds, such as the recess fund, was also questioned. On the “Akbar Faizal Uncensored” YouTube channel, DPR member Krisdayanti noted that an “aspiration fund” of Rp 450 million was available every recess period. There are five recess periods in one year. In addition, there is a working visit fund of Rp 140 million that is disbursed eight times a year.
The DPR’s poor image, which seems to never improve, does not mean that the legislative body does not have people who are good, competent and possess integrity. However, such legislators are generally not in the mainstream DPR. What is heard a lot from the DPR is that even its supervision is suspected to be closely tied to collusion and corruption, which is sometimes camouflaged with their work on the budget, or that their legislative performance almost never meets the DPR’s own target.
Kompas/Heru Sri Kumoro
DPR member Krisdayanti was present at the DPR Commission IX working meeting with a number of parties related to the effectiveness of organizing and budgeting in handling Covid-19 at the Parliament Building Complex, Senayan, Jakarta, Thursday (27/8/2020).
A number of efforts have been made to enable more space for good people with integrity to emerge in the DPR. The seminars, discussions, and researches discussing this matter that have been held are too numerous to count. There have also been internal efforts to make the DPR more transparent, for example, through the DPR NOW application launched in mid-2018. However, changes for the betterment of the DPR have been slow in coming. There is no political will among the lawmakers to become better.
The slow pace of reform at the DPR matches the slow pace of political party reform in. Political parties generally do not strictly enforce a mature system to nominate the best cadres as DPR candidates for the people to elect in the general elections. Many political parties have not monitored the performance of their cadres in the DPR in an optimal, transparent and measurable manner.
However, the DPR and political parties are institutions that must exist in a democratic system. Therefore, there is no other choice but to continue to make an effort to enable the DPR to become better and more qualified. Like the drops of water that fall on a rock, continuous efforts will definitely pay off.
One effort that can be made now is to observe the performance of a number of members in the DPR and political parties. Do not vote for them in the next election if their current performance is not good. In doing so, we will all help change the face of the DPR and maintain democracy in this country.
