Keep Cool & Calm

KOMPAS/CYPRIANUS ANTO SAPTOWALYONO

President Joko Widodo gives a statement to the press at the celebration of the 8th Anniversary of the Perindo Party at the Jakarta Concert Hall, INews Tower, Jakarta, Monday (7/11/2022).

President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo has reminded political parties and their leaders to maintain a cool and calm atmosphere through the coming political year.

President Jokowi conveyed his expectations during a ceremony commemorating the 8th anniversary of the Indonesian Unity Party (Perindo), which saw the attendance of leaders from a number of political parties. The President also said he expected political parties and their leaders to support each other, instead of trying to bring each other down.

We underline President Jokowi's caution because it encourages all parties to maintain a cool political situation. Do not add "political storms" to other "storms", such as the Covid-19 pandemic, global uncertainty and the threat of a global recession and climate change impacts.

Also read:

> Presidential and Vice Presidential Candidate Pairs Should Complement Each Other

> Public Benefits from Early Presidential Candidate Announcements

It must also be acknowledged that the country’s political atmosphere is starting to heat up. Efforts to legitimize or delegitimize potential leaders can be seen on various social media platforms. This situation, a result of search engine algorithms, is increasingly dividing society online. Society has started to become polarized. Both supporters and haters are gathered in their individual online cocoons. As a result, the increasing political rivalry is closing off the space for dialogue.

RENY SRI AYU ARMAN

Three party leaders, Chairman of the Golkar Party Airlangga Hartarto, Chairman of PAN Zulkifli Hasan, and Chairman of PPP Muhamad Mardiono took a group photo after the National Gathering of the United Indonesia Coalition in Makassar, Sunday (6/11/2022). The coalition immediately announced a presidential candidate.

In fact, Indonesia’s history of contemporary politics offers a lesson on how Indonesian democracy is so resilient. In reality, no one loses or wins in a landslide in Indonesian politics. The political elite feel victorious because they all have power.

The latest example was when President Jokowi won the presidency in 2019. He embraced and appointed his election rivals, namely Prabowo Subianto and Sandiaga Uno, as ministers in his Cabinet. That is the resilience of Indonesian democracy.

Also read:

> Selecting Presidential Candidates

> Hard Work for President Candidates

In the eyes of the political elite, elections are seen as a means to gain control over political and economic resources. From this perspective, there is a difference between the expectations of the elite and the people. The people hope that the atmosphere will stay cool and calm so orang kecil (ordinary people) can continue with their activities as usual. The political elite need to have empathy for the fate of the public and not merely seek personal gains.

In the context of the political contest, the elite and political parties need to offer solid ideas and narratives to answer to the public’s needs or to open space for dialogue: an initiative to restore the ideal of Indonesia as a state of law amidst a situation that has held the law hostage and prevented justice; ideas on how to eliminate the corruption that has become endemic and impoverished the nation; ideas on how to restructure state institutions that seem to have lost their authority; ideas on how to tackle widening social and spatial inequities.

This nation needs fresh ideas to it can better embrace the values of Pancasila in the real world.

This article was translated by Hendarsyah Tarmizi.