How one reacts to the recently commotion in the House of Representative is perhaps shaped by our understanding of the process of policy-making in the political body. One might be appalled by the ugly show down of power displayed by the Red and White Coalition, which had endorsed the defeated presidential candidate, Prabowo Subianto. They have been lost once but they flawlessly devise new strategy for the next rounds. This time the thriumpant cries is theirs.
This sinister force has flexed its muscles for the ongoing battle for power in the legislative bodies and seems deaf at all ears of public's outcries. One will have their jaw drop seeing their witty orchestrated maneuvers to ensure their positions of power, regardless of the political ethics. In real world politics, they are surrounded by seasoned politicians who know how to strike back in full throttle even at the expense of the people.
In this case, knowing that they secured more seats at The House, they use the voting mechanism to seal their victory. This voting mechanism will serve as the effective arsenal for this coalition to outfox its bitter rival, the Indonesian Democratic of Struggle (PDIP) and its coalition partners which had backed President elect Joko ‘Jokowi” Widodo. While Jokowi won 53 percent of votes in the presidential election, his coalition controls only 37 percent of seats in the new parliament. The Red-White bloc has secured 53 percent of the seats, and get 63 percent if outgoing President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono’s (SBY) Democrat party. Consequently, it is obvious in any voting mechanism, the winner of such process can be easily predicted. Such political constellation is feared will be crippling the effectiveness of the President elect government.
In its preliminary battle, the Red and White Coalition has effectively use the voting mechanism effectively when discussion among faction bore no fruit. With backroom dealing and lobbying, they guaranteed to win the game. They have won two consecutive policy-making process; the scrapping of the direct local election and the clean sweep of the House speakership through which Democratic Party played a key role. Again, SBY showed off his craft as a formidable kingmaker. His party has the power to tip the balance of the game, holding the Holy Grail every faction seeks to form an ally with. It is believed it is a matter of time before the Red and White coalition strikes back to thwart the PDIP and its allies ambition to secure the People's Consultative Assembly speakership.
It is in such tight race in which no party secures the majority, lobbying among faction and parties become crucial in determining the wind of the game. There's no eternal enemy or friendship in politics. So to speak, the art of lobbying is crucial to win.
Lobbying in the governance light is inevitable and probably functionally useful to effectively run the government. Unfortunately, the disastrous lobbying displayed in recent parliamentary session have become an embarrassments trailed in the press this week. The hijacking of people's right to directly vote for their regional head is a result of such backroom lobbying for power. Real world politics may be messy, but it does not have to be tawdry, cheap and dirty.
Then, is lobbying a threat to the democratic system or just the politics of everyday advocacy?
As it happens, there are two major scripts about political life. In one lobbying is the disease of democracy, in the other it is the democracy.
In the former, politics turned poisonous when lobbying is based on temporary short term political interest. When people's interest is squandered and the effectiveness of government programs are being held hostage by such political fiasco, then lobbying becomes a sickness to weaken democracy.
The example of this poisonous lobbying can be best seen in the scrapping of regional heads direct election. Short term political interest to ensure control and power strengthened by the lust for revenge have solidified the Red and White Coalition to form the Majority. Then, political transaction is laid on table for the key of the winning, the Democratic Party. An alleged grand scenario came into play.
During the plenary session, All but PDIP, PKB, NASDEM and HANURA voted “aye" to scrap regional direct election while the holder of the holy grail walked out of the plenary session just like that. This walk out is allegedly due to intense lobbying and backroom dealing between the Democratic Party and the Red and White Coalition to give the Democrat position as one of House speakers and Chairman of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR).
The dice keeps rolling down with gory outcome. The Golkar Party which comes second in the election was awarded position as Head of DPR. The mortifying outcome of this poisonous politics is when Setya Novianto elected Chairman of the House Speaker when he has been on the row of potential suspects in graft cases. This is a blatant betrayal and banal ignorance of the people as it is agreed that the people does not want politician with problematic track record or in the process of law hold such lofty position at the House. This nomination amplifies how lobbying and backroom dealings are indeed a disease in democracy when party's interest is placed above the people's interest.
The majority wins. Yet, they seem to suffer an amnesia that their majority of seats does not reflect the people's will as even when they formed a coalition to endorse their Presidential candidate, they still lose because people who have no political ties rallied behind the President elect Jokowi who was backed only by four parties. The Democratic which came third in the election, holds the holy grail to tip the balance in one way or another. Therefore closed door meeting and lobbying becomes the most lethal arsenal to win the war.
These examples highlight how some political parties abuse the democracy itself. It is ugly. Politicians will say and do anything to ensure their positions of power, regardless of who else is brought down. They should have engaged in healthy lobbying on behalf on people's best interest. All should be laid on the table. If the people comes first, such voting mechanism would not take place, and political brouhaha witnessed by the whole world could have been avoided.
Nonetheless, such political ugliness is exactly why we should get involved in anyway we can. To just watch and scoff at the misdeeds of the men who do bad things is easy, but it is markedly ineffective. It is what evil men count upon the good people and take it for granted. The seeds of corruption feed off inaction and apathy. The weak are consumed by it, and the strong stay on the sidelines.
Let's unite and show to those clowns at The House that we have power to voice our dissatisfaction. Let's stand firm to support the Corruption Eradication Commission and condemn those politicians who want to thwart and weaken it. Let us support public officials who fight for their people and have trust and integrity. Let our voices be heard constantly be it in social media, newspaper, street and every corner of this nation. Indonesia belongs to its people and not just a bunch of politicians who think none but their own interest.
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