Thinking To Vote On 9 April

(published in The Jakarta Post on 7 April 2009. Click here)

The campaign period is over. The voting day is coming. I would appreciate all the die-hard supporters who have shown their militancy during campaigning. They shaved the number of their party into their heads, painted their body or face with party colors and attended rallies no matter the weather. Some party supporters took leave from work, took all family members (even their under age kids), spent some money in order to join the cheerful campaign, either for listening to the oration from the campaigner or just for enjoying dangdut music.

They even were ready to fight in case of meeting with their rivals. If necessary, some were ready to die for the sake of their party idols. Really? Yes, to die - no matter what! Do you remember the blood thumb print that was done by Megawati supporters when she was blocked from becoming the President after the victory of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDIP) in the 1999 election?

Horay! This is the time. This is the only time to express everything after five years of people being fed-up with all kinds of stress. But after all, they are mostly the forgotten ones for whom nothing changes in their life at all. They remain struggling to live. Don't be sad, friends, because nothing is serious in politics, right?

Elections will always be a blessing for some people. For banner providers, for ballot papers and ballot box providers, for t-shirt providers and for street vendors who offers cold drinks, snacks and cigarettes to rally goers. For the gamblers, there is always something to bet on, since this is not an event that can be easily be predicted, unlike the elections in the new order era when the same outcome was guaranteed.

Now, we can only predict the election's outcome according to surveys and based on political analysis. I personally agree with them, as long as they come from highly reputable and independent sources. Nonpartisan Indonesian experts are so smart, sharp, and will tell the truth. We don't need to worry about them being bribed by some parties to present the result as dictated by their interest. Don't be irritated, please. This is my personal opinion.

There will be no single majority in this election. A series of survey conducted recently shows that three major parties will dominate: The Democratic Party, The PDI-P and The Golkar Party. It will be too hard for other parties to catch them up. These three major parties will gain around 60 percent of votes. The remaining 40 percent will be grabbed by other parties, but each party will gain no more than 10 percent.

Again, that is only survey numbers. But for me personally, that's enough, because the top three positions are still held by parties which are ideologically constituted as ideologically *center', neither too left nor too right. It is the most crucial thing for Indonesia to defend this ideology since the nation consists of so many ethnicities, religions, cultures and languages. Indeed it is because all of these things coloring the nation that it is the most beautiful nation in the world.
The "Bhinneka Tunggal Ika" slogan (Unity in Diversity) was born even before our country formally proclaimed its independence. But today, some radical movements try to destroy it and force a uniformity based on their own perception and interest.

A recent report presented jointly by The Wahid Institute, The Maarif Institute and The Bhinneka Tunggal Ika Movement, said that nowadays moderate Islam is being undermined and infiltrated by radical Islamic groups which have a hidden agenda to form an Islamic state or international caliphate 1).

The hidden agenda surely jeopardizes the unity of our nation, because if they win, the radicalism would be very fertile and grow rapidly. Of course they would not so blatantly proclaim their intention to do so, but spreading their doctrine through schools will have a significant impact because educated people would be influenced.

I hope all moderate-minded people exercise their right to vote on 9 April, because the votes will decline the radical votes. Yes I agree there is no ideal party in which we can put our trust. I also agree parties still not free either from corruption or unqualified legislative candidates. Most of candidates try to lure voters by so funny and disgusting advertisements just to confirm and reveal that they are indeed not qualified and not ashamed they actually have nothing to offer.

Let’s vote for the party which has national ideology, the party that embrace all, protect all, and defend all. But if you want to be ‘golput’ (golongan putih or blank voters), that’s okay because that is your right, too.

***
Serpong, 5 April 2009
Titus J.

Note:
1. Caliphate: from old French: Caliphe, from Arabic: Kalifa (deputy of God), the chief Muslim civil and religious ruler (Oxford dictionary).