TabloidJubi-KPU
Elections in a number of ASEAN countries these past few months have clearly shown that democracy, as imperfect as it may be, is alive and functioning in our region. Thais went to the polls to elect their legislators who are expected to form a new government while Indonesia held simultaneous presidential and legislative elections, the world’s biggest single-day electoral event. Few noticed that mid-term parliamentary elections were also held in Cambodia and in Myanmar, where bigger political issues seem to have detracted attention from this essential democratic exercise. At this time of writing, similar polls are being held in the Philippines, which are being widely seen as a ‘report card’ on President Rodrigo Duterte’s controversial two years in power.
For all that, the outcomes have not always been positive. In Indonesia, in particular, there is gloom and doom, with pundits concluding that identity politics has led to an alarmingly divisive and polarized society. For example, they cite the case of West Sumatra, where 84 percent of voters cast their ballots for opposition candidate Prabowo Subianto, known for his open alliance with conservative Muslim elements. Then they point to the other extreme in Bali, where fully 91 percent of the mostly Hindu electorate supported President Joko Widodo.
But is this enough to conclude that sharp destructive divides will take place between moderate and radical Muslims in Indonesian society? That is what the political pundits are predicting: Jokowi was elected by moderate and non-Muslim Indonesians, while his opponent relied on conservative Muslims for most of his support. How this will play out is still a big question, despite the dire threats from the Prabowo camp that they will not accept defeat and are willing to take their complaints of voter fraud to the streets.
Most Indonesians feel the dynamics of the recent elections is simply part of the political process. They have witnessed waves of differing political processes and patterns, from the liberal to moderate, from conservatism to extremism during Indonesia’s 73 years as an independent republic. That’s a very short time compared to more developed democracies, but through it all Indonesians have persevered, fighting hard to preserve their ideal of unity in a vastly diverse country.
What should be of equal concern is the tragic death of nearly 500 people, working to ensure that the elections, involving about 80 percent of the country’s 190 million eligible voters and more than 180,000 polling stations, proceeded peacefully and efficiently. Were the victims, mostly volunteers and retirees, unprepared for such an exhausting task? Could the National Elections Commission (KPU) have done things differently, knowing that nothing of this scale had been attempted before? It is a hard lesson for the KPU to learn and may, in fact, lead to the Government to consider changes to the way future elections are conducted.
Fortunately, no such tragedies accompanied the elections in neighboring Thailand, Cambodia and Myanmar. But like Indonesia, Thai constituents find themselves struggling to understand what the results of their own polls actually portend. For most analysts, it is a return to the fig-leaf democracy offered by a military-backed ruling coalition.
No matter the shortcomings and the lack of post-electoral jubilation, we should still be thankful we are not dominated by a one-party political system or a military junta depriving us of our right to choose our leaders, whether we agree with them or not.
Yuli Ismartono
Senior Journalist
