From Sarong Suit to Grandchild Appearances

DOKUMENTASI DPP PDI-PERJUANGAN

Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) chairwoman Megawati Soekarnoputri leads a virtual meeting from her home in Jakarta in early May 2020. House Speaker Puan Maharani, ministers from the party, regional heads and party leaders attended the teleconference.

The COVID-19 pandemic has not impeded the roles of political parties. Technology has enabled meetings by virtual means.

The health crisis has not delayed the formulation of political parties’ roles and agendas. Technological advances have ensured the meetings of political parties to proceed by virtual means so that the pillars of democracy are maintained. Amid the adaptation to the new practice, some interesting stories are worth presenting.

Wearing a sarong and light blue long-sleeved shirt, Central Board deputy secretary-general of the United Development Party, Achmad Baidowi, presided over a faction meeting from his residence in Jakarta in early May. Fortunately, the web camera did not shoot his entire body but only from the chest upward. So Baidowi looked neatly dressed.

As the chair of the meeting, it would not be complete without a gavel. Therefore, Baidowi had bought a new mallet along with its base. Although it is not always used, the gavel is important to keep a serious meeting atmosphere.

Read also: The Meeting Strategy amid Widespread Covid-19

One of the memorable events experienced by Baidowi in virtual meetings was when the session was scheduled at 8 p.m. Western Indonesia Time (WIB). “We assumed that all participants had finished their tarawih (evening Ramadan prayers), but it turned out that those in Aceh were only about to start. Likewise, when it was time to break the fast, the virtual meeting had to be adjourned,” he said.

DOKUMENTASI PRIBADI

Deputy Secretary General of the United Development Party (PPP) Achmad Baidowi led a virtual faction meeting from his residence in Jakarta, in early May 2020.

Despite occasional disturbances like poor internet connection, fading voices of participants when speaking and internet quota depletion, Baidowi affirmed the many positive sides of virtual meetings. Nonetheless, though considered more efficient for saving consumption and transportation costs as well as time, virtual meetings were claimed to be incapable of making strategic decisions. The same is true of meetings to discuss matters with secret content, which are feared to leak out.

Detail

Virtual meetings are also held by the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) every Monday and Wednesday, directly chaired by PDI-P Central Board General Chairperson Megawati Sukarnoputri.

Besides, there are also meetings with special themes. Apart from inviting PDI-P regional board chairmen, members in the House of Representatives (DPR), the government, and regional heads are also invited. The themes cover not only budget reallocation for the control of COVID-19 but also the party’s programs and dynamics.

The notes contain not just the general chairperson’s important advice, but also unique matters written down by Megawati during the meeting

At the end of a meeting, Megawati always gives notes. The notes contain not just the general chairperson’s important advice, but also unique matters written down by Megawati during the meeting. “Ibu Mega pays attention to detail. At one meeting, Ibu Mega conveyed a light note mentioning, for instance, Mr. A was eating while attending the meeting and Mr. B looked drowsy. It indicates that Ibu Mega observes detail and shows concern,” said PDI-P Central Board secretary-general Hasto Kristiyanto.

The party’s activities are not limited to virtual meetings. Every day at 11 a.m. WIB, all PDI-P regional boards are required to submit reports of their regional conditions online. The reports contain numbers of residents infected by COVID-19 as well as logistical and hospital conditions in their regions. The accounts will be processed into special reports addressed to Megawati at 1 p.m. “Amid the pandemic, all party ranks are mobilized to work on a mutual assistance basis under the leadership of Ibu Mega,” he said.

According to Hasto, the use of information technology is not new to his party. Long before the pandemic, this virtual technology was frequently utilized for important and urgent matters, “Since the legislative candidate nomination beginning in 2018, the PDI-P has applied online psychological tests, which is also the case with party member profiling,” said Hasto.

However, he admitted that internet quality often posed constraints in the course of PDI-P virtual meetings. For example, disturbances occurred several times when Papua regional board executives were speaking or reporting their developments. “When there are internet troubles, we shift to other regions to report first, before giving another opportunity later when the internet is again smooth,” he added.

First virtual confab

Not only ordinary and routine meetings, the National Mandate Party (PAN) could even pioneer an online national working conference in early May. Unsurprisingly, the first political party national conference with over 642 participants through the Zoom application finally earned recognition from the Indonesian Museum of Records (MURI).

MURI founder Jaya Suprana said PAN was recorded as the political party organizing the first online national working conference in Indonesia. This meeting model has never been adopted by the world’s major parties like the Republican Party and the Democratic Party in the United States.

DOKUMENTASI DPP PAN

National Mandate Party (PAN) chairman Zulkifli Hasan leads a working meeting by teleconference on Tuesday (5/5/2020).

At the national conference, only six people met directly in a house on Jalan Daksa I, South Jakarta. They were PAN Central Board General Chairman Zulkifli Hasan, PAN Secretary General M. Eddy Dwiyanto Soeparno, Steering Committee (SC) chairman Viva Yoga Mauladi, SC secretary Ambia B. Boestam, Operating Committee (OC) chairman Yahdil Abdi Harahap and OC secretary Yandri Susanto.

The first PAN national conference lasted for 6.5 hours, starting at about 10.00 WIB. During the meeting, the six conference leaders wore face masks and kept physical from each other. The masks were only opened when they had their turns to speak.

On the computer screen a little girl abruptly appeared, later known to have been one of his grandchildren, who was playing and running when a program to promote the love for Indonesian products was being explained.

At the meeting, PAN ethics council chairman Sutrisno Bachir who spoke from his residence and gave advice to PAN members all over Indonesia, was suddenly disturbed. On the computer screen a little girl abruptly appeared, later known to have been one of his grandchildren, who was playing and running when a program to promote the love for Indonesian products was being explained. Sutrisno had to halt and apologize. He then told his grandchild to play in another room.

After the speech of PAN advisory assembly chairman Hatta Rajasa, PAN general chairman Zulkifli Hasan followed. While giving the reason for the online national conference, Zulkifli stated that party consolidation should be carried on amid the pandemic by benefiting from technology.

“We’re quite surprised by its outcome, which is just more effective and substantive. The online meeting model is likely to be used for the agendas of other parties,” said Eddy Dwiyanto Soeparno.

He acknowledged the presence of technical constraints, but in general the national conference managed to decide on PAN’s future schemes.

KOMPAS/DIAN DEWI PURNAMASARI

A screen capture shows National Mandate Party (PAN) consultative council chairman Hatta Rajasa speaking on Tuesday (5/5/2020) during the party’s national working meeting, held by teleconferencing to comply with the Covid-19 physical distancing policy.

Meanwhile, Prabowo Subianto as general chairman of the Gerindra Party concurrently defense minister has his way of monitoring his members amid the pandemic. With his busy schedule, Prabowo often monitors the activity of regional members via telephone as well as reports conveyed by the Gerindra Central Board secretary-general or deputies of the Gerindra general chairman.

Meetings are not as intense as those during the non-pandemic time. But coordination and communication keeps going.

Gerindra Deputy general chairman Sugiono said all Gerindra regional board chairmen had now been registered in the virtual meeting application. This makes communication easier. “Meetings are not as intense as those during the non-pandemic time. But coordination and communication keeps going,” he said.

When there are urgent things to handle, Prabowo will directly summon the executives of relevant fields. “This certainly is in compliance with today’s health protocols,” he added.

Especially regarding members in the House, Prabowo also monitors through faction leaders. This is very important in view of their functions as legislators during the period of House sessions. Sugiono even also revealed that his party was considering holding its congress, originally planned for April, by virtual means.

KOMPAS/ALIF ICHWAN

Gerindra Party chairman Prabowo Subianto (second right), accompanied by deputy chairman Edhy Prabowo (right), gestures to journalists en route to the party’s 12th anniversary event at its South Jakarta headquarters on 6 Feb. 2020.

Technological adaptations

A researcher from the Center for Strategic and International Studies, Arya Fernandes, said the end of the large-scale social restrictions could not yet be predicted. Political parties should thus make rapid adaptations to the new normal. They should even be prepared for the worst-case scenario several months ahead.

According to Arya, some positive sides of virtual meetings are cost efficiency and time effectiveness. Political parties can save on transportation, building rent and consumption. With virtual meetings, gathering masses is also more effective in terms of time. Invitations can be distributed via short messages and email.

Read also: National Conference of National Mandate  Party )

“Virtual meetings are in fact more effective, efficient and substantive. But they actually cannot serve all the agendas of political parties. They’re most suited to the socialization agenda or routine working meetings,” Arya suggested.

Behind the information facilities, Arya made a reminder of the importance of maintaining the privacy and security of virtual meetings. The platform used should have a high level of security. The secrecy of meeting agendas should not leak out or circulate.