Developing Political Infrastructure

Kompas

Illustration: A mural with the theme of the presidential election on a wall in Ciputat, South Tangerang, on Tuesday (15/4/2014).

Infrastructure development grew rapidly during President Joko Widodo\'s administration. Infrastructure in the form of toll roads, highways, ports, airports or dams will become a legacy from the Jokowi era. All of this could raise Indonesia\'s hopes for advancement.

However, Indonesia\'s hopes for advancement lie in beyond physical infrastructure. Experts also talk about economic, social, cultural and political infrastructure. Infrastructure development in these fields has hardly become the main discourse in the discussion of the political elite.

It is difficult to measure infrastructure advancement in all of these areas. Initial observations and assessments indicate that the development of political, economic, social and cultural infrastructure is far behind compared to physical infrastructure.

To borrow from Gilman and Rahman\'s framework, political infrastructure is almost always neglected. In the midst of the ups and downs of Indonesia\'s democracy over the last two decades, political elites, political scientists and the public need to talk and design the development of Indonesia\'s political infrastructure to strengthen democracy (cf. HR Gilman & KS Rahman, Rebuilding Democratic Infrastructure: An Analytical Framework, 2019).

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What is meant by political infrastructure is individuals, groups, organizations and institutions that directly or indirectly support the performance of the superstructure, such as ideology, the executive, legislative, judiciary and government officials. Strong infrastructure is essential so that the superstructure can carry out its task of advancing the nation-state.

Mass media and political parties with various groups and wing organizations are also included.

The political infrastructure includes figures in community leadership, civil society and pressure groups, such as students, academics and organic intellectuals. Mass media and political parties with various groups and wing organizations are also included.

KOMPAS/RUNIK SRI ASTUTI

Residents see the process of making a mural with the theme of the regional head election in Sidoarjo Regency, East Java, on Wednesday (19/8/2020).

Most political infrastructure is by nature independent and autonomous vis-à-vis the formal institutions of the state political authority. They are generally born from the initiatives of individuals and community that want better civic, national and state life.

Because these infrastructure entities are based on political society, they grow and move not always systematically and constantly. As a result, they are often the target of manipulation and use and abuse by certain supra-political institutions or powers, particularly the executive and legislative branches.

However, these political infrastructure entities cannot be ignored. Often they are at the forefront of political change. The most recent example was the 1998 reform movement. They succeeded in forcing President Soeharto to step down from the power he held for more than three decades.

In the nation’s journey since 1998, many political changes occurred. However, the most important thing is that the multi-party liberal democracy becomes "the only game in town". Since 1998, there has been no succession of power at the national and regional levels except through democratic procedures.

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At the same time, many figures and entities of the political infrastructure were absorbed into the superstructure. They entered public positions ranging from national to local levels. However, the political superstructure had changed their political behavior: many of them later became liabilities in the efforts to strengthen democracy and create governance that is clean from corruption, collusion and nepotism.

This process can be called the "unmaking of political infrastructure" -- the disruption of political infrastructure. On the other hand, the superstructure continues to keep strengthening through coalitions and alliances which are formed through “unholy marriages” or “marriages for convenience” -- marriage that is not sacred, just for enjoyment.

That is why Indonesian democracy has not yet been consolidated: it has gone through ups and downs to achieve a relatively perfect democracy (full democracy), but then it has degraded into flawed democracy or illiberal democracy.

Kompas

A mural with the theme of anti-corruption movement in the West Tanjung area, Jakarta, Wednesday (31/7/2013).

This unfavorable development occurred mainly due to the strengthening of the executive and legislative superstructure at the national level at the expense of political infrastructure. The power and authority of the superstructure cannot be balanced and controlled because of the fragmented infrastructure.

"It’s Time to Consolidate" was the headline on the political and legal pages of Kompas daily (4/1/2021). In that context, if we are serious about consolidating democracy, there needs to be serious efforts by all stakeholders to build political infrastructure. Clearly, a strong political infrastructure contributes to strengthening the economic infrastructure, social infrastructure and cultural infrastructure.

For that reason, first of all, it is necessary to revitalize the leadership of the community and society by providing more space to take part. The supra-political elites should encourage and facilitate community leadership to encourage citizen’s participation in the political and development process.

Strengthening must be carried out by the government by bringing civil society back into the political process.

Furthermore, it is necessary to re-strengthen civil society, which still experiences the unmaking process. Strengthening must be carried out by the government by bringing civil society back into the political process. Civil society actors and activists also need to strengthen their integrity and commitment to civic culture and civility — not being tempted by shortcuts to power, fame and luxury.

The revitalization of the mass media, especially the mainstream ones, is also an important part of the political infrastructure development.

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Without a free, strong and dynamic mass media, democracy loses its spirit. The government must give the mass media more space to express themselves: not castrate it with various restrictions and threats.

Strengthening the political parties is also an important part of political infrastructure development. Indonesian political parties face serious problems regarding oligarchic leadership; internal inter-elite friction and faction; unsolid members; and insufficient funding.

Therefore, the draft law on political parties is an urgent need. The effort to strengthen political parties needs to be included in the election bill which has been listed in the National Legislation Program this year.

ABK

Azyumardi Azra

Indonesian democracy clearly cannot consolidate if the infrastructure in these four main areas continue to be neglected. If people want to be optimistic about national consolidation, the development of political infrastructure must be very urgent.

AZYUMARDI AZRA, History Professor at State Islamic University (UIN) Syarif Hidayatullah; a member of AIPI KK

(This article was translated by Kurniawan H. Siswoko).