Making Healthy (Ministry) Democracy

NUT

Yudi Latif

A bit embarrassing! Various parties have begun fighting over ministerial positions, like asking for a share of the "war compensation". If the objective is noble for the good of the country, the minister\'s position is not a position that must be requested, but an honor for the right person. One of the key points the government has outlined is "Even though the position of state ministers depends on the president, they are not ordinary high-ranking employees. Because, the ministers are mainly executing the government power in practice."In explaining the provisions, Soepomo reminded of the need to take into consideration the prerequisites of moral nobility and capacity of statesmanship in the appointment and dismissal of ministers. "Of course, people become staatsman must have a sense of responsibility, not only to themselves, but also to the public." Soepomo also reminded, if the ministers have a sense of responsibility and are considerate of the people then they would resign should the council, a reflection of the people, call for their resignation.

KOMPAS/WAWAN H PRABOWO

President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo (at podium) delivers his victory speech on 30 June 2019, accompanied by Ma’ruf Amin (third left) and members of his 2019 campaign team, at the General Elections Commission (KPU) headquarters on Jl. Imam Bonjol, Central Jakarta. The KPU formally confirmed Jokowi and Ma’ruf as the elected president and vice president of the 2019-2024 term with 85,607,362 votes, or 55.50 percent of all legitimate votes.

Why are parties fighting for ministerial positions? In fact, if someone has the intention to be a good minister, sincerity of filial piety must be put forward from the beginning because the salary is relatively nothing compared to the huge responsibility. Those who demand ministerial positions can be suspected of having a covert motive. That is not for the good of the nation.

Fighting for ministerial positions is a bad symptom of our democracy. In the Reform Era, the practice of democracy is simply applied in direct elections (general and regional elections). Meanwhile, other prerequisites needed for the restructuring of democracy are ignored. The fact is almost forgotten that effectiveness in a democracy is difficult to achieve when the nation\'s experiences include fragmentation of national identity, a decrease in the level of literacy and an expansion of inequality.

Social fragmentation worsens along with soaring political costs and penetration of transnational ideologies. Strengthening the role of financial capital has caused political parties and representative institutions to be dominated by wealthy people. As a reaction, less wealthy groups develop defensive mechanisms through the mobilization of primordial-cultural sentiments.

Those on the “winning boat” demand a share of power. Meanwhile, others on the losing boat continue to promote identity politics; draw firm boundaries between friends and opponents. Community polarization spreads.

KOMPAS/HERU SRI KUMORO

President Joko Widodo smiles on 1 July 2019 at Bogor Palace, West Java.

Social cohesion is increasingly thinning when differences in the mastery of financial capital are linked to differences in primordial identity. The mastery of capital over politics can strengthen the perception about other identity sidelining. As a result, widespread social inequality can exacerbate antagonism among identities. The acceptance of the equality of national identity fades away because it is sidelined by the equality of primordial identity.

This goes simultaneously with the low level of literacy and the widespread use of new media. At the same time, the widespread use of social media changes the pattern of media exposure. With the diversity of media choices and broadcast programs, the new generation tends to choose information selectively, according to their preferences.

With low reading interest, most of them are exposed to information from their networks. If this reality is linked to religious patterns, residences, schooling and exclusive work -- which increasingly separate encounters among identities -- then social reality and virtual reality will mutually reinforce the shadow of being different, which makes political contestation a war zone among the exclusivities.

KOMPAS/WAWAN H PRABOWO

President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo (left) stands by as his running mate in the 2019 presidential election, Ma\'ruf Amin (second left), delivers his victory speech on 30 June 2019 during an open plenary meeting at the General Elections Commission (KPU) headquarters on Jl. Imam Bonjol, Central Jakarta. The KPU formally confirmed Jokowi and Ma\'ruf as the elected president and vice president for the 2019-2024 term with 85,607,362 votes, or 55.50 percent of all legitimate votes.

To remedy various diseases in our democracy, it is necessary to transform the awareness that democracy does not stop only during the elections. Politics is not just a battle of power, but a vehicle for the development of public policies, which are oriented toward improving values, democratic and state governance, and welfare governance for the sake of the nation. The attention and commitment of all elements of the nation must be devoted to that direction, rather than fighting for ministerial positions.

Yudi Latif, Director, Pancasila School